As families gear up to send their kids back to school next week, West Midlands Railway is helping out with a selection of discounts on season tickets for this academic term.

Perfect for school, college or university students who regularly travel by train, the offers include 50% off season tickets for students aged 16 or over, and 25% off for students aged 15 or under. 

As well as helping parents make considerable savings, purchasing a season ticket saves students having to buy a ticket each day and reduces their social contact at the station. 

Helping passengers to travel safely and comfortably, West Midlands Railway has put a number of strict measures in place. 

As well as cleaning trains with the latest antiviral equipment, the operator has implemented social distancing on platforms, stairs and escalators, and applied new signs and one-way systems at train stations. 

The operator is reminding all passengers to maintain social distancing whenever possible and wear a face covering at all times, including children aged 11 and over. 

West Midlands Railway will also be introducing a new timetable on Sunday 6 September, helping to increase service levels in time for the return of schools and workplaces. 

The new timetable – which will generate thousands of extra seats on West Midlands Railway services – will return the network’s capacity to near pre-Covid levels. Jonny Wiseman, head of customer experience at West Midlands Railway, says:

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“Coronavirus has had a significant impact on our lives and we understand that many parents will be anxious about sending their kids back to school. 

“We also know that the pandemic has affected the finances of families across the region so we wanted to offer a helping hand with two generous discounts on our student season tickets. 

“In addition to the special offers, we have also introduced extra measures to help suppor

 

t social distancing and stepped up our cleaning, to help our customers adjust to the new way of travelling.”

To find out more about student season tickets or to purchase, visit wmr.uk/students. 

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service with crews from Kington, Eardisley, Peterchurch and Kingsland fire station dealing with a standing crop fire this morning.

#HerefordVoice #Herefordshire #HerefordNews

West Mercia Police have advised that they are at the scene of a fatal collision during the early hours on the M50 near Ledbury where two lanes Eastbound are currently closed.

Please avoid this area is possible.

The lanes are expected to be reopened early this afternoon. Please check before you travel.

#HerefordVoice #Herefordshire

A seller of illegal tobacco has been banned from Hereford and Worcester following a successful investigation by Herefordshire Council’s Trading Standards Service.

Tarik Abdullah Dosky, 54, was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on Friday 7 August 2020 following the investigation into the sale of illegal tobacco in the region. Dosky was arrested in November 2019 during a Multi-Agency Targeted Enforcement Strategy (MATES) Operation led by Trading Standards, with West Mercia Police and Herefordshire and Worcestershire Fire and Rescue Service. 

Dosky, who has a history of selling illegal tobacco, pleaded guilty to nine offences at a previous hearing, which included selling counterfeit tobacco products to undercover Trading Standards Officers. His Honour Judge James Burbidge QC handed Dosky a 10 month prison sentence (suspended for two years), an exclusion order banning him from entering any part of Hereford and Worcester for two years, a four month curfew and ordered him to pay £250 costs.

Previously on 29 May 2020, a separate Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) case, also led by Herefordshire Trading Standards, saw investigators recover £14,376.00 from Dosky’s bank account which had been frozen following confiscation proceedings.

Trading Standards Service Manager David Hough said:

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“This case demonstrates the commitment by our enforcement officers in tackling illegal tobacco sellers in the county. Not only are the products sold often counterfeit and do not meet the safety standards required by law, but it is imperative that we help support local, legitimate businesses, in these uncertain times, by tackling the criminals.”

To report a seller of illegal tobacco in Herefordshire, please contact Trading Standards on 01432 261761.

I have just submitted my thoughts on the cycle lane in Commercial Road Hereford and while I have been sat here entering my thoughts onto this site 2 bicycles have passed me again..... one with no lights in the cycle lane..... so he nearly got it right  just no lights  it's and one with lights but on the pavement..... plus two lads wearing dark clothes at 9:30 at night skateboarding game the cycle lanes where are the police...... how long will it be before one of these idiots is riding down the cycle lane with no lights and gets a car door opened on them...... this town is going to pot.......

Spotted in Tesco Belmont today..

It's still Summer and we're only in August, surely this is not the start of the Christmas stock, is it?? 🎅🌲🎁

What are your thoughts on this?

Fabulous new coffee cart has opened over looking the river next to the Victoria Bridge. We popped by over the weekend and tried their coffee and can confirm it's delicious ☕

We love to support local businesses and surprised that nobody has thought of this brilliant location before. If you're in the area give pop by and try their coffee. 

They are open all over the weekend and now also in the week:

Sat-Sun 9-5pm - Tues-Fri 8-4pm (closed Monday)

Before and after photographs of Blackmarston Road play area safe, tidy and open. 

This is great to see 👏👏 thanks to Cllr Kevin Tillett for Hinton & Hunderton for the photographs

Before

And after, wow what a difference! 

Herefordshire Council have removed the ugly red barriers along Broad St, King St and Bridge Street and replaced them will more aesthetically pleasing plants, which are much better.

All this is necessary so pedestrians can socially-distance and cyclists can ride their bikes safely.

These measures are necessary in the fight against this dreadful Coronavirus pandemic as directed and funded by central Government.

Once again the city is busy with people which is great to see.

The iconic British sculpture, The Knife Angel, is coming to Hereford on 1st June 2021.

Created to raise awareness around knife crime in the UK, The Knife Angel is made out of 100,000 confiscated knives received from 43 Police Forces across the UK. The sculpture has toured around the Country as a monument against all forms of violence and aggression. Standing at 27ft and weighing 3.5 ton, it is an incredible and powerful sight to behold.

Beginning in June 2021, the sculpture will reside at Hereford Cathedral for 28 days. During this, a series of interactive workshops and events will take place, including an opening and closing ceremony, a dedicated youth conference, weapon amnesty and more.

The Knife Angel Hereford Team explain who they are; “Alison Davies lost her son Mark to knife crime in December 2018 and together with friends Meryl Cain, Pauline Strong and Jan Jefferies wanted to raise awareness of the catastrophic impact violent crime has on individuals, families and communities. The team’s involvement with this project is carried out on a voluntary basis. The group are known as The Knife Angel Hereford Team.”

The team are also looking for help in the form of funding and volunteers. For more information, you can read more by visiting the team’s website: www.knifeangelhereford.co.uk

Diners will be able to claim 50% off food and drinks at participating restaurants during August.

Between 3 and 31 August, diners will get a 50% discount on food and non-alcoholic drinks at participating restaurants, cafes and pubs.

The offer is only available from Mondays to Wednesdays and people will receive a maximum discount of £10 per head.

Therefore if two people spend £50, they can only receive a discount of £20.

Will you be taking full advantage of this new scheme which has never been tried in the UK before?

Please find below list of participating venues, please advise if we have missed any and we will add them to our list 

• The Cafe at All Saints Church
• The Glass Tandoori, Commercial Road
• The Bookshop, Aubrey Street
• Ascari’s Cafe, West Street
• The Loft Cinema , West Street
• The Beefy Boys, Old Market
• Meze, West Street
• The Coffee Cart, Old Market and High Town
• The Oxford Arms, Widemarsh Street
• Pikadish Canteen, Netherwood Road Rotherwas Ind Est
• Golden Cross, Sutton St Nicholas
• Moka Bar Church Street
• Nutters, Capuchin Yard (Church Street)
• Queens Arms, Broad Street
• Green Dragon Hotel, Broad Street,
• The Spread Eagle, Kings Street
• The Den, Bridge Street,
• JJ and Little Dots, Bridge Street
• The Herdsman, Widemarsh Street
• Cookies Cafe, Bewell Square
• The Wellington, Widemarsh Street
• The Kerry, Commercial Square
• Subway, Commercial Street
• Pepes Piri Piri, Commercial Street
• En Sushi, Widemarsh Street
• The Grapes, East Street
• Jalsagor, St Owen Street
• Taste of Raj, St Owen Street
• The Venue, Goal Street
• Brewers Arms, Eign Road
• Planet Buffet, Commercial Road,
• Sensory and Rye, Union Street 
• Babar Cafe, Union Street
• Gilbies Bar, St Peters CloseThe Wye Inn, Holme Lacy Road

#HerefordVoice #Hereford #Herefordshire

Another busy day in Hereford! It's great to see so many people about again.

We took all of these photographs within the last hour (15.30-1600), the shops including the Hereford Butter Market are all busy which is great to see. 

We walked into the City Centre and virtually every street was busy with people as you can see from all the various photographs we have taken. Lots of people all walking or relaxing and enjoying the patchy but warm weather.

Have a wonderful weekend 🌞 😎

#HerefordVoice #Hereford #PositiveHereford

A different perspective ....

We have acquired an email sent from Cllr Paul Rone to the 'Independent Group' who hold the largest coalition majority at Herefordshire Council.

As you will see in the email he sent on the 28th of July below Councillor Rone says 👉"Closing The Old Bridge Is Fine" 👈 in Hereford however, just a few days later on August 1st in this video published by our friends at Your Herefordshire, he says something completely different...

Cllr Paul Rone owns several businesses in Hereford including the Saracens Head Pub where the footpath running along the side of the river remains closed to the public, he also owns his own city taxi.

As you know Hereford Voice are very supportive of our local businesses and it’s great to see the recent reports showing footfall has increased in the city. The statement signed by some businesses today about a vote of no confidence, talk about years worth of vanity projects, so is it really fair to blame everything on an administration who have only been in for less than a year.

In recent days this story 👉 https://hfd.news/vdo of a road project hit with procurement snag was published by our friends at Sunshine Radio - Herefordshire Council leaders have revealed a procurement failure meant they would not have been able to award the contract to build the £27m southern link road in Hereford.

People might not like these new temporary changes which the Government have asked all councils to look at it but at least Herefordshire Council are being honest and transparent about their projects.

Online shopping has increased massively across the UK and as a result shops all over the country are closing, it’s not about people not being able to get into the city, it is that many people feel safer shopping online.

So regardless of the emergency measures currently in place in Hereford, footfall is increasing, so clearly people can get into the city.

What are these businesses and others going to do to attract people into their shops? You simply can’t just blame the council, who to be fair, cannot force people go into shops.

#HerefordVoice #HerefordNews

Grange Heating have agreed to sponsor the Hereford FC Media Backdrop for the upcoming season extending their long-standing relationship with the Football Club, as the Bulls prepare for the upcoming 2020/2021 season.

Grange Heating who are a specialist heating and plumbing company from Hereford and experts in domestic and commercial heating have committed to sponsor the Club once again.

Grange Heating Managing Director, Ewen Grange, said: “I want to continue to support the local Football Club for another season to build on the success it has had since it was first formed. The Football Club gives so much pleasure to the local community and that is something we want to be a part of for the Club’s future success”

Hereford FC General Manager James Watts said: “We are delighted that Grange Heating have, once again, sponsored Hereford FC for another season with their sponsorship of our Media Backdrop and I look forward to working with them during the 2020/2021 campaign and beyond.”.

For more information on Grange Heating, visit www.grangeheating.co.uk

Exclusive Breaking News: We rang Cllr Harrington this afternoon to get an update on the Emergency Active Travel Measures and to ask him if there were any changes in the pipeline. 

He said that following on meeting with City and County Cllrs that was agreed at Full Council and after feedback from the BiD, businesses and taxi drivers he made the following changes last week. These orders were agreed last week but take 8 days to make and will take effect from this Saturday. 

🔹The Old Bridge will be open northbound from Saturday to licensed Hackney Carriages like it is for buses because the taxi association members made very valid comments about access and their role within the public transport service.

🔹Extra parking bays have been re-introduced on Broad Street.

🔹Newmarket and Blueschool Street will not go ahead at present because Highways England who control the A49 and the Tesco/Steels roundabout have not planned any safety changes to the junction and so instead they will proceed with a contra-flow up St.Owens Street, down Offa St, St.John's Street and across Cathedral Green to cross the A49 by the New Bridge instead (via underpass or across a much easier junction to navigate - onto Barton Road)

🔹There will be special 'food and other goods' collection bays put in on King Street to help the temporary takeaway operations of restaurants and other traders, like the florists. The utility barriers will continue to be replaced with planters (started yesterday) 

🔹Aylestone Hill - going towards the colleges - will be considered for a wider safer cycle lane uphill only.

🔹Ledbury Road will be getting lanes put in along its length up to the Cock of Tupsley (probably uphill only again for now after Cllr feedback)

🔹Commercial Road's lanes will be removed, hopefully by the end of the next weekend, as the scheme is not proving helpful but is actually, in his opinion and many others, counterproductive

He said he and the administration do take feedback from specific sectors seriously but they have a duty as Cllrs to respond to the request from government to implement these measures and to listen to all views - responding to valid concerns when raised. 

He appreciates all the feedback and questions put to him and supports all groups, regardless of agenda, who wish to best express their views in a clear and rational manner. 

He will keep us updated of any further changes or additions. 

#HerefordVoice #HerefordNews #Hereford

Making more space to move around Hereford safely – we’re listening

As the shops re-opened, people returned to work and visitor numbers increased, temporary measures were introduced in Hereford and the market towns to give pedestrians and cyclists the space they need to maintain social distancing and travel safely. 

The measures, which include temporary barriers and signage to widen footways, partial road closures and dedicated cycle lanes, allow more space to walk and cycle in busy areas, helping pedestrians and cyclists feel safer where space is shared.

Following feedback from businesses and individuals on the initial measures in Hereford, a number of revisions have been made: 

·       The temporary barriers to widen footways on Bridge St, King St and Broad St are being replaced with planters to enhance the appearance of the measures in these historic streets

·       Parking bays have been reintroduced in Broad street as parallel bays (disabled and pay and display bays) 

·       Temporary advisory pickup bays have been introduced in King St, which traders have identified as important in current conditions

·       Taxis will be able to travel northbound across the Old Wye Bridge from Saturday 22 August to support this alternative to private car use

·       The proposed bus and cycle lanes on Newmarket St and Blueschool St will not be implemented. 

Cllr John Harrington, Cabinet member infrastructure and transport, explains: 

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“We want to provide as much space to cyclists and pedestrians as possible to encourage people to use alternatives to the car to travel around the city, and to free up pavements for safe queuing and distancing. 

“When we first introduced the temporary measures we promised we would listen to feedback from traders and residents on the impact on their journey and business, and respond. This is exactly what we have done with the revisions we have made.

“We want people to feel relaxed when they come into town and to spend more time and money within our towns and the City. Figures recently released by Hereford BID show an increase of 25% in footfall in Hereford, demonstrating the strength of our city’s appeal to residents and visitors. We would encourage feedback on the temporary measures in Hereford and the market towns so that we can continue to ensure they support pedestrians and cyclists to travel around the busiest areas safely.”

 

Traffic Lights: We have campaigned for many years to 'trial' turning off some of the traffic lights in Hereford. The main problem we have witnessed is the Asda junction where the A465 Belmont Road meets the A49 Ross Road.

As we have always said, when these lights are out of action and you will of heard our slogan many times - 'THE TRAFFIC JUST FLOWS' when the lights are out however, while we wait in anticipation for a possible trial, they could at least change some of the traffic lights to 'Part-Time' between say 7pm-7am, similar to those that have been successful for years in Gloucester. 

(Pedestrian lights would clearly remain in full operation activated by pressing the button in the usual manner)

How many times have you found yourself sat waiting on the traffic lights when there are hardly any vehicles around, especially during the early hours.

We have several campaigns about traffic lights and documented details and videos can be accessed via our website here 👉https://hfd.news/a4m👈

✅ Sign our Part-Time Lights petition 👉 https://bit.ly/3WKVNlB

✅ Sign our 'Lights Out' trial petition 👉 https://bit.ly/3DFrgfY

#HerefordVoice #HerefordNews #Hereford

The footbridge on footpath BM5 which links St Michaels’ church to Bodenham Loop Walk has now been completed and it is now fully accessible for all users.