Filling in city subway would be overreaction
WITH regard to the scheme proposed by Cardiff council for alterations in the Boulevard de Nantes area, the filling in of the subway seems an an overreaction to the instances of some people crossing the boulevard rather than using the subway from the front of the City Hall/law courts area to access The Friary and Queen Street.
I wonder if there is another, undisclosed, reason.
Whatever, presumably if the subway is filled in a (traffic light controlled?) pedestrian crossing will have to replace it.
Apart from the fact that people on foot take risks on these crossings – I observe this sort of thing all the time as a driver, pedestrian and cyclist – impatient drivers have been known to anticipate the green light and “jump” the amber light.
This in addition to traffic lights at the junction with Kingsway/North Road and at the Park Place/Museum Avenue junction will mean a further hindrance to the flow of traffic on this busy route.
This seems an unnecessary, poorly-thought-out idea as I’m sure others who use both the boulevard – and the subway beneath it – would agree. Surely it be would be a cheaper option, by the use of barriers – or some other sort of obstruction – to make it difficult or even impossible for people to cross the road at this point?
Roger Kendall
Canton, Cardiff
Payment reform can benefit ramblers
AS the UK prepares itself to leave the European Union, Wales is preparing itself to reform its agricultural policy and is deciding how public money should be used to support land managers after Brexit. The Welsh Government wants to replace the current EU subsidy system with “Sustainable Farm Payments”, rewarding land managers for the delivery of what are known as public goods, like improving water quality or strengthening natural habitats. Wales has a wonderful rights of way network, with 20,750 miles of paths crossing our countryside, linking our towns and villages, and opening up green spaces for us all to enjoy.
However, the path network isn’t always being maintained as it should, with many paths poorly signed, obstructed or blocked. Unsurprisingly, as it accounts for 90% of our nation’s land mass, many of these paths cross agricultural land and landowners have legal duties to keep them usable.
Ramblers Cymru have long been campaigning for agricultural support payments to be linked to good quality public access, so we can all enjoy the outdoors responsibly.
The condition of this network of paths and the realisation of the benefits it brings is often dependent on landowners “doing their bit”. Ramblers Cymru remain very concerned that Welsh Government has not made it clear that land managers will have to meet all their legal duties, including for paths and access, if they are to receive public financial support in the future.
When running for the leadership of the Welsh Labour Party, and ultimately position of First Minister, Mark Drakeford’s manifesto made a commitment to the “better management of rights of way”.
The reform of agriculture payments is an opportunity to put this commitment into practice. Ramblers Cymru are asking for any regulations and rules accompanying these changes to include rights of way laws and to ensure land owner responsibilities towards paths and public access to the outdoors are delivered.
If you would like to get involved and help us make the case visit: www.ramblers.org.uk/wales/ Angela Charlton,
Director Ramblers Cymru
School’s at heart of Catholic community
HAVING attended, as a parishioner, some meetings regarding the closure of St Alban’s School, I would like to make it clear that the closure of the school will create financial and other difficulties for Catholics in the area who are already poor.
Above all, if the children, who are the future of the Church, have no local Catholic school the whole community will suffer by being fragmented and subsequently it will be destroyed and the Church will suffer too. The children are the future of the parish; if the children and the school are taken away from the parish, the parish will be destroyed.
The proposal to “absorb” the children in other Catholic schools is not viable as the nearest school to accommodate this absorption (St Peter’s) is struggling educationally even more than St Alban’s as stated at a recent meeting.
Another factor concerning St Alban’s and St Peter’s is that more than 100 pupils who should be going to St Alban’s are attending St Peter’s so that those children can attend Corpus Christi which is bursting at the seams. This seems an indication that Catholic education is sought after and should be promoted at all levels, starting with nursery-primary and junior schools like St Alban’s.
The proposal that the present St Alban’s be used to accommodate a nursery and that new schools be built on part of Splott Park to promote educational improvement in Baden-Powell and Willows High is not the answer to St Alban’s “problems” if there are any.
The parents at the meeting had the following comments to make: St Alban’s gives a good Catholic education, which can only get better under the guidance and good work of the Oratorians. I will even go as far as to say that in a few years’ time more and more people will want to send their children to St Alban’s because of the Oratorians. Presently there are Muslim children attending because we believe in a good education and the same God. And the Oratorians are already making great strides to better the school with various activities and Mass attendance.
As to there not having been a valid head to steer the school, this matter is now rectified as the present head Mrs Woodward is very capable and together with the Oratorians the school will flourish.
The archbishop has had the wonderful idea of bringing the Oratorians to serve the parish (and they are a blessing); I am sure they will do excellent work in St Alban’s School also. To take away the school seems an illogical step. If the parish is to thrive spiritually and in every other way the children who are part and parcel of the parish need to be nurtured by the parish under the influence of the Oratory and its new head Mrs Woodward. Taking the school
Wales has 20,750 miles of paths crossing our countryside, linking our towns and villages
away from St Alban’s parish will also mean that the great idea of bringing the Oratory to the rescue of this parish will have been thrown overboard.
Rosetta Zurlo Roath, Cardiff
The wait goes on for travel pass
GOOD luck to John Jones waiting for his travel pass (“Over-60s pass more confusing than Brexit”, Echo letters, October 14). My grandson applied during the first week of September and is still waiting. I do wonder how many people in Wales are struggling to pay bus fares while waiting for travel passes.
J Cullen Cardiff
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