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Colin James

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Posts posted by Colin James

  1. 7 hours ago, ragwert said:

    Quite a lot of Cities around the word have allowed the use of e- scooters with varying restrictions with most only allowing them to be used on roads and cycle lanes,with a min age and wearing of a helmet.Some require registration and even insurance.

    We had great fun on them in both Poland and Miami, where you seem to be able to ride them on the pavements and roads, loads of people using them with no problems, they are very popular.

  2. 53 minutes ago, fandang0 said:

    Thanks for this Colin.

    Nearly 20 years ago, I made the journey to Bergen-Belsen which was an equally sobering experience and a chapter in history we should never forget.

    Vile places. 

    I have visited the Nazi concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau on a few occasions and it is so vast you see and learn something new on each visit. A very thought provoking place indeed.

  3. On 25/01/2021 at 17:39, Harry Beynon said:

    I have stayed away from this forum for a good while after taking abuse for opposing the Old Market development. However, although it gives me little pleasure in saying ‘I told you so’, I told you so!

    The clamour for The Old Market was predicated on the (perceived) need for larger retail units - something the city was deemed not to offer. The development was pushed through by a Council blind to the fact that retail was changing and online shopping was taking hold. Existing retailers were poached from the historic centre and the usual bunch of formula retailers and restaurants were assembled on a site virtually gifted to British Land by a Council desperate to produce a landmark project. 

    Now, ten years later, we know large retail units and national restaurant chains are the last thing we need. As we tried to argue a decade ago, Hereford’s future lies with small, independent retailers and local restaurants and pubs. 

    The challenge now is how to unravel the blighted Old Market development. The University? Hotel and Conference centre? New Library and Museum? New indoor leisure facilities? Definitely not ‘more of the same’ doomed lookalike retail and eating offers. 

     

    Personally, I Love the Old Market, it was something new and exciting for the city, I do not believe that existing large chains were 'poached' they saw an opportunity and took it. Why would you not be attracted by a brand new building with initial concessions on the rent?

    The problem is that it was all disjointed from the start and should have incorporated the existing shops in the city centre Example; They could have had a walkway directly from the Multi-storey car part straight across the road directly into Maylord Orchards, this would have prevented people waiting at the lights at the Wellington Pub and constantly stopping the flow of traffic. I mentioned this in a council meeting that I was invited too once to be sniggered at and told by another councillor that English Heritage would not allow a walkway to be built over the top of the ancient city walls, to which I replied they allowed Tesco to build actually within the walls! There was no further response from that councillor...

    I was disappointed like many people that the Old Market was not covered with a roof! It should have been all in door, they could have had apartments on the roof. Car park should have been FREE for the first two hours providing you purchase goods etc..

    When I travel to shopping centres in Europe nearly all parking is Free, in Poland they actually provide free buses across he cities to collect shoppers.

    The demise of many of these large retailers does not lay at the door of the old Market but at the poor management and greedy CEO's of these companies.

    How many time have you been in a shop, you cannot find what you are looking for or you cannot find your size clothing so you then ask an assistant to help you to immediately then be told by that person 'Oh you can buy this online', I always tell that person that if they tell too many people the same thing they will put themselves out of a job...

  4. You may have already noticed some changes on the site, I am in the process of some nice new updates and this also includes updating the themes used by the forum, so you are not imagining it 😀

    I hope to have it all complete within a week or so please bare with me and carry on using the site as normal.

    Colin

  5. We have been running a competition for the past few weeks to come up with a suitable name for our famous Hereford Bull Statue in the city centre.

    911991473_HerefordBull.thumb.jpg.848e8db22df26ecae8af574bd85ec6a7.jpg

    (all unofficially of course, but if it's good enough maybe we can persuade the Council to make it official! Who knows)

    We have now drawn up a shortlist of names from all the entries and created a poll HERE 👉👉 https://hfd.news/ox8 👈👈

    Let's see which is the most popular winning entry! (Poll ends Saturday 12th)

  6. 54 minutes ago, Jrtb said:

    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.......

    I see people riding bikes on footpaths all the time, I also see many cyclists ignoring traffic lights and nothing is ever done about it. Police are quick to jump on the motorists, cyclists are also road users and in my opinion should also be insured.

  7. STOLEN SIGN! The temporary Canary Bridge banner has stolen.

    85949244_CanaryBridge.thumb.jpg.46f8e9d0e348dcc6b04a5f386d11cc43.jpg

    The bridge has been named, not re-named, as a gesture of thanks to the thousands of men and women who worked at Rotherwas during WW1 and WW2 as part of the VE Day 75th anniversary celebrations.

    Rotherwas Munitions Factory Project would appreciate their sign back.

    If anyone has any information to the whereabouts of this sign please drop us a message in confidence and we will make sure it is returned. Thank you.

     

    • Frustrated 1
  8. On 02/07/2017 at 08:47, Paul Jones said:

    The weeds and general litter in Hereford is in a pretty poor state. I don't think I have seen so many weeds and some have grown so high that they look like mini tree's's and are left alone altogether.

    Remember this tree? 

    We discussed weeds along the verges many times including back in 2010 here and again here, it's like an annual event now these debates.

     

  9. The BBC TV licence fee is to rise - days after the corporation unveiled huge cuts at the public service broadcaster.

    tv-licence.jpg.9b5cacbb678915941724a17370eedf0e.jpg

    The cost of the annual television licence fee will increase from £154.50 to £157.50 from April 1.

    This comes just days after corporation unveils huge cuts
    and announced 450 job losses and the axing of award-winning The Victoria Derbyshire Show. Meanwhile, Match of the Day host Gary Lineker has suggested the licence fee should be optional.

    Your thoughts? 

  10. Can't think of anything wrong with Jeremy Corbyn apart from...

    Invited two IRA members to parliament two weeks after the Brighton bombing.

    Attended Bloody Sunday commemoration with bomber Brendan McKenna.

    Attended meeting with Provisional IRA member Raymond McCartney.

    Hosted IRA linked Mitchell McLaughlin in parliament.

    Spoke alongside IRA terrorist Martina Anderson.

    Attended Sinn Fein dinner with IRA bomber Gerry Kelly.

    Chaired Irish republican event with IRA bomber Brendan MacFarlane.

    Attended Bobby Sands commemoration honouring IRA terrorists.

    Stood in minute’s silence for IRA gunmen shot dead by the SAS.

    Refused to condemn the IRA in Sky News interview.

    Refused to condemn the IRA on Question Time.

    Refused to condemn IRA violence in BBC radio interview.

    Signed EDM after IRA Poppy massacre blaming Britain for the deaths.

    Arrested while protesting in support of Brighton bomber’s co-defendants.

    Lobbied government to improve visiting conditions for IRA killers.

    Attended Irish republican event calling for armed conflict against Britain.

    Hired suspected IRA man Ronan Bennett as a parliamentary assistant.

    Hired another aide closely linked to several convicted IRA terrorists.

    Heavily involved with IRA sympathising newspaper London Labour Briefing.

    Put up £20,000 bail money for IRA terror suspect Roisin McAliskey.

    Didn’t support IRA ceasefire.

    Said Hamas and Hezbollah are his “friends“.

    Called for Hamas to be removed from terror banned list.

    Called Hamas “serious and hard-working“.

    Attended wreath-laying at grave of Munich massacre terrorist.

    Attended conference with Hamas and PFLP.

    Photographed smiling with Hezbollah flag.

    Attended rally with Hezbollah and Al-Muhajiroun.

    Repeatedly shared platforms with PFLP plane hijacker.

    Hired aide who praised Hamas’ “spirit of resistance“.

    Accepted £20,000 for state TV channel of terror-sponsoring Iranian regime.

    Opposed banning Britons from travelling to Syria to fight for ISIS.

    Defended rights of fighters returning from Syria.

    Said ISIS supporters should not be prosecuted.

    Compared fighters returning from Syria to Nelson Mandela.

    Said the death of Osama Bin Laden was a “tragedy“.

    Wouldn’t sanction drone strike to kill ISIS leader.

    Voted to allow ISIS fighters to return from Syria.

    Opposed shoot to kill.

    Attended event organised by terrorist sympathising IHRC.

    Signed letter defending Lockerbie bombing suspects.

    Wrote letter in support of conman accused of fundraising for ISIS.

    Spoke of “friendship” with Mo Kozbar, who called for destruction of Israel.

    Attended event with Abdullah Djaballah, who called for holy war against UK.

    Called drone strikes against terrorists “obscene”.

    Boasted about “opposing anti-terror legislation”.

    Said laws banning jihadis from returning to Britain are “strange”.

    Accepted £5,000 donation from terror supporter Ted Honderich.

    Accepted £2,800 trip to Gaza from banned Islamist organisation Interpal.

    Called Ibrahim Hewitt, extremist and chair of Interpal, a “very good friend”.

    Accepted two more trips from the pro-Hamas group PRC.

    Speaker at conference hosted by pro-Hamas group MEMO.

    Met Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh several times.

    Hosted meeting with Mousa Abu Maria of banned group Islamic Jihad.

    Patron of Palestine Solidarity Campaign – marches attended by Hezbollah.

    Compared Israel to ISIS, Hamas, Hezbollah and al-Qaeda.

    Said we should not make “value judgements” about Britons who fight for ISIS.

    Received endorsement from Hamas.

    Attended event with Islamic extremist Suliman Gani.

    Chaired Stop the War, who praised “internationalism and solidarity” of ISIS.

    Praised Raed Salah, who was jailed for inciting violence in Israel.

    Signed letter defending jihadist advocacy group Cage.

    Met Dyab Jahjah, who praised the killing of British soldiers.

    Shared platform with representative of extremist cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

    Compared ISIS to US military in interview on Russia Today.

    Opposed proscription of Hizb ut-Tahrir.

    Attended conference which called on Iraqis to kill British soldiers.

    Attended Al-Quds Day demonstration in support of destruction of Israel.

    Supported Hamas and ISIS-linked Viva Palestina group.

    Attended protest with Islamic extremist Moazzam Begg.

    Made the “case for Iran” at event hosted by Khomeinist group.

    Photographed smiling with Azzam Tamimi, who backed suicide bombings.

    Photographed with Abdel Atwan, who sympathised with attacks on US troops.

    Said Hamas should “have tea with the Queen”.

    Attended ‘Meet the Resistance’ event with Hezbollah MP Hussein El Haj.

    Attended event with Haifa Zangana, who praised Palestinian “mujahideen”.

    Defended the infamous anti-Semitic Hamas supporter Stephen Sizer.

    Attended event with pro-Hamas and Hezbollah group Naturei Karta.

    Backed Holocaust denying anti-Zionist extremist Paul Eisen.

    Photographed with Abdul Raoof Al Shayeb, later jailed for terror offences.

    Mocked “anti-terror hysteria” while opposing powers for security services.

    Named on speakers list for conference with Hamas sympathiser Ismail Patel.

    Criticised drone strike that killed Jihadi John.

    Said the 7/7 bombers had been denied “hope and opportunity”.

    Said 9/11 was “manipulated” to make it look like bin Laden was responsible.

    Failed to unequivocally condemn the 9/11 attacks.

    Called Columbian terror group M-19 “comrades”.

    Blamed beheading of Alan Henning on Britain.

    Gave speech in support of Gaddafi regime.

    Signed EDM spinning for Slobodan Milosevic.

    Blamed Tunisia terror attack on “austerity”.

    Voted against banning support for the IRA.

    Voted against the Prevention of Terrorism Act three times during the Troubles.

    Voted against emergency counter-terror laws after 9/11.

    Voted against stricter punishments for being a member of a terror group.

    Voted against criminalising the encouragement of terrorism.

    Voted against banning al-Qaeda.

    Voted against outlawing the glorification of terror.

    Voted against control orders.

    Voted against increased funding for the security services to combat terrorism.

    • Like 1
  11. 57 minutes ago, Martin Cassini said:

    Hereford the Awake! 

    At last, a city with individuals at the helm with the gumption and vision to challenge the dysfunctional traffic system and adopt a progressive, enlightened approach!

    But beware. The rules of the road need changing. As currently misconceived, the rules promote neglect. How many drivers notice or stop for a mother with a toddler in a buggy waiting at the side of the road - the toddler at the optimum height to inhale the invisible toxic fumes that damage development and lodge in the brain, heart and bloodstream? It's nothing less than state-sponsored child abuse.

    To recoin Orwell’s phrase: all road-users are equal - and should take it in turns - but some are more equal than others. Drivers should give way to vulnerable road-users: children, disabled, blind, pedestrians in general. Not only are they vulnerable, they are non-polluting road-users.

    "No lights, equal rights" (Colin's phrase) sensitises drivers to the needs of others. When free to use our 'inner lights', we make decisions based on social protocol, rather than in blind obedience to a system that promotes abuse of our fellow humans. 

    So in addition to deregulation, we need a programme of re-education. Also roadway redesign to express equality.

    This can largely be achieved through public meetings, media, and subtle signage.

    I look forward to working with John Harrington and helping make Hereford the first city to pioneer an enlightened, humane solution to most of its road safety problems, and many of its congestion problems.

    Really happy to see something finally possibly happening with the new administration in Hereford. This lights out trial is long overdue. Hopefully we can also look at making some of the other traffic lights part-time in other words, turned off between 7pm-7am for example, pointless sitting on a red light at 3am when there are hardly any other vehicles around.

    • Like 1
  12. 1 hour ago, John Harrington said:

    Hi Colin and gang, the proposals put forward were not submitted by the Council but by the Hereford Sustainable Transport Group to the DfT and were in a response to the government's 'call for evidence'. This group put forward a detailed plan after some discussions with Jesse Norman MP. The Council is happy to consider the results when they come back to the HSTG because like Colin I think we should look at the possibility of ultra-light rail. So it's not a Council project or pitch yet but we may become involved. I did in my statement thank all groups that had pushed for this - meaning Col and Hereford Voice as well as others. Hereford Voice has done a huge amount in raising the profile of this idea and can and will be definitely get credit if things progress. Thanks Col and gang for all your graft on this!

    Thank you John for the clarification. 

    I am not looking for credit but keen to push our tram campaign forward and also our traffic lights out (or part time) idea. Good now that we have everyone onside and some of these ideas may come to fruition and at least be given a trial.

  13. Well they have finally admitted that their scheme does not work! 

    Quote

    Jams have been made worse on dozens of major roads in England by a project to tackle bottlenecks, bosses admit.

    Evaluation of the first year of Highways England's (HE) £317m programme showed rush hour benefits but delays at other times.

    The A5 and A49 junction in Shropshire, parts of the M6 in Merseyside and M40 in Oxfordshire were the most affected.

    The RAC said it was "very disappointing" but some schemes had led to fewer road casualties.

    The pinch-point programme was started in 2011 to relieve congestion, stimulate growth in local economies and improve safety.

    Traffic lights problem

    HE's report looked at the impact of nearly half of the 119 schemes on England's motorways and major A roads.

    The report concludes the schemes have not cut journey times and stated the impact of projects "across all 168 hours of the week, not just the 10-30 peak hours" must be considered.

    The problems were predominantly caused by the introduction of traffic lights, it said.

    UK rush hour drivers spend more than a day in traffic

    Longer journey times during off-peak periods cost £5.6m in the first year, compared with shorter journeys at peak periods which had had a benefit worth £5.1m.

    Congestion had increased at the junction of the A5 and A49 in Shrewsbury, site of the highest economic costs, at £2.5m.

    Junction 23 of the M6 at Newton-Le-Willows cost £1.5m and junction 9 of the M40 in Wendlebury was £1m.

    An HE spokesman said the report showed that overall the schemes were successful at tackling congestion at the busiest times and improving safety.

    "Meanwhile, we are considering a range of options to improve journeys by using traffic signals which respond to traffic flows," he said

    Source

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