City desperately needs bike storage facilities
THERE is an online petition for bike storage spaces to be provided in Cardiff that I would urge people to look for and sign.
Promises have been made, and not kept, by our Labour-run council to provide this kind of storage for many years.
More promises were made before the last local election.
When people note a lack of ambition from Labour regarding our climate crisis, our transport problems, our deadly poor air quality and the destruction of green spaces this is the kind of lack of ambition that we are talking about.
Using and storing bikes can be difficult if you have no side entrance and no, or little, front garden space.
There are around 142,600 houses in Cardiff and 40% of housing in Wales is terraced.
So, shall we say around 60,000 terrace houses?
Labour’s lack of ambition seems to lead to a plan for just 10 parking facilities for bikes at those houses.
Unless these sheds are going to be big enough for 6,000 bikes each, think sports-stadium size perhaps, then those 10 bike parks are nowhere near enough.
Small-scale, secure, on-road parking for bikes is needed and provided in many cities.
Why not Cardiff?
Steffan Webb
Plaid Cymru, Cardiff
We are in danger of being left behind
I read Penny King’s letter (Echo, June 21) with interest.
I agree that China is often used as an excuse to ignore our own legal commitment to achieve net zero and it got me thinking. China is often portrayed as a threat bent on world economic domination and it may be true. However, China has lifted much of its population out of poverty and its economic aspirations are essentially no different from our own in the West, even if we rightly deplore its methods.
The West has exported much of its manufacturing to China in recent decades.
Sadly, this means that its use of coal is expanding.
But what are they doing with renewables?
We seldom hear about this. The International Energy Agency’s analysis tells us that in 2021, China deployed a massive 46% of the world’s renewable capacity and that China’s forward plan shows a sevenfold increase in renewable electricity generation, mainly wind and solar, by 2060, accounting for almost 80% of China’s power mix by then. We need to open our eyes to what is really happening in China because our expansion of renewables is slowing when theirs is growing and we are in danger of being left behind.
Michael Carter via email
Views nothing more than a slur
MICHAEL North’s relentless condemnation of the Welsh Government (Echo letters) seems to border on paranoia; that he hasn’t realised yet that the institution is no longer an Assembly shows how out of touch he is with reality.
To be intolerant of refugees from Ukraine and elsewhere is the gentleman’s right but to deny the Senedd its role as a Sanctuary Nation is not “idiocy” but rather a welcoming expression of kindness to those in dire need.
Helping in this way does not affect either our ability or aim to support the indigenous population.
We are indeed fortunate to have politicians in Cardiff Bay who attempt to maintain standards of care so sorely lacking by the Tory administration at Westminster, who seem content to keep in power a Prime Minister whose character is plain for all to see!
Whatever one’s views on the subject may be, to describe the Senedd’s actions as “deranged” and “idiocy” and to accuse Senedd Members of “high-mindedness” for their own gratification is nothing more, in my opinion, than a cheap and nasty slur.
Just another Senedd-basher, unprepared to accept the democratic will of the electorate.
David L Davies Penclawdd
Rail struggle paves way for all of us
THE railway workers are representing us all in their struggle for decent pay, conditions and jobs.
They must win their struggle and show the way for all workers to achieve pay rises that keep up with the high rate of inflation.
If they fail, we all fail and we will all become poorer and poorer.
The consequences of defeat would be far worse than some small amount of inconvenience caused by the strike.
Bob Davies Pontypridd
Setting record straight on Giggs
IT was interesting that Ryan Giggs should announce he was standing down (permanently) as Wales football manager this week.
The announcement came just a couple of weeks after Wales qualified for the World Cup, for the first time since 1958.
Anyone who doesn’t pay much attention to football might have assumed that Mr Giggs stood down (permanently) after leading Wales to the World Cup.
Just in case there are any readers who think that might be the case, it might be worth setting out the truth of the matter.
Mr Giggs stood down (temporarily) as Wales football manager in 2020.
Rob Page then took over as caretaker manager.
It was with Mr Page at the helm that Wales qualified for the World Cup.
Just to set the record straight and to avoid any confusion.
John Williams Llanishen, Cardiff
Militants set on sinking industry
ALTHOUGH it must be hard to believe for today’s younger generation, as we were recovering in the
Small-scale, secure, on-road parking for bikes is needed and provided in many cities. Why not Cardiff?
Steffan Webb Cardiff
1950s from the Second World War, the UK actually had more aircraft and car manufacturers than even the US.
Yet as a result of the militant union members taking over our industries during the 1970s they handed over commercial aircraft design, development and final assembly to the French, ship building to South Korea, and the car industry to the Far East and those across the Channel.
Now the descendants of those militant union members, who seem also allergic to any form of improved efficiency and productivity, seem determined to put the last nail in the coffin of our rail industry.
The RMT’s Mick Lynch claims his mission is to protect the working class, but as happened in the 1970s, it certainly isn’t the worker in this country.
Brian Christley Abergele