Radyr and Morganstown Community Council is delighted to announce that it has appointed a new Vice Chair, to work alongside Huw Jones, who will continue as Chair for another year.

During last Thursday’s Annual Meeting Cllr Vina Patel was unanimously elected to the post.

Vina has been a Radyr resident for 20 years and, prior to joining the council in 2019, worked with her neighbours to develop a number of activities aimed at bringing people together and strengthening the community. 

She is also the Council’s representative on Radyr and Morganstown’s proposed new Good Neighbour’s Scheme, soon to be a registered charity, which will provide a wide range of services for our more vulnerable residents.
Vina is interested in community development, including engaging with those who may feel excluded in our community - and has experience of developing creative consultation processes with many communities in diverse settings.

‘I’m delighted to welcome Vina as our Vice Chair’ said Huw Jones ‘She will bring a fresh perspective to our work. Like me, she is keen to ensure that Radyr and Morganstown remains a great place to live - and together we can help lead the Council as it develops its work. I have been very impressed by her contribution as a relatively new member of the Council, and I look forward to working with her’.
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Cllr Patel has been the Social and Corporate Governance Advisor for Social Firms Wales since 2012. With a background in Community Development, working with a wide range of community groups, charities and social enterprises across Wales and abroad.

We have received the following information from Cardiff Council:

A section of Heol Isaf will be closed for resurfacing on next Sunday, 16th May,  for the duration  of that day. I attach a map  showing the area involved. There will be a complete closure to traffic; see below:
“As with all the historical works that we have undertaken on Heol Isaf, for safety reasons and as agreed with Network Management, the road will be closed to through traffic, which is the reason we are limited to Sunday working as the road is so busy at all other times. Night works are not acceptable due to the noise.
 
We will permit residents living adjacent to the work area to drive in or out to their properties when it is safe to do so and at their own risk, though they may have some delays.
 
Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times and emergency vehicles will be always granted access if required.”

Did you know that Radyr and Morganstown has a Millennium Mosaic?

This amazing art installation was created for us by the artist, Oliver Budd, who has created mosaics for many other clients in the public and private sectors - as well as churches and private clients.

Our mosaic was created to mark the new millennium - and was designed to reflect Radyr and Morganstown's history, community and environment.

You can read below a detailed description of the mosaic - including the significance of its different sections. It's a fascinating read!

if you want to see the mosaic, it can be viewed in the Garth Room at the Old Church Rooms - as soon as Covid restrictions are relaxed.

Some residents are concerned about off-road motorcyclists accessing areas such as the Mound Field where their presence can present a danger to others whilst also damaging the field itself.

Anyone concerned about this, or any other anti-social behaviour, can report it via 101 (the non-emergency number for the police) or 999.

Alternatively, South Wales Police has updated its website to make it easier to report crime and anti-social behaviour. The website can be found here.

It's hard to believe that anyone would ride their motorcycle on the Mound Field knowing that any passers-by can easily record their behaviour using a mobile phone camera. There's nowt as queer as folk, as they say.

Residents living close to the proposed Transport for Wales works compounds in Morganstown may be relieved to hear that the compound to be used to facilitate electrification of the Valleys Lines will be reduced in size - to the extent that hardly any of the Mound Field playing field will be required. TfW still proposes to build a 'haul road' alongside Pugh's, through the Mound Field car park and along the eastern edge of the field, to provide access to both the compounds.

The main reason for this change is the closure of the Rhys Dafis freight site at Taffs Well. TfW has secured agreement to operate from that site - so will be able to move some of their activity from Morganstown to Taffs Well.

Even so, they still propose to work from Morganstown - with the reduced-size compound - and a separate compound to enable a new bridge to be built over the railway line. We have, of course, opposed the bridge whilst suggesting that access to Gelynis Farm should be via Iron Bridge Road. 

Like everyone else in Radyr and Morganstown, the Community Council today heard the sad news that the Duke of Edinburgh has passed away.

We know that the thoughts of many who live in Radyr and Morganstown will be with the Queen and her family.

It is quite likely that a number of residents will have met Prince Philip during his many visits to Wales. We would like to hear from those who did - and we would be pleased to collect your stories on a special page on our website.

Indeed, our current Chair, Cllr Huw Onllwyn Jones, met the Duke during a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award lunch at Cardiff City Hall:

’I was invited to the event...’ explains Huw.

‘I assumed that there would be a few hundred people present  - so I was hugely surprised to find that I was one of just eight people sitting down to lunch. It was a very convivial affair. The Duke of Edinburgh was very charming and entertaining - with a good number of positive stories to share about his award scheme. I was glad to be able to tell him how my own daughter had benefited from the scheme. It was fascinating to spend a couple of hours in his company - and I will always remember that day’.

Do you have a story to share? If so, please contact us, below.

In the meantime, we can all look back at the amazing life of service the Duke of Edinburgh gave to his country - and you can read more about him here.

We've received this information from Dwr Cymru:

As part of our £2 million investment project in Cardiff to upgrade the water network, we need to carry out essential work in your area and we wanted to let you know what you can expect.
 
What will we be doing?
To ensure we continue to provide you with a first-class supply of drinking water, we need to abandon a section of an old water pipe and connect it to an adjacent pipe. This will take place along Ffordd Las, Drysgol Road, Dan-y-Bryn Avenue, Park Road, and Windsor Avenue in Radyr.
 
What can you expect?
This work will begin on Monday 22nd March and should be completed by the end of April 2021. 
 
We’ll be working with Morrison Utility Services to help us get the work done. They’ll be working Monday to Friday between 7.30am and 5.30pm, but sometimes they may need to work outside these hours and on the weekends to get the work done quickly.
 
We have been working closely with the local authority and have agreed to set up a temporary compound on the highway on Ffordd Las.  You may also notice us carrying out small excavations on the highway to allow us to connect properties onto the water pipe. Please be assured, we will keep access open for residents and will do our best to minimise any potential disruption.
 
There should be no disruption to your water supply while we carry out this work.
 
Traffic management
For the safety of motorists, pedestrians and our workforce, we will need to close Ffordd Las for two weeks. During this time, there will be a diversion route in place which will be clearly signposted – please see the map below.

​We will also need to use either Give & Take traffic management or traffic lights at the following junctions:
·        Drysgol Road and Dan-y-Bryn Avenue
·        Dan-y-Bryn Avenue and Park Road
·        Park Road and Windsor Avenue
 
Working during the Covid-19 outbreak
We want to reassure our customers that our team will be following Government guidelines on working during this time to ensure they keep you and themselves safe. We know this is a very challenging time but please be assured that we are – and will continue – to do everything we can to continue providing our essential services.
 
Want to know more?
We hope we’ve provided you with enough information, but if you would like to find out more visit www.dwrcymru.com/InYourArea. Future updates about our work will be posted on our website.

Here's a Dwr Cymru letter to those living near the works:

Readers will be aware that Transport for Wales will be electrifying the Valleys Lines, to provide less-polluting, modern rolling-stock - whilst doubling the frequency of trains heading north and south.

Our initial response to their plans - and their implications for Radyr and Morganstown - were outlined here.

On 15 February our Planning Committee met to discuss TfW's proposals. The Committee's recommendations were then discussed at a full Council meeting on 18 February.

The following was discussed and agreed:

Planning Application 21/00235/MJR - New vehicular and pedestrian bridge over the Radyr-Pontypridd railway line and associated infrastructure and removal of part of a ruined farm building:  Cllr HO Jones (Chair of Planning Committee) presented the recommendations from Planning Committee on the proposed response to the application.  Following a wide ranging discussion of the application and implications for the site at Morganstown, Members agreed the following response to be submitted:

• That RMCC acknowledge the existing crossing at the railway line needs to close for public safety.
• That RMCC object to the application on the grounds that the scale and specification of the bridge as proposed is excessive given the nature of the site and the existing use of the crossing by pedestrians and a limited number of vehicles. 
• That RMCC request further consideration of the alternative option of a small, low cost bridge over the River Taff linking to Iron Bridge Road for the limited number of vehicles that require access to Gelynis Farm and other facilities near the farm, accompanied by a footbridge over the railway line suitable for pedestrians and cyclists.
• That RMCC request restrictions be put in place on the use of the lane from Ty Nant Road as this lane is unsuitable for heavy traffic. In addition, no traffic associated with the Transport for Wales works should be permitted to use the lane, including for TfW staff access, in order to protect the safety of pedestrians and cyclists and the well-being of residents who live along the lane.
• That RMCC request further information on the design of the access road from the Mound Field to the construction site and what will happen to the access road after the works are completed.
• That RMCC request measures be put in place to monitor, protect and restore the ecology of the site both during and after any construction works.
• That for all of the upcoming work in Morganstown planned by Transport for Wales, Radyr & Morganstown Community Council will expect working practices to be agreed that will cause minimum disruption to those who live nearby and to other users of this area.

Members agreed that Tongwynlais Community Council be informed of the response submitted by RMCC.

Note: Amongst its planning application documents TfW did refer briefly to the possibility of building a bridge across the Taff. This is what they said:

A further design option, comprising a link to Gelynis Farm across the River Taff to the east was also considered. This was ruled out for a number of reasons, including the need for a significant structure to cross the Taff, the associated likely loss of riparian habitat along the river, the loss of a direct route between Gelynis Farm and Morganstown, the need to upgrade the links to the A470 east of the river, and the need to provide a separate bridge of the railway to accommodate the public footpath.

We think a low-cost bridge (replacing the existing footbridge) is worthy of further consideration - and would remove the need to build a large new bridge over the railway - with its associated environmental consequences.

As ever, we will keep you posted.

...for collection on Tuesday!

Don't forget the new rubbish collection arrangements. We're Tuesdays from now on!

We have been sent the enclosed copy of Mark's letter to Cllr Caro Wild, Cardiff Council's Cabinet Member for Transport and Strategic Planning.

In his letter, Mark urges Caro to consider further highway improvements in our area - and for those to be developed with as much consultation as possible with the local community.

Those improvements could include, of course, tabling the existing zebra crossings on Heol Isaf, improving traffic management near Radyr Comprehensive School - and improving the Station Road area.

The reply from Caro Wild explains that Cardiff is, indeed, starting to develop proposals for more improvements - and recognises the important of meaningful engagement with the community.

We thank Mark and Caro for their continued support for our community. And we look forward to working in ever closer cooperation with Cardiff Council for the benefit of Radyr and Morganstown residents.