The next response came from Elin Jones AM, my Plaid Cymru Welsh Assembly representative.
Helpful, as well as friendly, Elin pointed out that only the main trunk roads are under the control of the Welsh Assembly, but so is the money for all road improvement and maintenance:
"Thank you for your email and I'll try and answer some of the issues raised.
Most roads in Ceredigion are owned and maintained by the County Council.
The only exceptions are the 2 Trunk Roads - the A44 and the A487 - these
roads are
owmed and managed by the Assembly.
Funding for county road maintenance is decided by the County Council and the
Assembly decides
on Trunk Road maintenance and improvement. Major road investment even for
county roads is funded
by the Assembly - for example, the work just started on the Synod Inn to
Carmarthen road has a £31 million
budget allocation in the Assembly."
Although it's not the specific answer that i was after, I was impressed with Elin's manner and approachability, and her offer to help with my crusade:
"In terms of road safety, I know that County and Assembly monitor road
accidents that are reported.
Local councillors also play a role in providing information. Where there
are particular problems then
action may be taken - for example the Tesco Juction in Cardigan was closed
due to the number of
accidents.
My answers to you are pretty general, but if there is any specific road or
juction that
you are concerned about as a motorcyclist then let me know and I'll raise it
with the relevant authority.
I've never ridden a motorcycle myself, but I can just imagine the impact
that poor road surface can have
on a motorbike, compared to a car. Mind you, I did suffer 2 burst tyres due
to poor road/hedge work on a raoad in Ceredigion a few weeks ago.
It's interesting to see Elin mention a junction in Cardigan which was closed due to the number of accidents.
At the time, the junction was blamed, the designers were blamed, the planners were blamed, and those responsible for approving the junction were blamed.
Not once did I read a news article casting car drivers in Cardigan as hooligans, stupid kids out for thrills, morons who need restricting to a lawn-mower or fools in need of several years worth of training. I never crashed there, and I'd been driving through that junction since I was a learner.
Perhaps I should use that stretch of road as a banner advert for my proposal to restrict all car drivers to no more than 35bhp and 1 passenger, no music, definately no toys stuck to windows, 40 MPH and a night-time curfew of 6pm : )
In 2003, though, out of 73 fatal road accidents involving vehicles, only 13 involved bikes. So why is the car test so easy? Why is it so hard to lose your license?.
Why don't we re-test every five years or so?.
More questions, but not really any answers. So, off I go to tilt at Windy Miller.
Tuss.
Helpful, as well as friendly, Elin pointed out that only the main trunk roads are under the control of the Welsh Assembly, but so is the money for all road improvement and maintenance:
"Thank you for your email and I'll try and answer some of the issues raised.
Most roads in Ceredigion are owned and maintained by the County Council.
The only exceptions are the 2 Trunk Roads - the A44 and the A487 - these
roads are
owmed and managed by the Assembly.
Funding for county road maintenance is decided by the County Council and the
Assembly decides
on Trunk Road maintenance and improvement. Major road investment even for
county roads is funded
by the Assembly - for example, the work just started on the Synod Inn to
Carmarthen road has a £31 million
budget allocation in the Assembly."
Although it's not the specific answer that i was after, I was impressed with Elin's manner and approachability, and her offer to help with my crusade:
"In terms of road safety, I know that County and Assembly monitor road
accidents that are reported.
Local councillors also play a role in providing information. Where there
are particular problems then
action may be taken - for example the Tesco Juction in Cardigan was closed
due to the number of
accidents.
My answers to you are pretty general, but if there is any specific road or
juction that
you are concerned about as a motorcyclist then let me know and I'll raise it
with the relevant authority.
I've never ridden a motorcycle myself, but I can just imagine the impact
that poor road surface can have
on a motorbike, compared to a car. Mind you, I did suffer 2 burst tyres due
to poor road/hedge work on a raoad in Ceredigion a few weeks ago.
It's interesting to see Elin mention a junction in Cardigan which was closed due to the number of accidents.
At the time, the junction was blamed, the designers were blamed, the planners were blamed, and those responsible for approving the junction were blamed.
Not once did I read a news article casting car drivers in Cardigan as hooligans, stupid kids out for thrills, morons who need restricting to a lawn-mower or fools in need of several years worth of training. I never crashed there, and I'd been driving through that junction since I was a learner.
Perhaps I should use that stretch of road as a banner advert for my proposal to restrict all car drivers to no more than 35bhp and 1 passenger, no music, definately no toys stuck to windows, 40 MPH and a night-time curfew of 6pm : )
In 2003, though, out of 73 fatal road accidents involving vehicles, only 13 involved bikes. So why is the car test so easy? Why is it so hard to lose your license?.
Why don't we re-test every five years or so?.
More questions, but not really any answers. So, off I go to tilt at Windy Miller.
Tuss.
posted by Welsh Al at 9:23 AM
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