NEWS RANT                     

E-mail: root@thisisnotgwent.co.uk 

CON-DEM RAIL DISASTER

Jul 27 - The Conservative - Liberal Democrat coalition has quietly sneaked through the ending of the planned electrification of the Swansea - London rail line. This was promised in the Conservative election manifesto but has been thrown in to the long grass abandoning the opportunity for faster journey times and regeneration in south Wales. Couple with this with the disastrous delay in the routing of the Ebbw Vale line to Newport and you can see the Government has no strategy for improving or developing long haul public transportation in the UK.

Jessica Morden said “I am very disappointed for Newport.  Wales is currently one of the only countries in Europe not to boast a single mile of electrified rail track. It’s very important to the local economy that we have fast modern connections.  And given support for electrification was included in the Tory/Lib Dem Coalition agreement – it’s another broken promise.”    

IMAGE­ 2007 Assembly Election REALITY ß2005 General Election (the last proper vote)

BE PREPARED FOR LIB DEM TACTICS Apr 28 - The so-called new politics......The Liberal Democrats will be plying their wares in Newport in the coming weeks and Labour and Conservatives alike need to be conscious of the style of campaigning. They claim that only they can beat Labour in Newport East. The Conservatives were only 92 adrift of them at the previous General Election, therefore, this is a disingenuous claim. It is based on the 2007 General Election not the 2008 local elections or even the 2009 European Elections. The Conservatives given their performance nationally may have expectation of challenging Labour in the constituency.           The Constituency of Newport East was created in 1983 when the previous borough constituency of Newport was split in two. It lies on the south coast of Wales and has a population of around 70,000 which includes the eastern half of Newport stretching west across Monmouthshire to Caldicot.       Dawn Parry is the Conservative PPC for Newport East. "Newport East is a seat that we can win, there were just 250 votes between the 3 main parties in the 2009 European elections."   THE ODDS William Hill - Labour 1/3 Lib Dems 4/1 Conservatives 5/1 Plaid Cymru 150/1 LADBROKES - Labour 2/5 Liberal Democrats 5/2 Conservatives 7/1 Plaid Cymru 100/1 CORAL - Labour 4/11, Conservatives 5/1, Lib Democrats 7/2

CITY CENTRE NEEDS LEISURE PLAN

Apr 5 - The closure of the Riverfront Theatre over the Easter break underlines the lack of available leisure and entertainment facilities in the city centre over the Easter period and in general. Visitors and residents need other reasons rather than retail to go in to Newport. All buses lead to the centre of Newport but where would you send your child or take your friends? There is a swimming pool (but no fitness suite), no cinema (apart from weekly films in the Riverfront), no bowling complex, no ice rink, plenty of coffee shops but no family or child friendly restaurants such as Pizza Express, Nandos or even Pizza Hut (the previous restaurant shutting a year ago). All the talk is about retail but city centres will fail and do fail unless they are living places not reliant on the diminishing number of UK retail outlets. Look in Newport Unlimited's masterplan and there are only a few references to leisure, a food court in the retail development and a possible riverside food quarter adjacent to the Uni and Theatre (location unspecified). What about talking to the new developers of the Cambrian Centre about setting some space aside for a restaurant quarter near the new City rail station and bus interchange? This would work and could combine with the use of existing empty units in the area and would also provide a much needed boost to the City's night time trade.

CITY LABOUR'S OLD STYLE TACTICS NEED SHAKING UP

Mar 18 - Look at this website it underlines the moribund tactics of the City Labour Party. Most of it has not been updated for over 12 months, if you select Malpas you are greeted by a Christmas card, click on Lliswerry and latest news you get a page wholly in Latin. Not a big vote winner in Newport. Most areas or wards are dead or have no activity. Is there no one in the local Labour Party able to organise a website and to provide a voice against some of the measures being taken by the Tory / Lib Dem coalition? You cannot rely on a few questions at the full Council meeting or some sympathetic coverage from a declining local newspaper to make inroads. Modern politics require you to use all the media available to convey your message. Labour is failing to get its message across (if it has a message) and to seriously address this issue in the era of mass communication.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Feb 7 - The right to demonstrate and of freedom of speech is a hard won facet of British life. Sometimes it is awkward for us and can cause pressures for our public authorities as we balance the rights of minorities and protect all those who wish to express an opinion. These freedoms are not available in all countries that proclaim to be democracies as we have seen graphically illustrated in the media in recent months in countries such as Iran. However, the police should be careful when protecting our freedoms. Their inept action in trying to stop the legitimate filming of an Islamic March through Newport at the end of December without any satisfactory legal reason is an example of the failure to understand our hard won freedoms. Their action also gave unnecessary ammunition to the BNP, who were behind the filming.

BREAD NOT CIRCUSES?

Jan 31 - The City Council's desire to find budget savings from reductions in employee numbers and services could not be more ill timed. Newport's performance during the economic downturn has underlined its prevailing weakness as a regional centre as public investment has piled in to alternative areas including Cardiff Bay. Its unemployment level is comparatively high, slightly above neighbouring valley authorities. In addition, the City Council has borrowed excessively for a road maintenance programme and needs to fund resources for the impending Ryder Cup event while scaling back some of its key services. The City Council had a generous settlement from the central taxpayer (a 3.1 per cent increase - well ahead of the average amount) but seems intent on undermining the fabric of our communities. Therefore, while side roads are being tarmaced and Super Dragons roam John Frost Square we are seeing Day Centres threatened with closure, staff issued with letters warning of redundancy and popular leisure centres close. Ideologically, this may suit Conservatives but no one should forget that this administration also includes the Liberal Democrats, local politics does mean filling potholes and painting over bus lanes but it also means campaigning for those who are vulnerable and do not necessarily have a strong voice. Maybe the City ought to review its priorities during this time and think again about protecting some of its most vulnerable service users and staving off the threat of redundancy to its employees?

A buoyant Ed Townsend on the campaign trail...it's a canoe with a view but is he paddling too hard for victory in Newport East?.

KEEP YOUR CANOES TO YOURSELF Jan 24 - "My canoe is the one place where I can truly relax....". This is a feature in an optimistically entitled magazine called 'Talk of the Town'. Presumably, this is all part of our introduction to the Lib Dem candidate in the upcoming Newport East parliamentary election. The Talk of the Town was of course a music hall theatre and very much in this guise Ed is shown saving post offices, filling potholes and cooking sprouts. All entertaining, vote winning causes. Presumably, punters will still associate him with the Ed Townsend who is Deputy Leader of Newport City Council (including its £9 million budget deficit). In addition, Newport East kayak owners will no doubt have been impressed by Ed's canoeing prowess (see left - a submerged Nick Clegg is out of picture). Whilst this is all laudable I am not interested..I do not want to know about mallards and sprouts, Jessica Morden's new romantic record collection or Dawn Parry's cross-stitch quilts of South American presidents of the 1960s. Can we just have the politics and dispense with all this other rubbish?

Breaking canoes from Newport East -Disappointingly there is not enough water here for Ed's kayak.

NEWPORT - DOUGHNUT CITY

Jan 16 - The news that yet another supermarket is planned for the former bowling complex at Newport Retail Park and the supportive reaction of local councillors is missing the point. Newport, with a population of 140,000, currently has a raft of supermarkets, far too many for the size of the City and its catchment. Within the City boundaries we currently have two Tesco superstores (including an Extra store), a Sainsbury's, two Asda superstores, a Morrison's store, two Aldi stores, two Lidl, and numerous smaller supermarkets (including Somerfield, Iceland and Tesco Express). Already in the planning are a new Sainsbury's store (replacing the old store), a new Morrison's store (at Lliswerry), and a new Lidl (near George Street Bridge). In addition, the existing Tesco store at Spytty is to become an Extra. Meanwhile, the City Centre is increasingly bereft of quality and variety in its retail offer. If the proposed supermarket is a Waitrose or an M&S this would have a devastating impact on the city centre M&S store. The £27 million Kingsway Centre is less than a third full and the City is losing shoppers to other destinations including its own retail parks. Moreover, the leisure offer in the City is not significant despite the publicity to the contrary. While public leisure facilities are generally good there are too few private amenities including facilities that may be used by young age groups including bowling facilities, an ice rink or another cinema on the west side of the City. Newport planners will need to think carefully about any development at Newport Retail Park and have the best interests of the City and its future at heart. 

COUNCILS DESERVE CREDIT FOR RESPONSE TO SNOW Jan 9 - The familiar steely British response to adversity is now being replaced by endless moaning and nit-picking promulgated by the 24 hour news media. The severe weather event has tested local authority resources and emergency planning to the limit but it must be said that Newport City Council and other public bodies have responded creditably to the situation. All main roads and bus routes have been kept clear during exceptional weather. In addition, services to the vulnerable and elderly have been maintained. Gritter lorries have been out in force with many workmen working long hours, seven days a week. There is no acknowledgement of the excellent work being done by Councils and other public bodies. We simply have the sniping and criticism that has become the response of the media to any event in their desperate attempt to fill news hours and column inches.

BORROWING CLAIM KICKED INTO TOUCH Dec 3 - Claim "You can't trust Labour with your money. They are the buy today and pay tomorrow party" Claim - "Local Conservatives have secured £21 million over the next three years to our local road network. The funding, nicknamed Project 21, will transform the city's road network which is in dire need of repair." How did they get the money for this scheme, massive prudential borrowing is the answer. It will take years to pay back. Enough said.

HARK THE 'HERALD' ANGELS SING

Oct 18 - To follow up on yesterday's treat I now have a copy the Liberal Democrat of Newport and Severnside Herald. This newsletter is aimed at the Newport East constituency. It starts with the headline 'Another Labour Let Down' a reference to the delayed implementation of the Clinical Future programme set out by the Gwent Healthcare Trust. The Trust wants to move the main accident and emergency centre out of Newport to the green pastures of Llandfrechfa. The City Council has previously persistently campaigned against this on the grounds that it will be detrimental to the Newport economy and the proposal has not been clearly thought out or investigated. However, the Liberal Democrat for Newport East appears to be campaigning in favour of the change by criticising the delay. This would be to the detriment of his own City but neatly side-steps this by saying "The truth is probably that they simply cannot afford to build the hospital. If that's the case they should simply admit they got the whole thing wrong in the first place." I think the Liberal Democrats support the Clinical Futures proposal but it is not completely clear, they are correct to criticise the ongoing delay but inevitably the Newport economy will be badly affected by moving the main hospital out of the City. They should be clear about this.

The newsletter mentions the City Council but does not mention the Conservative led coalition. In fact, you would think the Lib Dems were in power. And them the back page is devoted to a 'Conservatives can't win here' article. This is a standard strategy to squeeze the Conservative to focus on maximising the vote against the governing party. The article even quotes bookmakers odds without giving a precise for the information. However, there is a strong core Conservative vote in Newport East of 20 per cent plus, not necessarily from the Newport area but from the Monmouthshire towns and villages to the east. At the last general election for the first time the Liberal Democrats were 92 votes ahead of the Conservatives as they both pulled in 23 per cent of the vote. In the 2007 Welsh Assembly election the Conservatives still polled 23 per cent, 1,000 adrift of the Liberal Democrats and 1,900 behind John Griffiths on a disastrous night for Labour. The notion that the Conservatives cannot win in Newport East is therefore not true and despite this campaigning strategy it may prove difficult to shift this core vote particularly in good electoral circumstances for the Tories.

IN TOUCH - OR OUT OF TOUCH?

Oct 17 - Newport's Conservatives have produced a newsletter entitled 'In Touch'. It states "On May 1st 2008 the people of Newport chose to reject the tired old Stalinist policies of Gordon Brown and the champagne socialism of Newports former labour council." You can add your own grammatical corrections to this poorly presented introduction, not what one would expect from the custodians of our City's education policy! That aside, the newsletter refers throughout to Newport's 'Conservative-led administration' it does not mention their allies, the Liberal Democrats, at all. In addition, the newsletter rails against Labour stating 'you can't trust Labour with your money. They are the buy today and pay tomorrow party.' This is from the party that has prudentially borrowed most of the £21 million required to fund the much-vaunted road maintenance programme, Project 21.

CITY CENTRE PRETENCE MUST END

Sept 1 - The statement from Ken Ellis from Newport Chamber of Trade regarding his concerns for the City Centre retail offer at Christmas is particularly worrying. Whereas other centres reported an improvement over the holiday period Newport is still suffering from a lack of footfall. Shoppers are deserting the centre for the many retail parks in the City, for Cwmbran, Cardiff and Cribbs Causeway. The impending arrival of St. David's 2 will deal another blow to Newport's retail heart. Newportonians as a matter of regularity do not shop in the City Centre, it is not uncommon to here the statement that "I do not go there!" Teenagers and the elderly alike would rather the more secure confines of Newport Retail Park and Cwmbran to the cornucopia of life to be found on Commercial Street. The regular shopper travels in by bus (free of charge) and spends little. There are one or two bright spots, a varied selection of coffee houses, the market, one or two good shops but the retail offer leaves much to be desired.

But what can be done? The loss of Friars Walk and City Spires was disastrous and largely out of the City's control but the Kingsway Centre retail mix has altered little over the last two years despite undergoing a £27 million refurbishment and having a brand new 1000 space car park. It has some  large units and over 30 empty lets but there is no significant sign of incoming retail or the prospect of it other than a smart cafe. New retailers are not being attracted even to new developments in Newport. Rather desperately the website for this Centre includes an amusement arcade, charity shop and manicurist amongst the stores listed. The Centre and the City need to bring in stores that will attract female shoppers and middle income earners. Zara, Warehouse, Karen Millen, a larger New Look or Top Shop, Principles, a Sainsburys Central etc. would change the character of the mall and help the City Centre.

Looking ahead the new University development will provide another an influx of students when it opens in October 2010 as will the numerous housing developments creaking in to action as the economic downturn ends. Rugby supporters will be a regular feature in the summer as well as the winter (Never mind the Ryder Cup, as it stands this will pass the City by). So there is hope from other quarters but the City must shake off its torpor. The City Centre website has little to commend Newport's shopping - it mentions the new car park, the recently purchased CCTV suite and local history lessons but no new shops. That's where we are, no progress. Many of us have stayed loyal to Newport despite everything because we care about it. But we do need to see evidence of action in the City Centre and soon.

NEWPORT LIB DEMS SOUND ASLEEP

Aug 26 - Whether they are intoxicated by being part of the governing coalition or they have fallen in to a summer torpor Newport's Lib Dems seem to have given up the ghost. Their one time campaigning, bright, vocal website now admits the truth.. they have given up campaigning and have 'no news stories' to add. After all now they are in charge everything in Newport seems ok, all the potholes are filled in, all the bins emptied on time, and all Labour's inactivity has been addressed (?).

SUPER LEAGUE VISITORS PAINT MIXED PICTURE OF CITY

August 24 - Four thousand rugby league fans from Leeds descended upon Newport on Saturday for the Super League fixture against Celtic Crusaders. As Rodney Parade hosts more rugby league next season Newport needs to do more to give these people a welcome both at the stadium and in the City generally. For those arriving by train there is no signage directing fans arriving at the railway station to the rugby ground. But the locals helped out, our best asset is our people. It seems the friendliness and hospitality of Newportonians made a big impression on Leeds fans but despite this they were less than impressed with the City and some aspects of the stadium (not all), useful customer feedback therefore follows (selected from the Rhinos message board)

"I went for a walk and a few pints in the town centre and I've never known anywhere where the locals were as friendly and helpful. We were stopped numerous times by people offering us directions to the ground and wanting to have a general chat about RL."

"In terms of the crowd, there seemed to be a lot of locals in Newport shirts there giving RL a chance, I had a few asking me certain things about the rules and they were eager to learn. They did say they were impressed all in all. "

"Best away game I've been to in years. Nice tidy traditional ground,  Good craic with the taff's!!"

"God knows what state The Brewery Field is in if the Newport Ground is an improvement!! Portaloos, Wakey type chalets at one end,"

"Newport the city = shit hole / The ground = not worthy of hosting top flight RL / Ground staff = some of the nicest and most accommodating stewards I’ve had the fortune to encounter."

"The bottom line is that there is a market for the club in that part of Wales and it would be a shame, present problems accepted, to come this far and let it all go to waste. Remember how the Catalans were in their first season ?"

"Reminded me of Wakefield tbh" / "The union boys i was stood with were a very good set of blokes, chatty, friendly and deadpan funny. "

"Parking could be better (or at least a bit more info about where the car parks are that don't close at 6pm). Tried to get in the multi-storey near the ground, but it was closed and looked as if it had been for some time. The staff at Newport were great, really came across as if they wanted you to enjoy your time there. Welcomed into the bar - no member only restrictions! reasonably priced food too - Shame the bitter was Worthingtons (didn't know it was still being made). I enjoyed the atmosphere in the stadium. When we walked back to the car park (in the town) locals were really friendly and went out of their way to ask the score, etc.. "

CITY AND WELSH ECONOMY WILL BE DAMAGED BY NEW SPEED LIMIT

August 1 - Having failed another test of leadership with by their decision not to go ahead with M4 Relief Road project the Welsh Assembly Government is intent on slowing traffic down for the entire stretch of the M4 motorway through Newport between Junction 24 and 29. Their plan has already seen the installation of so-called average speed cameras that will identify drivers exceeding 50 mph along this stretch of the M4. It seems that the Government has overlooked the importance of this road to the economy of Newport and the rest of the southern belt. This is the lifeblood of the south Wales economy bringing in much needed goods and services from England and allowing for the contraflow of goods and services eastward. Allegedly, this scheme will improve traffic flows and reduce congestion thereby reducing accidents. There is, however, no evidence that introducing a speed limit such as this improves safety and in the view of motoring organisations it introduces a short term and dangerous breaking situation as cars near speed cameras.

The CBI believes that the plan will add to the marginal costs faced by business and could be the difference between choosing a location in south Wales or another area of the UK. They believe the Assembly has walked away from its responsibilities "Predicted increases in congestion (some 30 per cent) and regional population growth all point to the need to expand the transport network of one of the cornerstones of Wales' transport network...Wales effectively cannot afford large infrastructure projects...is it able to deliver on the big-picture projects without the backing of large central government budgets. Wales’ economy is already falling behind the rest of the UK and this decision will only reinforce that trend.”

This is the another ill-conceived idea. To ease congestion, the entire section around Newport will now be 50mph – but, at quiet times, there is absolutely no need for it, and it is widely abused. Time is money for business and we need government to provide us with a fit-for-purpose business environment that includes a well-functioning road network. Instead of focussing on un-needed modal links between North Wales and the southern coastal belt the Assembly should be looking to strengthen the economy of Newport and south east Wales. The Severnside Airport, the M4 Relief Road and the new speed limit are symptomatic of an organisation that does not have a sufficiently wide vision of the economy's infrastructure requirements.

RAIL ELECTRIFICATION BOOST?

July 25 - The Government state that the electrification of the Great Western main line between Swansea and London will cut journey times from Newport to our capital city by fifteen minutes.

But rail expert Christian Wolmar played down the idea of an electrified rail line reaching south Wales any time soon. He told BBC Radio Wales: "There has been talk about this for years and years, but hold your horses, it's not going to happen instantly. Probably this will to be carried out in stages. There would be initial electrification to places like Newbury, effectively London suburban trains. Then they might do it to Bristol and eventually through to Cardiff but possibly Swansea, then maybe right to the end of the line, who knows? But that's really way ahead and there is a big obstacle, of course, between London and Wales, and that's the Severn Tunnel. It's pretty wet and damp in there and there might not be enough room to electrify it without digging out the tunnel somewhat, so it will be a big barrier. "

SUPER LEAGUE WOULD BE HUGE SHOT IN THE ARM FOR CITY AND RODNEY PARADE!

July 18 - The news that the Welsh Super League franchise Celtic Crusaders is considering a move to Rodney Parade should be welcomed with both hands by both the City Council and Rodney Parade Limited. Saturday evening games in the Super League attracting several thousand visitors from the north of England every other week would bring a much needed boost to Newport's night-time and leisure economy. The City Council therefore should be doing everything it can to support the arrival of another major sport to the City. Additionally, Newport rugby club will be able to reap the benefits from the full use of its stadia throughout the year. Couple this with the fact that rugby league is an outstanding sport played by supreme very physical athletes at amazing speed. This should be enough to attract a significant following locally and to set up the possibility of a commercial success. So come on Matthew Evans, Martyn Hazell etc., show the Rugby Football League and the Celtic Crusaders that Newport is ready and willing to take up the challenge and that it interested in and enthusiastic about the Super League.

WALES ON SUNDAY RUBBISH

June 14 - Just a personal opinion but Wales on Sunday is the worst rag of the lot. Tabloid tat with any celeb or story that has a Welsh reference no matter how tenuous the link. It's sport reporting is a complete disgrace. Today it has a story which is basically a criticism of Newport nightclubs for offering alcohol discounts to punters including £8 for all you can drink offers in Mojo and Ecapade. They reckon it will sponsor irresponsible drinking. But far be it from me to defend the clubs involved but we are in a recession, in an area where unemployment has gone through the roof. In addition, in Newport city centre a number of major pub and club venues have closed due to the current economic climate. The reporter and her contributors can join the merry band of puritans, liberals and social fascists who glory in telling people what to do. But the worst thing about the pisspoor article is that you are given the impression that this demon behaviour only happens in that den of iniquity that is Newport. No reference is made to clubs in other towns and cities, in fact there is no research in to this at all. It just focusses on one club in particular, Mojo. So I have redressed the balance with this recent expose on our capital city. Follow this link.

If Wales on Sunday was a proper newspaper it would ask itself whether irresponsible or binge drinking is assisted by the low prices charged by supermarkets. For example, you can purchase a pint of lager to drink at home or in the street for as little as 31 pence. So to spend £8 (admittedly on Tesco Value Lager!) would enable you to buy 25 pints, I doubt whether you would drink anywhere near that much in Mojo! By the way, the average cost of a pint of lager in a pub or club is currently £2.25. Yet no one is saying that supermarkets are providing the equivalent of all you can drink offers, contributing to violence and anti-social behaviour on our streets.

NEWPORT 'PREPARES' FOR THE RYDER CUP

June 6 - This is from golf365, a South African website.

9am - Newport prepares for the Ryder Cup - Like the US Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin and his entourage I went into Cardiff last night for my dinner. Somehow I doubt Corey took advantage of the two-for-one vouchers being handed out around Cardiff Bay by the staff of an Italian restaurant overlooking the waterfront. I was catching up with an old friend who now teaches in Newport, but who is a little concerned (and he's not the only one) that there has been very little sign of the town preparing itself for the American invasion before, during and after next year's Ryder Cup.As he points out, Newport's historical significance in the struggle for democracy and the right to vote (as a hotbed of Chartist insurrection) ought to be a superb selling point to American tourists.

Cardiff reaping the benefits from Newport's Ryder Cup, sound familiar?

A CITY TRANSPORT POLICY

May 18 - Some ideas for a distinctive transport policy for Newport.

• Campaign for the development of a local rail system utilising the existing rail network including the early completion of new stations at Caerleon, Llanwern and Coedkernew.
• Campaign for a discrete rail service from Newport to Cardiff and back to supplement the existing mainline services providing a service between the two cities in line with a typical London Underground frequency.
• Review the local bus service and the potential for increased journey opportunities including a circular bus route linking some of the main retail parks (east and west), the Royal Gwent Hospital, the lower end of the city centre and Chepstow Road between Maindee, Royal Oak and Ringland. Look at regular high frequency bus services to the main business parks in the west of the city and to the hotel sector in the east.
• Make the city more accessible to the car - look at parking incentives to bring shoppers back in to the city centre included refunded tarrifs, and dedicated cheap secure park and ride facilities.

ONE RULE FOR CARDIFF CITY...

May 17 - The Football Association of Wales has demonstrated that there is one rule for Cardiff City and another rule for Newport County after their ruling regarding the recent coin throwing incident at Ninian Park. Referee Mike Dean was struck and cut on the head as he officiated over the April 5 Championship match with Swansea City. In a similar incident in November 2006, Newport County were fined £3,000 by the FAW after being found guilty of failing to control their supporters after an FA Cup match with Swansea City at Spytty Park. This investigation by the FAW has taken an age. When it started the Times reported "Cardiff are expected to be charged by the FAW with failing to control their supporters, and their punishment is likely to be greater than that given to Newport County," On April 26 Wales Online was reporting that Cardiff and Swansea were looking to join the English FA. Nudge, nudge, or what? This is not the first time the FAW has bailed Cardiff out and typifies the small country attitude and bias so prevalent in Wales.

KINGSWAY IS A JOKE

Apr 20 - The Experian survey showing a surfeit of empty shops in the centre of Newport (over 30 per cent of floor space) should come as no surprise. Much of it is in the £27 million Kingsway Centre. This scheme has been completed with absolutely no sense of urgency. The Car Park due for completion in early 2008 now looks set for completion in late 2009! Out of 55 stores, only 17 are let. There is over 215,000 sq. ft. in retail space but less than 90,000 sq. ft is let. Of those let there are one or two excellent stores like Wilkinson but also unfortunately an amusement arcade and somewhere to get your nails done. The main arcade is desolate and has become the home for a gold pawn shop and a towel vendor. It is spacious and empty with no sign of any retail activity. it is more suited to five a side football than quality retailing. Amusingly, the centre retains three or four security guards to deal with the expected throng of shoppers. Unfortunately, they very often outnumber the shoppers walking through. Three units have had the banner 'under offer - exciting retailer coming soon' on them for well over a year. Despite the credit crunch whoever is responsible for the letting of this centre has a lot of explaining to do. There are still retailers who want to let new stores but obviously not in Newport and particularly in the Kingsway. Nothing underlines the problem with Newport's retail core more than this brand new centre that has remained mostly empty for two years.

DON'T PUT UP WITH 'DRESSING UP' OUR CITY

Feb 15 - It was inevitable that Newport's run of good luck on the development front would come to an end. And how. The credit crunch has destroyed many aspirations the Council and Newport Unlimited had for showing off the City by the time of the Ryder Cup. We know of course that the vision is longer term than just the Ryder Cup but that was the initial aim - a City fit to host the Ryder Cup. Now, sadly, we are left with the so-called 'dressing up' of Newport. Even so, it is doubtful whether the dressed-up centre of Newport will be a focal point for tourists and visitors - the hotel , retail, leisure facilities, restaurants  and bars are far too meagre. It is also hard to imagine Cardiff being left with a similar fate - but inevitably we are talking about a unique and obdurately anglicised part of Wales, of little concern to the Welsh Assembly Government. The development chaos left by the credit crunch is not the fault of Council administrations or Newport Unlimited. They had control over it but it does not mean they should stand by without comment during this critical time in Newport's history.

Some City developments are edging forward, the new Riverside campus will change the character of the city centre forever when it opens in September 2010. The Kingsway Car Park will be finished this summer hopefully acting as a catalyst for retailers to sign up. The new gateway railway station development will start soon albeit without a footbridge leaving the City Council with the awful subway running underneath the old station. A few residential developments are still being progressed in Old Town Dock. But that's about it. City Spires and its skyscraper has been consigned to the dustbin. The Taylor Wimpey City Vizion development at Rodney Parade and The Edge near George Street have yet to start, the new eastern suburb from St. Modwen is still only a plan, the Rugby Stadium still has some life in it thankfully but is still some way off as is the Crindau basin development and its possible marina.

But for the city the most significant delay is to Friars Walk. Despite the downturn retail developments are still being built throughout the UK. In Cardiff the bloated St. David's 2 is nearing completion and will catapult it up the retail charts, in Bristol the superb Cabot's Circus development has brought self confidence back to a major regional city. Newport needs to find a way, despite the difficult economic times, of progressing their development. Surely Newport Unlimited and the developers Corovest could look at moving it forward in stages? The Kingsway Car Park development has left a huge block of space that will house the Debenham's department store. This is not part of the main Friars Walk shopping centre but is linked to it. Is there any reason why this could not be built on its own having revised plans appropriately? On its own the arrival of this store would have a massive and beneficial impact on the retail offer in the City and encourage other retailers in. Debenhams stated recently that they were not growing as a business because several of their stores (including Newport) have been delayed due to the financial crisis. It seems they would probably be keen to see it sorted out as well. The rest of the Friars Walk development requires the demolition of the Capitol Car Park and changes to the bus station, this could wait until economic conditions improve in the next couple of years.

WELL DONE - CITY COPED WELL WITH THE SNOW

Feb 10 - The last of the snow has melted for the time being but the last week or so has seen four separate snowfalls in Newport. The snow has fallen mostly at night, often in freezing conditions. Thanks to the efficiency of our city services disruption has been kept to our minimum. Even on Saturday in treacherous, icy conditions the City Centre was clear of hazards. Despite the moaning elsewhere the City Council and other services should be congratulated on maintaining key provision throughout including public transport, refuse and home care. Main roads and most side roads were kept clear of snow. And if the schools closed, so what, it was a rare and welcome opportunity for our children to enjoy the snow and a brief change of lifestyle, sledging and snowballing. 

RHODRI MISSES THE RUNWAY

Jan 15 - The Assembly Government is to lobby Westminster for a direct rail link between Wales and Heathrow Airport. First Minster Rhodri Morgan and Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones threw their combined weight behind the proposal yesterday. But Mr Morgan warned that London Mayor Boris Johnson’s proposals for a new airport to be built in the Thames estuary, and for Heathrow to be phased out, would hurt Wales’ economy by increasing the journey time between the nation and flights.

Instead of pleading for fast access to Heathrow if Morgan and co. had shown some vision Wales might have had its own International Airport. He would have needed to remove his Cardiff blinkers to have seen it though. As recently as 2003 plans for a £2 billion Severnside airport were rejected by the UK Government with the full backing of Morgan. He said at the time "commercial reality says that private enterprise would expect the closure of Cardiff and Bristol airports before huge sums were invested in Severnside, and as this will never happen it remains pie in the sky." The Severnside airport would have been built near Newport with runways on a man-made island in the Severn Estuary. Supporters had said the airport could have handled 30m passengers a year by 2030 and helped create 13,000 jobs. The consortium behind the proposal for Severnside stated "Nobody is asking for permission to build Severnside, and nobody is asking for public money. All we are asking is that the National Assembly and all local authorities tell the Government that they want Severnside included in the consultation and in this autumn's White Paper as an option for serious study. Airport policy for southern Britain must be considered as an integrated whole, and must not be regionalised."

Despite fulsome backing from Newport City Council the support was not forthcoming, particularly from the Welsh Assembly. The idea died in the water for a second time. As a result we were left with puny airports more appropriate to the developing world than the first world with the prospect of regular flights to Belfast and Knock. And to compound it all the UK Government inevitably has announced its plan for inter-continental travel for southern Britain, a third runway for Heathrow.

Attwell and his coat

CONSERVATIVE RUN NEWPORT Nov 28 - The Conservative run City Council has revealed its vision for Newport - fewer bus lanes, more take-aways and restaurants. The new vision was summed up by the sight of Matthew Evans and David 'Diddy' Attwell in highway jackets on the Malpas Road warzone removing the heinous green paint denoting 'bus lane' from the dual carriageway. A pathetic sight. Meanwhile, the Conservative leader has made a clarion call for...wait for it..for better services? more help and recognition for the regeneration of our city? the end of wasteful spending in Cardiff Bay? .....erm, no, he wants to see more restaurants and takeaways in the City Centre......These people really have their fingers on the pulse don't they? Perhaps they have spent too much time reading Mike Buckingham columns and taking notice of idiotic comments in the rancid letters page of the local rag!

NEWPORT TRANSPORT - TIME TO HAND BACK FARE INCREASES?

Oct 28 - Newport Transport has had three fare increases in the space of six months during this calendar year. The price of a single fare on Newport buses has gone by 14 per cent, return fares have been abolished and season ticket fares have increased significantly. At the same time there have been further cutbacks in services and the city bus company (partly owned by the City Council) has proved it is unwilling or unable to run subsidised or uneconomic routes. When Newport Transport first increased their prices (as part of the annual increase) the price of a barrel of oil stood at $90, on the second increase (23/3) it was nearly a $100 and by the third increase it had gone up to $125. Today a barrel of oil stands at $61. Pump prices for domestic petrol and diesel users are coming down everyday. Newport Transport should explain how it intends to spend the additional revenue it will now accrue or hand back some of the increase to the consumer. At a time of economic recession public transport systems are increasingly important now is the time for the city's transport company and its leaders to show some vision instead of treating users as a means of income treat them as customers and consumers.

CITY COUNCIL VOTES FOR GRIDLOCK

Sep 26 - The picture of an old man (sic) standing next to a bus lane on Malpas Road in this evening's Argus says it all. The new administration in act of reactionary political spite has voted to remove some of the city's inefficient bus lane. A slavish report from reporter Jane Helmich is underlined by the paper's editor stating 'good riddance' to the city's bus lanes. An attempt to speed up the City's public transport system will be undermined by this craven attitude. Old men with their ideas firmly rooted in the age of the car and the predominance of private forms of transport will no doubt sweep away the remaining city bus lanes and set their sights on Newport's pedestrian areas as well.

HAS ANYONE SEEN THE LIB DEMS ?

Sep 22 - Newport City Council's precarious coalition is just that, a coalition. To read the press of late you would be hard pressed to realise that the Liberal Democrats were actually part of the coalition. Pronouncements are made on a wide variety of subjects by leading Tories on the Council. The Liberal Democrats are conspicuous by their anonymity. The decision regarding the Mansion House, redolent of penny pinching and political spite, was a Tory decision made by a Tory Councillor. Apart from the customary hand-wringing over the new Glan Usk school we have seen little or nothing to indicate this is a political partnership of equals. The Newport Lib Dems website, a regular source of campaigning material about broken pavements and cycle lanes has not been updated since the coalition took office on 16 June 2008. Ed Townsend their leader stated "The agreement we have reached with the Conservatives will put the citizens of Newport first. It is an historic agreement, one which brings a new way of thinking and a new way of working to the city". Yes, a new way of thinking in which the Lib Dems align themselves with the closure or run-down of Newport's assets without raising a whimper.

CITY'S REGENERATION DREAMS ARE IN TATTERS

Aug 30 - It is not over stating it to say that the latest Newport Unlimited report on developments in the City underlines the disastrous impact of the current economic climate upon Newport. It could not have come at a worse time. Some of the city's regeneration dreams now lie in tatters. Many key projects are lost or will be significantly downgraded, most of it will not be complete by the time the Ryder Cup arrives. If Cardiff were hosting the event there would be a real sense of urgency about getting the key parts of the job done in time but Newport's politicians, its local authority and its media are failing to get the message across to the Welsh Assembly Government. And more to the point, as it is Newport that is affected, does the Welsh Assembly Government really care?

LIMITED UNLIMITED PART 2

Aug 20 - As we said before Newport Unlimited is doing an excellent job in developing our City along with others but its own information and publicity machine leaves a lot to be desired. Press releases on its website have not been updated since January 2008. There is very little evidence it has been updated since the latter date. That's over six months. With very little information generally available the website   could be a positive vehicle for providing   progress reports on regeneration projects in the City.   Sort it out!  

CITY'S DOUGHNUT EFFECT SET TO CONTINUE?

Aug 6 - Newport is often described as resembling a doughnut. Around the outside it is characterised by retail and leisure developments and hotels but in the centre there is nothing. This is a product of the 1980's and the Tories unrestricted approach to planning but it has had a marked effect on Newport. The Council and Newport Unlimited though ploughing ahead with magnificent projects are still unable to arrest it.

The news that developers at Celtic Springs now want to include a retail element at the business park must give cause for concern. The Business Park sitting to the west of the city centre has attracted a host of new employers including HM Prison Service and Swalec and will shortly boast its own luxury hotel. The story covered in Wales Online does not stipulate what the intended 'parade of shops' will provide. But it may turn out to be more significant than is being currently presented. There are already significant retail parks in the west of the city including Maesglas, 28 East and the Harlech Retail Park, the latter boasting a Tesco Extra. In addition, there is an Asda store in nearby Duffryn. Why is any more retail development needed in this area?

And to the east the City Council has allowed significant recent redevelopment at Newport Retail Park, arguably this facility (with the requisite free parking) now boasts a better retail offer than the city centre.

The city centre, I hasten to add, where the Kingsway development is nearing completion but is still not attracting stores and Friars Walk has not yet even started. The city centre where also most shoppers have limited spend and many arrive courtesy of their concessionary bus pass. Proof that things can still move quickly in the private sector Celtic Springs say their retail development could be open by next spring or summer but City planners need to look at this carefully before allowing further damage to the city's hollow centre.

IS FALL IN NIGHT-TIME TRADE A BAD THING?

Aug 5 - The recent stories about a fall in night time trade in city centre hostelries may not be a bad thing. The image and reputation of Newport has been badly affected for many years by some of the crimes and incidents related to drunken and anti-social behaviour behaviour. Whether this is fair or not it is the way the city has been characterised. The lack of alternative night-time establishments has meant that the City's offer after dark is also very limited. On an optimistic note there are already signs of change. The new developments in the City include significant restaurant, cinema and leisure provisions. From September five hundred (or so) students will be living in new accommodation near George Street Bridge. As the housing developments near the riverfront emerge so will the demand for a different night time experience. There will still be a need to cater for night clubs and all night entertainments but the mix of city establishments will include certainly improve in years to come. Hopefully also the post-industrial Newport will finally discover a confidence and a style of its own. The short term problems due to the credit crunch may therefore be worth riding out in order that in future Newport residents do not continue to regard their own city centre as a no-go area.

And perhaps every cloud has a silver lining. The best news of all for the City is that the valley hordes are bypassing Newport for the charms of Cardiff at night, taking their small town mentality and violence elsewhere. Let's hope this continues for years to come.

DULL AGENDA OF NEW COUNCIL LEADERSHIP

July 21 - If proof were needed that Newport was a well run and efficient local authority you only have to look at the new agenda of the Conservatives and Liberals joined in leadership of the Council at present. Most of the dull and unadventurous pledges made will actually cost Newport council tax payers more money. The headline grabbing decision to cut some responsibility allowances for Councils conceals an agenda including 12 pledges likely to lead to increased expenditure rather than reductions.. The tinkering at the edges is typified by the proposals with respect to the highways budget and 'green flag' status for the city's parks. The proposal to cease use of the up-ramp of the Queensway up to the Old Green Roundabout in order to create a market square is shelved but no alternative will be offered other than a 'review'. Proposals to increase food collections throughout the city on a weekly basis and to provide free transport to children having to travel more than two miles (rather than three) will easily offset any gains made by shaving responsibility allowance. In short, there is very little vision only confirmation that the previous administration was very much on the right track.

TIME TO RE-NAME UNIVERSITY

Jun 26 - Now we have Newport Cathedral not St. Woolos, we may have the Aneurin Bevan NHS Trust rather than Gwent whatever it is and who knows maybe some day soon the words 'Gwent' and 'Dragons' will be dropped from our rugby team. The era of political correctness is abruptly coming to an end. Perhaps it is time for University of Wales, Newport to re-title themselves to reflect the city they represent. As University of Wales is becoming a conferation of independent institutions the other institutions have dropped their reference to University of Wales and becoming simply Aberystwyth or Bangor or Swansea University. As work begins on the city centre campus what better time than now to proclaim the city's main elite educational institution - Newport University.
 

NEW CABINET - WHITE, MALE, MIDDLE CLASS - IS THAT REPRESENTATIVE OF NEWPORT?

Jun 21 - The new proposed Conservative - LibDem cabinet has been supplied to the Argus. True to their promise they have slimmed down some of the decision making at the top of the Council's business although they have yet to indicate whether this will have a similar impact on departments and therefore jobs within the Council. Matthew Evans will lead the Council with Lib Dem Ed Townsend as deputy, the latter likely to take on the regeneration portolio. There is the scarey prospect of Peter Davies being cabinet rep for resources while David Hando takes on education. The coalition promised change but all of the new cabinet members are male, white and predominantly middle class. Some change. According to the 2001 census 52 per cent of the population of Newport are women yet there is not one place in the 'change' cabinet for a woman councillor.
 

NEWPORT TRANSPORT SKATING ON THIN ICE

Jun 21 - How many more excuses must we listen to from the management of Newport Transport? They are constantly using a sympathetic press to justify their regular cutbacks in services and poor standards. It is no-brainer that rising fuel costs have had a major effect on transport related businesses but as a public transport provider they should be in a good position to tempt car users away from their vehicles. Unfortunately, Newport Transport's bus services do not run reliably or regulaly. Sometimes it appears it services are run more for the benefit of its drivers than its customers. And its managers prefer to blame other factors (congestion, city centre regeneration) for their own incompetence. Other localities have seen investment and improvement in their public transport but in Newport progress has been depressingly slow. The buses may be good but the services must improve. The company has stated it cannot run a range of services (to Rhiwderin, Magor and Foxgloves) some of which it has only just taken responsibility for. As we have said before the Council should consider the interest it has in Newport Transport and encourage more private sector involvement for the sake of the city's transport system.
 

CITY FACES PROSPECT OF TORY RULE

Jun 15 - The rumour mill is in overdrive from the Civic Centre but there is every indication we will hear news soon of a potential seismic shift for Newport politics. The prospect of the Conservatives running the City Council looks more likely than before. They will be propped up by the Liberal Democrats who have used their influence to support Tory ambitions. All the schemes and plans devised over the last few years will now be in the hands of the Conservatives. Thankfully, most of the regeneration is agreed by planners and much of the work under way. It will be a shame if the kudos for these schemes is not apportioned across the political spectrum in the City. Although it may be said that the electorate rejected a majority Labour City Council in the May elections, there is no indication that they voted in large numbers for the Tories or Lib Dems. The only satisfying prospect now will be to see whether local government politics does make an impact any more - how they struggle first of all with one another to devise an agreed political programme and to contend with a highly experienced opposition group who will be probing their every weakness.
 

 

GET ON WITH  FRIARS WALK SCHEME
 

May 4 - Now the City Council elections are out of the way let's hope the coalition formed or minority administration can find common themes to unite all parties and that the City's regeneration is not stalled because of infighting. Priority number one should be to do whatever is required to get the Modus Friars Walk mall scheme under way. The recent reports about this have been slightly worrying, even last week's reassurance from Modus did not include a start date to the work. We could be in the slightly ridiculous position of the Kingsway Centre scheme being finished and no start in sight for Friar's Walk with all the linkages between the two developments  closed off or boarded  up. A significant problem has been created by the credit crunch but the City Council and Assembly Government should be doping everything possible to assist the developers to find a way thorough this. Unless work starts on this by the end of summer it is difficult to see how it could be completed in time for the Ryder Cup. Meantime, Cardiff's St David's 2 will be up and running in 2009 and the city centre will face the usual threats from out of town retail parks, Cribbs Causeway and Cwmbran. Many Newportonians still doubt whether this scheme will happen despite the impressive artists designs etc. It was therefore pleasing to see Conservative Group leader Matthew Evans say on election night that his main focus was on ensuring that this goes ahead.  Let's get on with it, before it is too late.
 

LIB DEMS: an apology

May 2 - Apologies to the Liberal Democrats for the comments made on April 12, I am assured from a very good source that they were taking the City Council elections seriously. In particular their young candidates put up a respectable showing in Lliswerry and elsewhere on what was a very good night for their party. Despite the humorous comment below their participation was refreshing and the participation of all age groups from different backgrounds  in the political process in our City is needed to reinvigorate our democracy.
 

MOMENT OF TRUTH FOR CITY

Apr 30 - Newport faces a critical election tomorrow. It's fortunes are on a definite upturn. The City Council has made a huge effort to bring about its current transformation albeit it if the credit crunch has delayed or suspended some of the key projects. The controlling Labour Group has produced the fourth lowest Council Tax in the UK, the UK's greenest city and the best education results at primary school level in Wales. Economic surveys reveal Newport as one of the fastest growing cities in the country. It is not without its blemishes but handing over political responsibility would not be sensible. The City's Tories are all over the place politically and at sea in Langstone and the Lib Dems have made a mockery of the election with their candidate selections and some of the mis-information contained in their literature. The Lib Dem administration in Cardiff has made some disastrous errors. Despite the difficult national position voters in Newport should support the party that has consistently delivered results for the city.

 

LIB DEMS NOT TAKING CITY SERIOUSLY

Apr 12 - Newport's Liberal Democrats stand accused of making a mockery of May's City Council elections. They have picked a trio of adolescents in Alway and have selected two 'activists' as candidates in Allt yr Yn (aged 83) and Stow Hill (aged 89). Never mind "Lloyd George knew my father" the two candidates in question actually knew Lloyd George's father! Still, the candidate in Stow Hill will doubtless offer a more up to date outlook than Cllr Peter Davies (Conservative) whose ideas are mostly founded in medieval times!

SHALLOW CRITICISM OF MP
 

Mar 26 - Newport East MP Jess Morden has come under criticism from the usual quarters locally for voting against a Conservative motion calling  for a halt to Post Office  closures.  She has been accused of 'hypocrisy' because of her strong support for her local post office at Christchurch Road, saved from closure. This is a widely co-ordinated Conservative campaign against Labour MPs not only in Newport but across the UK. But is it fair? How would the Conservatives continue to fund loss making post offices other than by raising taxes or cutting other public services. The Government has committed £1.7 billion to sustaining a network of 11,500 post offices. The Conservatives would not commit to maintaining that subsidy and have accepted that the network would shrink if they were in Government. It is clear that if the Conservatives were in power that the cuts would be deeper. Ms. Morden was voting for Government policy, sometimes this is not popular but at least she was trying to preserve a sustainable Post Office service rather than destroy it altogether.
 

BUSINESS PARK SPIN

Mar 23 - The Western Mail on Friday "Work has started on a major business park scheme which its developers say could bring thousands of jobs to South Wales.Wales 1, a £60m business park scheme at the gateway to South Wales, aims to create some 2,500 new jobs. It is strategically located at Junction 23a of the M4 at Magor – the first motorway stop in South Wales." Went past it yesterday. Yes, it has a giant flagpole at the front with the Welsh flag fluttering away. No evidence on any other work going on. Work has started indeed. Symptomatic of the Welsh Assembly Assembly Government, somebody thought "let's put a flag up, it will look like something is happening" - we need less flag flying and more action in order to encourage investment in Wales.

TRAGEDY IF LABOUR LOSE COUNCIL

Mar 13 - Newport has achieved much over the past few years - Britain's greenest city, City status and, of course, the Ryder Cup. The most significant regeneration of the City is well under way with a transformed city centre not just driven by retail but by a university campus and office developments. Ringland and Alway are to be boosted by new multi-million schemes. New schools are to be built at Hartridge, Bettws and Duffryn. A massive new suburb is to be built in the east of the City. Newport boosts excellent sporting and leisure facilities including its own Sports Village and Wetlands Centre. The City's Council Tax is the fourth lowest in the UK whilst it has won plaudits for key services such as housing, social services and in particular education. Newport has the best schools in Wales. Not everything is perfect by any stretch of the imagination, it shares the problems of other cities including congestion and crime, the pace of change is frustratingly slow at times but there is a sense that the city can face the future with confidence. The City Council elections in May will have a significant bearing on the future of our City. The choice is depressingly stark.
The Liberals have made a disastrous job of running Cardiff - look at their chaotic attempts at school reorganisation and parking zones in the City. It would be a mistake for the City to back them or the Conservatives who have little feeling for it and would pursue a cost cutting agenda, as they have done in Monmouthshire. Labour has a considerable achievement to point to in Newport, it would be a great shame if those who have worked so hard to bring about the City's transformation did not have the opportunity to see it through.

LACK OF HOLIDAY PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS SHAMEFUL

Jan 2 - Two big sporting events on New Years Day at Rodney Parade and Spytty but no public transport. Boxing day was excusable even if it was disappointing but the failure to provide even limited public transport on the city's roads to coincide with these events was shameful, particularly when there are bus drivers prepared to work on these days. Newport has been hailed as the UK's greenest city in 2007 but her transport policies are still stuck in the past.

CITY CAN LOOK FORWARD TO 2008 WITH OPTIMISM

Dec 24 - 2007 was undoubtedly a turning point in the recent history of Newport. In the final quarter of the year the cranes have moved in around the city centre to progress a range of key projects that will transform the way the city looks and perhaps more importantly, feels. The bleak, post industrial image of Newport as a place driven forward solely by steelworks, docks and coal should be consigned to the past forever. In 2008 two new city centre retail schemes (Friar's Walk and City Spires) will get under way and transform the city's poor retail offer adding to the redeveloped Kingsway centre. Retailers will come to the rejuvenated city for the first time as developers Modus extend their influence. The dreadful chav-ridden bus station will be mostly demolished as new transport interchanges are introduced. Housing schemes will transform Rodney Parade and the Old Town Dock. Work on the university campus near to Newport Centre will start in earnest just as the new student accommodation building near George Street bridge is completed. Hotels and new office blocks it seems are planned everywhere. And yet there is still much to be done including the rennovation of iconic buildings such as the Technical Institute (Art College) and Lysaghts Institute and better use of the former Westgate Hotel. 

In 2007 Newport has enjoyed a brilliant year with respect to two important aspects of modern life - education and the environment. Its primary schools are the best in Wales and it has the best comprehensive school in the area (Caerleon) by some distance. It was voted the UK's greenest city and continues to encourage residents to recycle where possible, shortly to introduce food waste collections on a pilot basis. Of course, it won Wales and Bloom again as well for good measure. 

Life in the city however continues to be hampered by congestion. The city centre roadworks have had a negative aspect on businesses and need to be concluded quickly. The city's road network ground to a halt in November when the M4 was closed. And despite the SDR and other road improvements the city's transport system needs proper investment in bus and rail, the criminal decision to delay the Ebbw Vale rail link to Newport by the Assembly Government needs to be challenged properly by the City's politicians. Life is also hampered by drink and drug related crime and anti-social behaviour, a problem not unique to Newport but one which blights the UK. Pride in Newport is an important attempt to address this daily nuisance and the police deserve the public's support in attempting to fight these problems.

2007 has seen an important contribution from eastern Europe to the life of the city. Poles, Czechs, Slovaks et al have provided an inspring work ethic sadly missing in some of the welfare dependant council estates of the Port. They have done jobs others do not want to do or cannot be relied upon to do and have done so without making unnecessary claims upon the UK's welfare state. Now a number of new enterprises run by the incomers have begun to open around Newport, good luck to them.

Economically, Newport has made some gains particularly in terms of civil service and financial sector jobs and hopefully the problems at Alphasteel will be short lived no matter how uncertain they appear at the moment. The city's role as an economic engine for south east Wales remain undiminished with many areas including new business parks, steel and the docks performing well. However, Newport will have to fight hard if it is not to lose key civil service jobs to Cardiff at the Valuation Office and Tax Office over the next year. The city's political lobbying needs to be harder. Too often Cardiff gets what it wants at the expense of Newport and this has been the case since the Assembly was set up. This applies to other areas as well - hopefully Newport will win the argument to site the main general hospital for the area in the city too. 

As we move in to 2008 Newport can look forward to a long overdue transformation of its centre. Surely the Port will finally realise the unique potential we all know it has. Hopefully, this will inspire its people and restore Newportonians' pride in this great place. Despite all the trials and tribulations of the past there is much to look forward to in the year ahead. 

TRANSPORT PLAN IS SOCIAL ENGINEERING AT ITS BEST

Oct 3 - The Assembly Government has announced its intention to plough millions of public money in to the pointless exercise of developing and enhancing north-south links in the country. The objective of 'one Wales' is at the heart of the Labour-Plaid Government's objectives. Therefore, to prevent north Walians seeking work and employment in their natural home, the north west of England they are to be encouraged to use upgraded links to travel down to Cardiff etc. Never mind that we should be looking to invest significantly in the transport infrastructure of our major cities and conurbations to encourage business, tourism and freight from other markets. The strategy has more to do with the preservation of self-interest and in particular of the Welsh language than the growth potential of Wales. The North Wales Daily Post rightly commented "Efforts to reduce daily congestion on the A55 and into the North West of England might well be better received by many in the North than cutting quarter of an hour off the journey time south." There is little in the document about the transport needs of Newport, the rail link to/from Ebbw Vale, the M4 relief road and the need to develop public transport alternatives to our heavily congested road network in the City. In fact there is little or no detail in this four year plan at all. Despite their flights of fancy the Assembly Government and in particular the new Plaid brigade will need to recognise and acknowledge that it is in the best interests of Wales to improve its local transport systems and its links with markets outside of the country. We should not waste millions connecting a handful of economically uninmportant Welsh speaking villages.

'RUBBISH' COUNCILLOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

Sep 5 - In recognition of his support for reactionary causes and his naked populism and ability to get the lapdog Argus to cover his every whim we award Councillor Peter Davies of Stow Hill this title. His latest triumph to be pictured next to overflowing bins near Victoria Place raving about rats and no doubt praying for a winter of discontent. He claimed (without foundation) that the number of rats in our city is on the increase due to fortnightly refuse collections.  

REPORT IT! IS A GREAT IDEA

Aug 23 - Newport County, concerned about its association with football hooliganism has introduced an excellent initiative to promote good behaviour among its supporters by providing a hotline to report those who are letting the club down. Perhaps a similar approach could be applied to other areas of the city - with respect to city centre safety and anti social behaviour in our communities in order that the authorities can attend rapidly to situations that let our communities down and allow us to reclaim our streets from drunken or violent behaviour.

THE ARGUS IS MAKING A MOCKERY OF NEWPORT

Aug 17 - The South Wales Argus has demonstrated this week that it is not really a friend of Newport. It has run three stories on consecutive days guaranteed to bring the reputation of the City into disrepute at a time when there is so much in the way of positive news. On Wednesday it ran the results of a survey characterising the results as demonstrating that the city centre is unsafe and that people feel vulnerable to crime. On Thursday it presented the City's parking orders as being potentially unlawful. On Friday (today) it ran a story about the new Platform 4 at Newport station not being disabled compliant and mocked the provision of a taxi service to take customers from one side of the station to the other. The owner of Dragons Taxi stated on BBC Radio Wales this evening that the story was exaggerated and that the service was an interim measure until the station is redeveloped and a lift is provided for disabled passengers.

Pehaps most damaging is the presentation of the city centre as being in some way any different from other cities in the UK. The fact is that it is not. Raucous behaviour, drinking, petty and sometimes violent crime are an unfortunate feature of UK life. To pretend otherwise, is a deception. You might also ask which institution has done so much to present the City in a gloomy light - and the answer may well be considered to be the South Wales Argus. The story needs to be placed in the context of a wider problem - the prevalence of drunken and anti social behaviour in the UK.

Across the country people are waking up to the need to reclaim the streets from yob behaviour. But it is not just a Newport problem. Peter Fahy, the Chief Constable of Cheshire, has been particularly vocal following the death of Gary Newlove a man who confronted abusive youths near his home in Warrington "It is a tragedy that we have four young people charged with murder. Young people who are drinking are putting themselves in vulnerable positions both in terms of being the victim of crime".  or committing crime." In Crystal Palace, south London Evren Anil died when he confronted youths. He was sitting in the passenger seat when teenagers threw rubbish through an open window of his sister's car as they waited at traffic lights on Central Hill. Police said an elderly passer-by intervened when the youths produced a knife, but that person left the scene when the blade was put to his throat. In Swansea the police had used the City's Evening Post newspaper to publish the names and work mobile phones of more than 50 community based constables and 60 police community support officers. This was in part a response to the attack on 56-year old resident Peter Matthews. He was treated for severe head injuries after he got out of bed to confront a gang of youths making noise.

NIMBY COUNCILLORS DOING DISSERVICE TO THE CITY

Jul 31 - City Spires is delayed by Miqdad al Nuaimi, Stow Hill councillor because while the City needs a new landmark building it should not be ugly or unacceptable. A wasteful site visit is planned for August 17 to assess the impact on Baneswell. The decision will then be agreed. This is an £80 million development and Cllr Nuiami wants to assess its impact even though the planning application was submitted months ago. Presumably he had not read it prior to last week's planning meeting. Meanwhile, Councillor Allan Morris of Lliswerry is congratulating himself on scuppering planned developments along Corporation Road including a new bus depot on the old Pirelli site and a relocated Robert Price builders merchants. The latter is quite an achievement. The intended site stands derelict and vandalised while Newport's stunning £5 million footbridge ends on eastern side with a builders merchants shed! Well done, Councillor Morris. It seems all the creative thinking and investment in regeneration is lost on some of Newport's councillors, who take ages to make a decision and often make the wrong one. The regeneration of the city is too priceless an opportunity for all this messing about.

WHAT HAS ASSEMBLY DONE FOR THE 'PORT?

Jul 26 - The inference from Brian Gibbons that the Ebbw Vale railway line may not call at Newport at any time ever is so typical of our supposed political masters in Cardiff. The spiritual home of the Eastern and Western Valleys is not Cardiff it is Newport and this attempt to bypass our interests is I am afraid all part of the Assembly project. It seems if it is public money then the project must contribute to the well being of Cardiff. Hundreds of millions of public money, taxpayers money, have been poured in to Cardiff Bay through a host of public buildings and projects. The Bay after all was bulit at the expense of the Usk Barrage that would have brought the transformation of our City at least ten years ago. The First Minister does not want a Severnside airport as it would mean the closure of a puny Cardiff airport that cannot support transatlantic services and provide a huge economic boost to Newport. The Assembly has made a small commitment to Newport Unlimited and has supported some of the regeneration projects in the city but the plain fact is that the 'Port has managed to attract huge amounts of private sector investment without the significant public support provided in Cardiff. Modus, Celtic Springs, UBS, St Modwen, Redrow, Wimpey - the list of private sector investors is significant and being added to all the time. Nearly £2 billion of private sector money is expected to be invested in Newport over the next six or seven years. The City deserves its fair share of Assembly support - or else. Has anyone seen my copy of Passport to Pimlico?

FLYNN GETS ON THE DEVOLUTION TRAIN

Jul 1 - Now Paul Flynn is at it, lauding the new Plaid-Labour coalition now running the Welsh Assembly. But is he serving Newport's interests with support for this coalition and for the additional powers sought for the Cardiff body? His constituency, Newport West, saw a swing from Labour to the Conservatives in the 2007 election of 5.1% on a turnout of 40.1%. In 1999 on a turnout of 45.9% Newport voted by 62.6% to 37.4% against the Assembly, the third highest rejection in Wales. Flynn is certainly not speaking for Newportonians when he asks for greater powers for a body that to date has achieved little but breakfast clubs for schoolkids and free bus passes for the elderly. 

TIME TO PRIVATISE NEWPORT TRANSPORT?

Jul 1 - The recent fiasco over the timetabling of key bus services in Newport masks a more serious problem. Newport's bus services have failed to achieve the level of reliability required by the City's growing population. In addition they have failed to provide the range of services to attract new passengers. The municipal bus service operating all services via a bus station where the drivers can stop off and have a cuppa and a bacon sandwich may have been fit for the days of Blakey and Butler but it does not meet the needs of a modern city. The managers of Newport Transport have whinged rightly about vandalism and broken windows on some of Newport's estates but they have cannot blame their own failings on congestion or the City's regeneration. Perhaps the time has come for the City Council to relinquish its stake in Newport Transport and for the company to address its limitations by looking to the private sector?

IS GRIFFITHS BACKING BANKRUPT POLITICS?

Jun 17 - Nothing underlines the bankrupt nature of Welsh Assembly politics more than the period of manoeuvring we have had since the May elections. The inconclusive vote produced speculation about who would run the Assembly. All political complexions it seemed had an opportunity to develop some form of coalition. It was either going to be a non-Labour Rainbow coalition or another Labour-Lib Dem coalition. For weeks the front pages of the Western Mail have been filled with self important positioning on behalf of the various parties by politicians who are well paid by the taxpayer. Instead of setting out clear goals the various parties have sought to make alliances in the best traditions of coalition politics. Meanwhile, no political vacuum was created by the lack of an administration in Wales because thankfully real power does not reside in Cardiff. The Welsh Assembly has given little in its brief life to suggest that it has much to offer - free bus passes for the elderly on local bus transport, pointless free prescriptions for NHS medicines, and that's about it - other than a lot of public money poured down the drain in Cardiff and in particular Cardiff Bay.

Now we are presented with the prospect of a Labour-Plaid Cymru coalition in the Assembly Government. Remember, Plaid Cymru stands for an independent Wales and spend most of their time attacking the Labour Government in Westminster. Newport East AM John Griffiths has professed himself in favour of this coalition. He says "A Labour-led coalition government can work to promote the values of the Left in a modern Wales, where lives are still blighted by inequality. The advantages the middle classes have really are passed from one generation to the next and culturally, economically and socially it’s very difficult to cut across those advantages and spread them further into the population.” Irrespective of his class hatred claptrap, Griffiths should be reminded that Newport voted no against the Welsh Assembly. Assembly Members representing Newport should, therefore, be very careful about seeking extended powers for an institution that has so far yet to prove itself. Why would Newport's Assembly Members be considering a coalition with an organisation that wants to see a Welsh Parliament and eventually an independent Wales? Most of the economic benefits that Newport is realising are a result of UK Government policies and have little to do with the tinkering of Assembly civil servants and politicians who cannot see beyond our capital city. 

WILL "WORK" START ON THE ART COLLEGE?

Jun 16 - Despite the frenzy of regeneration in our city the former Art College stands a testimony to Newport's failures. It is a symbol of Newport's past inability to take action and get things done. The City Council it appears has now made sufficient threats to the owners of the building, First Investment and Properties, to actually get things moving on it. But anyone who has watched this story unfold will wonder whether the City Council should have had the courage of its convictions and taken compulsory purchase proceedings against the owner. For some reason the local newspaper has sought to represent the views of the owner of the building and their agent in Bristol. Have they forgotten the failure by the owners to look after this building and the years of dereliction and vandalism suffered by local residents? The latest publicity on their behalf suggests that scaffolding will be erected around the building next week under the heading "Work to start on Art College". A closer inspection of the story reveals that the work is intended to carry out repairs to remove broken glass around the windows of the building. It does not state that the redevelopment of the building is due to commence, sadly. The suspicion remains that the current owners will make the building safe and sell it on to capitalise on the rise in property values created by the Wimpey development on the eastern riverbank. And it must be said that the regeneration of our city will not be complete without the proper restoration of this landmark building.

GET REAL OVER MURAL

June 8 - Newport is rightly proud of its association with the Chartist movement. Newport's place in our country's democratic rite of passage is unique because of the Chartist Uprising in 1839 and the battle fought out near the Westgate Hotel. But situating the Chartist mural in a dingy alleyway near the bus station is hardly befitting of this great event. The usual suspects have tried to whip opposition to the Council and the long awaited regeneration of the city centre by attacking their intention to remove it. The mural, however, is not a relic or artefact in the true sense. It was put up in 1978 (created by Kenneth Budd). It does not need to stay there or to be removed piece by piece. The developers, Modus have said that they will erect exactly the same mural if the people of Newport wish in a more prominent and public place. It would be plainly ridiculous if the malcontents were allowed to prevent or delay the much needed revamp of our city.

A public meeting to discuss the future of the mural involving representatives from the developers, Modus and the original artist's son is on Monday 11th June at St Mary's Institute Stow Hill at 6.30pm.

STADIUM STORY LOOKS LIKE FABRICATION

May 4 - One day in and the story regarding a takeover bid for Newport Gwent Dragons and a glamorous new stadium looks like a fabrication. It is certainly wishful thinking on the part of Robin Davey. That's problem number 1 with the story. Apparently, the new investors will not reveal their names. Why? What have they to be afraid of? Problem number 2. Despite the earlier statement the investors have not earmarked possible sites in the city. They have not even looked at possible sites. Problem number 3. Steve Lewis appears to be involved in the consortium. He has done everything possible to sideline Newport RFC in the running of the team and must regarded as an enemy rather than a friend of Newport. Problem number 4. The City Council have not heard anything about a possible new stadium. As confirmed by the Leader of the Council this morning. Problem number 5. There are other issues - what happens to Newport RFC and Rodney Parade? The partnership agreement, ownership arrangement for the Dragons. Is this not a cunning ruse to jump on the regeneration bandwagon in Newport and hijack the running of the regional rugby team in this area? At the moment it does not stack up. As usual, the handling of the story by the Argus has been disreputable. Even today they present the story as 'fans back stadium' whereas the small detail reveals considerable reservations on the part of supporters. And by no stretch of the imagination is the 'most exciting project in the rebirth of the city'. Newport RFC shareholders and Newportonians generally should beware. More detail and more clarity is required. Some things are more important than a fast buck.    

A VICTORY FOR THE FAT CLUB

May 3 - The Argus characterises the decision by the Council not to enforce its idea of 'prohibition streets' around the City's schools as a victory for 'people power' on the grounds that 200 citizens objected to it and insisted on their child's god-given right to a doner kebab or bacon roll from a Greasy Joe's cafe parked outside the school gates. This is typically disingenuous of the self proclaimed 'loser's journal'. More likely the Council found it could not enforce the regulations or bye-laws required and gave the 'fat club' a pyrrhic victory.

NO NEWS IS BAD NEWS PART 2

Apr 28 - As all the redevelopment work takes its toll on the city centre there is precious little news about who will signing up to the new developments. As stated in March the Kingsway Centre website has not been updated since August 2006 and the retail part of the development is due for completion by Christmas. No formal announcement has been made of the anchor store or other stores joining the new Centre. No news from Modus either - they are intending to sign up half of the letting space in their centre before a brick is laid. Newport Unlimited and the developers need to think about this as the press focus is entirely on the inconvenience being caused by the development and in particular the roads project.

TESCO AND ITS PATRONS ARE A LITTER MENACE

Apr 11 - The arrival of another Tesco Express convenience, this time at Treberth near the Royal Oak has received a positive welcome from the local community. It increases Tesco's stranglehold on retailing in Newport and is obviously meeting demand for its goods. The main downside for the locality is the constant stram of litter along Chepstow Road created by the patrons of the new store. Perhaps Tesco's would like to spend a small proportion of their massive profits on educating its shoppers not to spoil their local environment?

NO NEWS IS BAD NEWS

Mar 17 - Despite articles about the grand schemes and project updates on websites still not enough is being done to publicise the regeneration of the City. Anecdotal evidence suggests a lack of knowledge or information to City residents some of whom are still displaying their innate scepticism that anything is happening. The Kingsway Centre redevelopment is well under way but its website has not been updated since August 2006, there is no news from any outlet on the new stores signed up to the Centre or who will be the anchor store for the development, although this is rumoured to be Wilkinsons. Within the existing mall the Adams childrenswear store has closed but a refurbishment was promised and there is no indication if it will re-open or not.

Likewise, the City Centre Roads Project is well under way but the new bus interchange facility at the railway station has not been detailed or explained e.g. how will it work, what bus services will be available. The main Modus shopping centre development has sparked one story linking Marks and Spencer with a massive new store but this has yet to be confirmed. Again the Modus website has not been updated for some time and the developers were keen to state that 50% of retailers would have to be signed up before the first brick is laid for the Friar's Walk mall.  More information is needed.

SUBWAY IS A DISGRACE

Mar 17 - The subway linking Devon Place with the main railway station stands as a testament to 1970's design. It was after all opened to commemorate the Queen's 1977 Silver Jubilee. It is a urine soaked, grafitti marked blot on the City's landscape. Unfortunately, the redevelopment of platform 4 at the station means that commuters are left to use this very dangerous and unhealthy environment as their sole exit to the north of the station. I know it is planned to close the subway in time. Its end cannot come soon enough.

MOBILE PHONE MUSIC ON BUSES

Dec 21 - The Newportonian chav elite have not woken up to the changes in fashion or trends occurring elsewhere. They are still chavtastic here while on a recent visit to London there were few hoodies or chains to be seen. They have now discovered that their mobile phones can play music. And in public places neanderthally play the latest tunes. I have come across this on three occasions in the apparently lawless environment of Newport Transport. Yesterday I challenged a woman and her two teenage kids about it. I said I would buy her a pair of headphones in town for it. To which the riposte was 'why, do you own the bus?' and then when I asked why the music should be inflicted on everyone on the bus, I was told to 'shut up'. An elderly passenger spoke up in agreement of me and they started taunting him with the phone as we left the bus. It is a typical example of the low level and insidious lack of respect for others that this typifies. The mother is teaching her children that it is okay to ignore the peace and space of other passengers and obviously Newport Transport would rather not care, they have no inspectors and their drivers do not want to be faced with confrontation situations. However, is it not time that the company sent out a clear message about this and that parents in particular start to observe it?

WIII!

Dec 21 - Christmas is saved! The odyssey is over. Those of you who have been there with Treacy's Island, XBox 360 etc. will know the materialistic relief now being felt. I was waiting in Tesco Extra on Cardiff Road at 2 yesterday, their electrical department receive a delivery around this time every day and was first in the queue for one of nine Wiis being received by the store. I am off to Gamestation to cancel my order and get my £20 deposit back.

STILL NO WII

Dec 18 - The launch has taken place and some pre-orders have been fulfilled but still with six shopping days to go there is no sign of the Wii. Nintendo have failed to fulfill many pre-orders and the consoles have been selling for £500+ on E-Bay. There have been stories of heroism as gamers queue for hours outside Tesco, Asda and Toys-r-us, all stores not requiring pre-orders to snaffle up any deliveries that come there way. I have bought all the accessories and games but do not have a console to play them on. My online order with Game has produced a message advising me that they will not fulfil the order until after Christmas. I am now wholly dependant on the good people of Gamestation. On launch day they had 30 followed by a further 12 the day after. On Saturday they were up to 70, today they are on the 80 mark. We are 92!

NEVER MIND TRIDENT WHAT ABOUT JOBS AND THE NHS IN NEWPORT!

Dec 6 - Paul Flynn MP has made his pronouncement on the Government's decision to replace Britain's nuclear weaponry. However, he has been painfully silent on other issues nearer to home. On his lively website he has a statement about Trident and beyond but there is nothing about the future of hospital services in his constituency, no message of support for Newport's leaders who are struggling vainly against the odds to make the case for retaining the region's main hospital in the City. There is no word either on his view about the possible loss of jobs and income to the City's economy from the downsizing of the Tax Office on Chepstow Road currently under consultation. The latter may be in Newport East (Flynn is MP for the West of the City) but he has constituents who work there and are affected directly or indirectly. It would help if he could put his considerable campaigning resolve and skill at the disposal of the City in order to fight for its cause on both issues.

DESPERATELY SEEKING A WII

Dec 3 - Have you seen the advert? Young and old gamers can interact with their television using a remote sensor bar allowing them to play against one another. Nintendo's new game console, the Wii (pronounce wee) is moving the console in to new territory and attempting to find a new market. It has certainly worked as expectation rises prior to the console's launch in the UK on Friday. For £180 too considerably less than its more illustrious competitors. In its first week in the US the Wii sold 600,000 units outselling the new Playstation 3. It is this one of the coveted Christmas gifts this year. And as panic set in I pre-ordered a Wii bundle from Game online in the second week of November only to be warned it was not going to be available for launch but would be guaranteed for Christmas. Similarly, a trip around Newport's game stores revealed shortly afterwards that Game had ceased pre-orders as they could not guarantee the console for Christmas. Gamestation did guarantee for Christmas and duly received my refundable deposit of £20 and I was assigned to number 92 on their list. If I had been at home I would have tried to pre-order via Amazon but their entire stock for launch day was ordered in seven minutes despite the limit of one per customer! Now I wait expectantly clutching my receipt from Gamestation and e-mail from Game reading various messageboards to discern whether there will be sufficient stock available. Knowing one young consumer is expecting me and Santa to come up with the goods.

Panic may set in again. What if my orders don't come in? Rumours abound of stock shortages and delayed supplies. Should I be at Tesco Extra at 00.01 on December 8th just in case. Gamestation in Cardiff are getting 48 on launch day, how many will Newport get! Its all part of the heightened tension of the material aspirations of Christmas in the 21st century. And yet its compulsive and absorbing and the success of Christmas Day may be depend on it.

TIGHT WADS AND SELFISH SMOKERS

Nov 23 - Traffic was held up today on Chepstow Road going in to the City Centre as a driver tried to park in a parking space not much bigger than a postage stamp. Vehicles queued back up the busy main road as the driver manouevred back and forth in to the space. The benefit of this action - a free parking space. The consequence - frustrated drivers and a brief traffic jam. Across the road was a half empty public car park with a charge of  30p for the first hour. Some people are so tight they would rather drive round and round looking for a free space, ridiculous!

Bar Piazza is a brilliant Italian cafe in the centre of John Frost Square. It is flourishing and long may it continue. The only downside of sitting in the cafe is the presence of so many smokers. It can spoil the atmosphere of the cafe and presents a health risk to other customers and paticularly staff. The Bar will shortly be able to enjoy the full benefits of the Health Act 2006. This devolves powers to the National Assembly for Wales to enforce a smoking ban in public places from April 2007. According to the Assembly "Very few exemptions are proposed to the smoking ban. The new law will affect most public premises, including restaurants, pubs, bars, shops, cinemas, shopping centres, leisure centres, other enclosed workplaces and public transport." Good. The irony today was that one of the smokers in the cafe was wearing a pink ribbon to demonstrate support for breast cancer awareness. However, November is lung cancer awareness month. According to the BBC Health website "Cigarette smoking is the cause of nearly all lung cancers. The risk increases with the number and type of cigarettes smoked. One in ten lung cancers occur in non-smokers. But in a number of cases, exposure to passive smoke (inhalation of other people's cigarette smoke) may be a cause." Come on Newport, stub it out!

CLINICAL FUTURES WILL LEAD TO CLINICAL DEPRESSION

Oct 13 - Anyone who has had the opportunity to consider the proposed reorganisation of healthcare in 'Gwent' by the Gwent Healthcare Trust may need a dose of something before they eventually come around. in the document 'Clinical futures' a bunch of third rate Gwenters have decided that the new centre for critical and specialist healthcare in the region should be moved away from the main focal point of the area to a new location. Yes you've guessed it within spitting or coughing distance of County Hall as this is deemed a central location accessible by all. The preferred location is Llanfrechfa Grange, scene of a mighty dispute recently between residents, developers and planners. If not there then within three miles of Croesyceiliog. The decision will mean the probable closure of the Royal Gwent, St Woolos and possibly Neville Hall Hospital in Abergavenny. The A4042 road is seen as crucial to the location of the new main hospital. Unfortunately, this is a busy dual carriageway with no stopping public transport and no rail station within three miles. All access will therefore be by car. Presumably, the consultants employed checked all these factors before coming to their convenient conclusion. Newport is after all the best connected destination for anywhere in the region. Curiously, Gwent Healthcare Trust is based at Llanfrechfa Grange.

The proposed new critical and specialist centre will have approximately 500 beds.  A string of local general hospitals will be required including one in Newport (with up to 500 beds!) and others in Torfaen (110 beds) and Monmouthshire (130 beds). Newport's local general hospital should be sited in the City Centre but not on the site of current hospitals the report recommends. This decision has been taken despite the fact that Newport has set aside a huge area of land from the former Whiteheads steelworks for a possible development.  The only consolation remains that Gwent Healthcare Trust are not in a position financially to do anything. Their debts run well in excess of £6 million.

On a daily basis thousands of 'Gwent' residents come to work in Newport. Its population is swollen significantly by its significance in the travel to work area. Its population is expanding quickly and is expected to increase by a quarter over the next 20 years. AS the city is re-emerging from its industrial past it risks losing a vital asset - its hospital. City politicians should speak up now.   

SUPERNINNY

SEP 26 -   Robin Davey's Tuesday column is always a dangerous read.   He never lets the facts get in the way of his journalism and frequently strays in to territory he knows little about. Following the success of the Ryder Cup in Kildare he rightly points out that Newport has a hard act to follow. Then we are treated to his denigration of Newport "Where is the infrastructure?.." he prates on the day that the director   of the European tour claims the Celtic Manor and Newport will have the unique ability to accommodate 6000 cars within walking distance of the golf course. "Where on earth are all those visiting fans going to stay?" he whinges. Newport is currently experiencing a mini-hotel boom with a Crown Plaza being built in the west of the City and two new hotels planned in the centre of the City alongside existing establishments including 2 Holiday Inns, a Hilton and the Celtic Manor. "There's no major superstore in Newport and little else to keep people in the city, though the centre is supposed to be set for an overhaul. We'll see." On his trips to his field of dreams at Rodney Parade has   Davey not witnessed with his keen   eyes the massive developments underway in the Kingsway area? Has he not read in the pages of his own newspaper about regeneration projects started or proposed including the £200 million investment in the City Centre.   "Why oh why did the Usk Barrage never go ahead?" he whines. Because on September 13th 1995 Conservative Secretary of State for Wales William Hague rejected it in favour of Cardiff Bay Barrage. Robin votes Conservative as he has told us in his piss-poor column previously. Davey does himself a disservice with his evident ignorance of his own City but yet again it may please some of the politically correct little Gwenters at the Dragons and the WRU.

BELMONT HILL BLUES

SEP 19 - Anyone walking between the Ship Inn along Belmont Hill to Royal Oak will be lucky to make it to the top of the hill without facing some sort of hazard on the road. Primarily at the Caerleon end of this road   there are either no footpaths or very narrow footpaths from Bulmore to the top of the hill. The road is particularly busy as it forms a cut-through to Caerleon from Newport's road system and the motorways.   A nmber of brave pedestrians take this route often walking on the wrong side of the road. There are other ways of getting from Caerleon to Royal Oak but they involve walking via fields or going up to Christchurch   and walking down the other side of the hill. Surely, devising a   walkway would   with proper lighting would help to create a new pedestrian link between two key parts of the City and provide a safe route for Caerleon visitors to walk to the   Celtic Manor Resort when we have major events there in the future.

GREAT PLANS BUT PLEASE   NO DRAGON WAY!

SEP 16 - The selection of George Wimpey Homes for the £48 million waterfront development at Rodney Parade is very welcome news. The plans released are attractive and it seems for once the East of the City will be getting the type of development it deserves. The skyline will be stunning with apartment blocks between 6 and 8 stories high with the block near the rugby ground 14 stories high (presumably with an excellent view of any matches taking place on the hallowed turf). In addition, the flood defence scheme to be developed will also provide a walkway stretching from south of George Street Bridge to the Town Bridge. The Old Art College where planning permission has already been granted will provide further luxury apartments   creating a new community just a footbridge away from the City Centre. The rugby ground retains   its entire area and it seems likely as is evidenced by the current building works to create a training area that there will be no immediate changes to the old stadium. Just one negative point, George Wimpey, Rodney Parade is Newport RFC's ground (not the Gwent Dragons) and any square of walkway should not be called 'Dragon Way' but should reflect the history or identity of Newport.            

DANGEROUS CROSSINGS

SEP 2 - The new pedestrian   crossings in the City Centre are known as Puffin Crossings. For the unitiated they are   very similar to Pelican crossings. Puffin crossings are an updated version of a Pelican Crossing. One of the main differences is that the red and green man signals are just above the WAIT box and not on the other side of the road. Pedestrians are advised to   press the button on the box. Puffin crossings have special sensors built in which can detect a pedestrian waiting and make sure that traffic remains stopped until all the pedestrians have crossed the road. Puffins do not have a flashing green man for pedestrians or a flashing amber for drivers.At busy crossing points in the City near the railway station and the Riverfront Theatre the new crossings have been installed and represent a real danger to pedestrians. There is no flashing man or bleeping noise to advise you to cross. You are largely reliant on waiting for the traffic to stop with all the   uncertainty that entails on both busy dual carriageways. The Puffin crossings have a small screen   but in broad daylight it is impossible to tell whether the figure is green (to go) or red (to stop). Whoever installed these systems was not aware of the danger they pose to pedestrians. We will be taking the matter up with the City Council. Hopefully as part of the new Queensway/Kingsway road schemes this issue will be addressed.      

  TREVOR ROBERTS, WHAT A JOKER!

AUG 23 - Read the Argus tonight and you may have cause to chuckle. Something good is happening in the CIty Centre. The long awaited development is well under way and the first stage as you would expect is to sort out the new road network. Hitherto this has been handled with great sensitivity and traffic flows have been managed well. There have been delays as you might expect during the peak hours.   There have been few if any completes but unfortunately there is one organisation that cannot hold back. Newport Transport's reactionary boss Trevor   Roberts has blamed the roadworks for   "dozens" of service cancellations including ten on Friday.   We are talking here about a stretch of road about two hundred metres in length that at present takes at most four to five minutes to navigate. The public might have more sympathy if Newport Transport did not regularly cancel or delay services due to their own lack of incompetence. They could not run services to time even when the roads and bus lanes were clear before the roadworks! Only a poorly run organisation would use such an excuse for their own dreadful performance. The City might be better served by looking for alternative suppliers of its transport service particularly as new services are required to regenerated areas.   The sooner the current works get on and pull down the old bus station down and forces Newport Transport to operate like any other intra-city bus operator the better.  

CAERLEON IS IN NEWPORT

"The dad-of-two, from Caerleon, near Newport, Gwent, decided to start the sweepstake after chatting about the baroness' ill health." A line from a story in the 'Western Mail'   the other day by James McCarthy. No James Caerleon is not near Newport it is in Newport and Gwent no longer exists.

NEWSPAPER CONTINUES CAMPAIGN AGAINST NEWPORT

AUG 15 - The 'Western Mail' has never been a friend of Newport. Basically a Cardiff-centric paper it has traditionally looked down its considerable nose at its eastern, anglicised neighbour. It cannot bring itself to call the local rugby team NEWPORT Gwent Dragons, glories in bad news associated with our CIty but still bizarrely retains a loyal following of readers in the area. Its recent campaign against Newport University is perhaps its most malicious yet. In its latest condemnatory piece today it uses the experiences of three students involved in litigation against the University to warn students that the institution cannot be recommended as a place to study "Students warn pupils about their university" runs the headline. However, the inference belies the success of the University in increasing admissions (by 11.5%) at a time when admissions elsewhere are falling. The University has also recorded the biggest increase in student satisfaction of any University in the UK in the last year and has a growing reputation across a range of disciplines including film and media.   It will also commence construction of the new City Centre campus   in 2007. Could it be the 'Western Mail' is wary of this   usurper in the east and wants to   damage its success?            

'GREAT' LOCAL JOURNALIST   SIGNS UP TO THE LODGE?

AUG 14 - A maverick madcap Argus journalist known for his interest in local history and seriously right wing opinions   has been surprisingly linked to   the free masons. Perhaps he will good enough to declare any membership when he is writing article in the local rag. Perhaps if they are about other free masons he might like to declare their interest too.

WAVE TARGETTED BY MOSHERS

AUG 8 - Love it or hate it the Wave is a modern symbol of Newport.   It has recently become the perch for skater bois and moshers as   drivers enter the City Centre. Nothing wrong with that but the structure is being daubed in graffiti and litter is strewn over the riverfront area.   A skatepark in the new development further down will help in time but it is something for Community Safety Officers to keep an eye on.  

What is a mosher? Apparently according to a variety of websites   the term is derived from a style of dancing or slam-dancing. The BBC website section 'h2g2' provides a handy guide "The male mosher tends to have long hair which, if loose, is often quite untidy. It may also be very greasy due to infrequent washing. Some moshers have punk hairstyles (such as mohawks, spikes, etc) but most just let it hang loose. On moshers younger in years, there is a slightly greater degree of spots than on non-mosher boys of the same age group. Male moshers also tend to have piercings or tattoos, especially in the nose and eyebrows; they do not have as many as punks, though still more than the average population. A male mosher will generally be seen wearing a T-shirt of his favourite band. He is also often wearing an old, light jacket which looks like it has been slept in. He may wear a hoodie instead, though this is not common. His jeans are generally faded and often have numerous holes or slashes. Shoes may be either athletic or sensible, but in either case, are often quite scuffed. A black leather jacket is a common sight on a male mosher on a cold day; this is often decorated with numerous badges and spikes. He may also wear a long coat, known as the 'neo coat' after the character in The Matrix who wore one quite a bit...The female mosher generally has a better complexion than the male, though this has as much to do with genetics as with sanitation. Make-up is either almost absent, or else it covers the entire face; in either case, it is nearly always black. Female moshers tend to have black hair, and those with fair hair often dye it black. However, they may also dye it blue, purple, or green. It may be any length. Many female moshers dress like their male counterparts, though the jeans may be substituted by a short skirt. Others dress like goths, though they are not considered true goths."

PRODUCT PLACEMENT AT ITS BEST OR WORST

JUL 30 - The centre pages of the Argus were adorned with a long pointless article about the latest drink to capture the imagination of our youth - Magners cider with ice. Not just any cider you understand but 'Magners' cider coincidentally the new sponsors of rugby's Celtic League. The ubiquitous Mike Buckingham was wheeled out along with younger friends to offer us his support for this wonderful new drink.   Why was it printed at all you may well ask?

DOUBLE STANDARDS OF CAERLEON GOVERNORS EXPOSED

JUN 28 - The City Council has taken the entirely correct decision to include Christchurch village   in the catchment for Caerleon Comprehensive School and for feeder primary schools in the Caerleon area. The decision has come a little late for the September 2006 intake where children and parents were subject to the arbitrary and unprofessional proceedings of the City's catchment appeals process. It is also somewhat later than the City Council stated it would happen. In a report available on the City Council's website outlines the reasoning behind the decision and provides comments from the primary schools affected and the Comprehensive School. In particular the comments from the Board of Governors at the Comprehensive School provide an insight into their moribund and reactionary thinking. They considered a precedent had been set and   asked Newport local education authority to consider the following points:

• • what was to stop other wards requesting a change of catchment area?
• • what would be the long term impact on Caerleon Comprehensive School should this happen.
• • what impact would this have on a group of children who were no longer with their peer group?

Of course, they do not want children from Newport going to their school. But they are quite happy to accept children from feeder schools and affluent homes in Monmouthshire who can take advantage of high quality education provided by Newport   council tax payers.   Goytre and Usk   are all areas catered for by Caerleon Comprehensive when parts of the City   less than two miles away   have previously been refused access to the same education.

Other spurious points were made   by the Board of Governors - the lack of safety for children seeking to travel to school and the non-availability of bus services. Goytre to Caerleon has a high frequency service at the moment (not). Rev. Arthur Edwards noted that Christchurch is not in Caerleon Parish. So what! Nor are the areas of Monmouthshire   - they   have no association with Caerleon or the City of Newport.  

Over a third of the intake for this school comes from beyond the City's boundaries every year. Christchurch pupils make up three or four pupils per year (11 are currently in secondary education).   The reaction to this small change underlines the urgent need to remedy this situation and give priority to children from the City's boundaries   when determining who should attend Caerleon Comprehensive School. At present the odds are stacked in favour of affluent outsiders as the school jealously guards its catchment. Surely a Labour Council should have the courage to address this injustice?            

OH WHY ISN'T THERE A ZARA IN NEWPORT?

JUN 27- I reckon that what Newport needs is......................... the most wonderful store in the world which is of course, the wonderful ZARA. In case some of you haven't heard of   the wonderful   ZARA, they have one in Cardiff it 's wonderful. To try and persuade Newport to get a wonderful ZARA I have taken the liberty to write this wonderful peom.

Oh why isn't there a ZARA in Newport?

They have clothes of any sort,

From colours which are bright,

To tops which are white.

They have flowing skirts

To fashionable shirts.

Oh why isn't there a ZARA in Newport?

They have clothes of any sort.

From delightful shoes,

To lovely dresses, all different shades of blues.

Oh why, why, why isn't there a ZARA in Newport??             written by BUBBLE

STILL LIMITED UNLIMITED!

JUN 7 - Newport's regeneration company are wasting a golden opportunity to promote the City as the 'new Dublin' (to coin Terry Matthews' phrase). The regeneration programme is slowly transforming the City Centre but outside of Newport is receiving little publicity. The organisation's website has not been updated since May 13. The pictures of the new footbridge   and the associated webcam have also failed to be updated. Given the huge investment in this organisation (£30 million) frankly their marketing and publicity machine is a huge disappointment.

EMPTY PROPERTIES

MAY 13 - It is welcome news that the City Council has agreed to spend £500,000 on bringing empty and derelict properties back in to public use.   Apparently   the council plans to buy a number of empty houses under compulsory purchase orders   and sell them on, for example to housing associations.However, they must ensure that all properties in all parts of the City are included and   that this exercise does not exclude retail properties that could be converted in to residential accommodation or have flats or apartments attached to them. Eastside residents will be well aware of shops in Eveswell and Maindee that have been boarded up or unoccupied for years (Silver City Amusements near to the Godfrey Morgan pub to name but one). Action should be taken to sort these out aswell as they blight the City's streetscene.

SAD BOYS WITH MARKER PENS

MAY 13 - The history of street grafitti in Newport is a mixed one. "This is Lliswery with 2 L's" daubed on the railway bridge over Somerton Road is an honourable exception. It says something and everyone can relate to it. But no one will ever forget the allegations of paedophilia and the daubings on the house of a doctor in Duffryn who was in fact a paediatrician.   Recently motorists travelling along the various main roads have been treated to exhortations to an unknown person to stop doing   something in front of his children. It took the Council some time to remove it. And we have others who leave a little something behind them - Poodle 03, amaan 04 and the Burn Crew are among those who have left their little deposits around the City for others to tidy up. They say nothing, mean nothing and leave an indelible impression that these sad little boys had nothing better to do with mummy's marker pen. It is pleasing to see the City Council has increased investment in graffiti removal treatments and that there was a recent campaign to clean up Pill. All we need now is for the parents and the peers of these people to take an interest in their local environment.        

NO RESPECT

APR 22 - When will communities and particularly individuals within Newport start paying appropriate respect to our living space and environment? Barely a day goes by without reference to vandalism or arson in the local newspaper. It is not just a Newport problem but we are able to identify many instances close to home of illegal fly tipping, fires and graffiti. The problem as ever is catching the culprits and doing something about them. Landlords also need to take their share of responsibility. A drive down to Redwick and the steelworks reen at the Magor entrance has at least two large settees dumped in it. Somerton Railway Bridge is daubed with graffiti and the general area is in a poor state. Clement Attlee Drive is the scene of illegal fly tipping from residents (see photograph). This is a City on the threshold of a great regeneration - let's hope we see a resurgence of pride in Newport and that the no-marks who perpretrate these actions   are sorted out. For the time being if you see it report it.

LIMITED UNLIMITED!

APR 19 - Newport Unlimited is doing an excellent job to develop our City along with others but its own information and publicity machine leaves a lot to be desired. Press releases on its website have not been updated since October 2004 and the last recorded board meeting minutes are in November 2005. There is very little evidence it has been updated since the latter date. That's nearly six months. With very little information generally available the website   could be a positive vehicle for providing   progress reports on regeneration projects in the City.   Sort it out!  

NB - on Apr 20 we noticed a new website is being developed and will be available soon!

BUCKINGHAM IS A DISGRACE part 97

"To many of us Newport is cosmopolitan enough already" - Mike Buckingham, South Wales Argus 'commentator'. What can he mean - is it possibly a reference to Newport's multi-cultural community or something else?   His comments were in the context of the proposed City Centre University campus. This promises to change the atmosphere   bringing hundreds of students in to Newport City Centre. Surely Buckingham shares the aspiration to improve the City Centre. Lets have more   aspiring young people there less yobs   and   of course have less curmudgeonly old grumps walking our streets. In fact Newport is so cosmopolitan that it can put up with the likes of Buckingham.

Why print this letter?    

MAR 23 - The Argus letters column has long been the vestige of the self important oik who has nothing to   do but write letters criticising Newport, the Council, offering strange views on abortion, decrying   the Welsh language and generally not in favour of anything new or positive.   They are always out there particularly in these days of long hours of leisure time. However, you must query the sensitivity or commonsense of the South Wales Argus i.e. why does it print certain letters? Is it trying to inflame latent prejudices in its readership.   Yesterday one correspondent   from Newbridge slagged off Newport East MP Jessica Morden for her campaign in support of a Nigerian woman on the basis that "it would seem no expense is spared on asylum seekers". The letter was given star billing and the headline "just think about priorities". Yes, why doesn't the Argus think about its priorities instead of pandering to the lowest common denominator?  

the views of V.Meldrew are not necessarily the views of thisisnotgwent.co.uk