HEREFORDSHIRE Council made £1.9 million profit in car parking charges in 2013/14 - more than £300k than the previous year.

Yesterday Tuesday 8th October an RTC occurred in Broad St Hereford  . From what I know it happened near to the RSPCA Charity Shop.

it appears that an automatic car driven by an elderly driver ( guessed  at +80 ) reversed out of a parking bay by the Oxfam Shop and for whatever reason kept reversing and swerved into a car which had just parked in a bay by the RSPCA  shop , in doing so also hit another car in another bay . So its three cars damaged . The driver of the stationary car banged into is complaining of neck injuries. Ambulance and Police called .

Cut a long story short , NO POLICE ATTENDANCE ........AMBULANCE ATTENDED 90 minutes AFTER THE RTC........ By this time one of the vehicles had been recovered by the insurance company on a low loader and the apparent injured person was fed up with waiting to be assessed had left the scene ............

IS THIS IS THE WAY AHEAD ? ....IF SO PLEASE TELL US .

Any ladies reading this and born in the 1950's please sign the petition

A group of ladies have set up an action group called the WASPI's and have so far got 92000 signatures they need to reach 100000 signatures before it can be debated in Parliament.  So please gents if you know of a lady who has been affected by this please pass the word on.  I am personally affected and having to wait 3 and half years before I can draw my state pension even though I qualified at 60! 

Reading the BBC News this evening to learn that the Alliance between West Mercia Police and Warwuckshire Police is coming to an end .

West Mercia Police have"  decided to withdraw from the current strategic alliance " it has with Warwuckshire Police . It appears that Warwickshire Police disagree with the breakup stating that it has saved more than £35 million and that they were hugely disappointed.

The Forces merged firearms , dog handlers ,IT and Control in 2013  .

 Just wondering how much it's going to cost WMP to " un merge " the Units . The break away is due to be completed by 8th October 2019

The 2020 Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) judgement

I haven't heard many women talking about this.

They had been campaigning against what they see as unfair changes to the State Pension Age imposed on women born in the 1950s as the age they receive their pensions rises from 60 to 65, in line with men.

An estimated 3.8 million women are affected, and some will lose £50,000.

Article in Daily Mail today:

The Slog says:

The 2020/WASPI judgement can snatch victory from the jaws of Brexit defeat

The British Ruling Class has made the fatal error of putting down too many just causes at once. The victims should now join together and teach the Establishment a life-lesson.

Story today in Daily Mail:

Four metal detectorists 'stole £3million haul of Anglo Saxon coins and jewellery after finding it in a field and tried to sell it on the black market'

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Four metal detectorists are on trial after failing to declare £3million in Anglo Saxon coins and jewellery they found in a field and allegedly selling it on the black market instead.

George Powell, 38, and Layton Davies, 51, found at least 300 coins, a gold ring, a bracelet, a ninth century silver ingot and a fifth century crystal ball pendant when they were out with their metal detectors in Hertfordshire in June 2015. 

They discovered the treasure underground near Eye Court Farm near Leominster.

The prosecution claim instead of declaring the haul, as the law requires, they conspired with Paul Wells, 60, and Simon Wicks, 57, to sell the goods for a profit. 

All four went on trial today accused of conspiring to conceal treasure at Worcester Crown Court. 

Article places Leominster in Hertfordshire - not surprised!

Thomas Cook has ceased trading, how will this affect local people from Herefordshire?

Thomas Cook has confirmed that all the companies in its group have ceased trading, including Thomas Cook Airlines.

As a result, we are sorry to inform you that all holidays and flights provided by these companies have been cancelled and are no longer operating. All Thomas Cook's retail shops have also closed.

The Government and the Civil Aviation Authority are now working together to do everything we can to support passengers due to fly back to the UK with Thomas Cook between 23 September 2019 and 6 October 2019. Depending on your location, this will be either on CAA-operated flights or by using existing flights with other airlines.

If you are already abroad you will find all the information you need about your arrangements to get home on this website.

If you are due to depart from a UK airport with Thomas Cook Airlines, please do not travel to your UK airport as your flight will not be operating and you will not be able to travel.

This repatriation is hugely complex and we are working around the clock to support passengers. 

Customers already abroad

If you are currently abroad and your flight was with Thomas Cook we are providing new flights to return you to the UK. These repatriation flights will only be operating for the next two weeks (until 6 October 2019). After this date you will have to make your own travel arrangements. From a small number of locations, passengers will have to book their own return flights.

For further advice and details of your return journey please read I am currently abroad. Please note that repatriation flights are only available for passengers whose journey originated in the UK.

If you are currently abroad and due to return to the UK after 6 October 2019, please read the additional information section.

If you are ATOL-protected and are having difficulties with your hotel, please read managing difficulties with accommodation.

PLEASE NOTE: Some of Thomas Cook's package holiday bookings include flights with airlines unrelated to the Thomas Cook Group.  If your return flight is not with Thomas Cook's airline, it will still be valid. However other elements of the package, such as accommodation and transfers will be affected.  

Customers yet to travel out of the UK

We are sorry to inform you that all future holidays and flights booked with Thomas Cook are cancelled as of 23 September 2019.

If you are booked on a Thomas Cook Airlines flight, please do not go to your UK airport, as your flight will not be operating. The Civil Aviation Authority’s repatriation programme will not include any outbound flights from the UK.

If you choose to book a new flight with another airline out of the UK, you will not be eligible for a repatriation flight.

PLEASE NOTE: Some of Thomas Cook's package holiday bookings include flights with airlines unrelated to the Thomas Cook Group.  If your return flight is not with Thomas Cook's airline it may still be valid. However other elements of the package, such as accommodation and transfers might be affected.

Further information is available at I have a future booking and have not traveled yet. 

Crest Nicholson (Midlands) Ltd have submitted plans to create a development of 52 homes on land to the east of the A49 Holmer Herefordshire HR4 9RG. 

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Application for approval of reserved matters following outline approval P141487/O - Erection of 52 No. dwellings, parking, landscaping, drainage and other associated engineering works.

Planning Application P193296/RM

Plans have been submitted, which if approved, would see a completely new service station, demolishing the existing Harvest Energy Service Station on Commercial Road and replacing it with a new modern facility.

Plans and Graphics - Adcocks Associates

The new garage would include a new larger shop and an additional two car parking spaces taking the number of spaces for cars to six as well as disabled, motorcycle and cycle parking. 

There would also be a new forecourt and canopy, as well as a three-pump starter gate, and three jet washes.

If plans are approved the new facility would create two full-time roles and four part-time positions.

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Redevelopment of existing petrol filling station to provide new forecourt shop, 3 x pump startergate and canopy, 3 x jet wash bays, 2 x 70,000 litre u/g storage tanks, services bay, car parking and ancillary works

Planning application P193011/F

From The Hereford Times - 1st March 2018

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PLANS for a new GP super surgery in Hereford will go on display to the public next week.

Work has been ongoing to look at the possibility of merging a number of doctors' practices in the city at a site close to the railway station.

And the new primary care hub would be the main surgery for patients who currently access GP services at Greyfriars Surgery, Moorfield House Surgery, Aylestone Hill Surgery and Sarum House.

The engagement event to display plans for the hub takes place next Thursday at Hereford Town Hall from 2.30pm to 7.30pm.

The Hereford Medical Group has been working in partnership with local healthcare property company, Prime and design team One Creative Environments Ltd (One) to develop the proposals for a modern, high quality building to provide patients with the best possible experience when accessing primary care services.

Representatives from the Hereford Medical Group, Prime and One will be on hand throughout to answer questions.

No booking is necessary and members of the public are welcome to pop in at any time.

Dr Andrew Watts said: “Our key priority is providing good quality medical care for our patients.

"Unfortunately our current premises are outdated and at full capacity and so are no longer suitable, which is why we need new purpose built accommodation.

"We are keen to share our plans with patients.”

Bob Smaylen, Development Director for Prime plc, added: “Using our expertise in delivering primary care facilities we are developing proposals which will provide high quality facilities that improve patient experience. We are looking forward to sharing these plans with local residents and hearing their feedback.”

‘Hereford Free Week’ to celebrate Beryl Bikes success

In just the first month after launching its hybrid bike share scheme in the cathedral city, Beryl’s distinctive green bikes have been cycled well over 8,000km in Hereford. 

To celebrate this success, Beryl and Herefordshire Council are bringing riders a free week of trips across the city. Funded by a grant from the Department of Transport, all rides ending in a Beryl Bay will be free of charge from Monday 9th to Sunday 15 of September. “Hereford Free Week” will enable more residents and visitors to choose a more environmentally-friendly means of transport.

Beryl CEO Phillip Ellis says,

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“Beryl is extremely proud of the start our bike share scheme has enjoyed in Hereford. 8,000km covered in one month is a positive reflection on the high-quality and safe scheme that is helping people get around Hereford on two wheels.”

Cllr John Harrington, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Transport at Herefordshire Council, expects the Hereford Free Week to encourage even more people to hop on a Beryl bike for commuting or leisure rides.

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“We are absolutely delighted to announce a week of free cycling with Beryl Bikes,” he said.

“It has been one month since its launch, and support for the scheme has been extraordinary, with thousands of Herefordians and visitors already making use of Beryl Bikes for journeys in and across the city, helping to reduce congestion. By using grant funding from the Department for Transport we are offering a week of free rides, of up to 30 minutes, and hope to encourage even more of you to get on two wheels and enjoy being out and about on healthy, active, sustainable transport.”

Beryl’s hybrid bike share is an innovative scheme where its bikes, that are available to hire through the Beryl app, can be picked up and dropped off in marked ‘Beryl Bays’.

Riders have a payment choice of Pay-As-You-Ride (£1 unlock fee + 5p per minute), Minute Bundles (no unlock fee and bundles starting at 100 minutes for £5) or Day Passes (24 hours of unlimited riding for £12). Once their ride is complete, users simply close the lock on the bike to complete their ride and make it available for the next person to use.

For more information on Beryl, please visit beryl.cc.

Update from West Mercia Police
Officers are currently responding to an incident this morning (Monday 16 September) in  Hinton Road, #Hereford.
A cordon is currently in place. Please take an alternative route. 
We will update as soon as possible.

In The Hereford Times 31st August 2019

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Taylor Wimpey want to build 300 homes on fields on the outskirts of Hereford.

Taylor Wimpey UK has submitted plans to Herefordshire Council to develop land north and south of Grafton lane.

Their proposals for the site include affordable homes, green space and play and recreation areas.

The scheme would also see a new access created from the A49 Ross road while vehicles will also be able to enter the site from Grafton lane itself.

Architects working on the plans say the proposals for the more than 32 acre site comply with the council’s core strategy and national planning policies

Around 19 acres of the site would be used for housing, this works out at an average density of around 39 homes for every 2.4 acres.

And just over eight acres would be used for public open spaces, a new children’s play area, landscaping and a new network of traffic-free routes.

The proposals would also include pedestrian and cycle links and architects say the housing estate would be benefit from the existing nearby bus stops on the A49.

The site itself currently covers four parcels of arable farmland.

Residents have until September 26 to comment on the proposals.

Herefordshire Council planning officers are expected to consider the scheme by November 2019.

Grafton Lane Development Framework Plan

West Mercia Police recruiting now

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"If you enjoy facing challenges and solving problems and would like to contribute to keeping your community safe while developing a wider range of skills, then policing could be for you. Few jobs can be more rewarding than that of a police officer: from day one you'll be helping to fight crime and protecting people from harm.

You'll quickly find that no two days are the same. Policing is challenging and rewarding. As a police constable, you'll get to learn new skills, meet new people, gain a degree from Staffordshire University and set out on a career path that could see you specialise as a firearms officer, dog handler, traffic cop, detective or the trusted, familiar face of West Mercia Police in the community. We have a strong family ethos, where our friendly teams work closely together to get the job done and where you will be treated as a valued member of the team from day one".

Let's hope they get some worthy candidates. It appears that the police only respond once a crime has been reported. We need more police on the ground to get local intelligence to resolve and prevent these incidents happening. They need to regain the trust of the public.

West Mercia Police are creating a new website - you can view some of the new features by clicking the link.

Back on my bike and cycling across the city. Newton Farm to Bodenham Road daily and surprised the roads are as bad as they are for cyclists. My list includes tree roots beginning to lift the surface of Great Western Way, Canonmoor Street (pitted road surface and nice pothole just before Edgar Street), Blackfriars Street from the traffic lights to Widemarsh Street (forcing you to cycle in the middle of the road to find a smooth surface), Canal Road (patchwork of repairs), Southbank Road leading into Bodenham Road (pitted and rough surface - a real boneshaker downhill on the return). I suppose no problem if you are on a BMX and running wide tyres.

How's your ride - nice and smooth?

From Westfields to Portfields and everything in between, Hereford’s residents and visitors will be able to get a lungful of fresh air on Beryl Bikes in time for summer. 

The British urban cycling brand, has announced the launch date of its innovative hybrid bike share scheme that is already helping create greener cities in London, Bournemouth and Poole.

An initial rollout of 70 bicycles will begin on Monday 29th of July, before 150 Beryl emerald bikes will be available for business and pleasure across the city. To hire  a Beryl Bike, users must use the Beryl app, available for download on the App Store for iOS, and the Google Play store for Android users. The bikes can be picked up and dropped off in marked ‘Beryl Bays’ that have been selected and approved in conjunction with Herefordshire Council, to ensure the scheme is in line with the needs of the community. With Beryl Bays positioned at key attractions and transport hubs like Hereford Railway Station, Old Market and Hereford Cathedral, there will always be a bike nearby.

Riders will have a payment choice of Pay-As-You-Ride (£1 unlock fee + 5p per minute), Minute Bundles (no unlock fee and bundles starting at 100 minutes for £5) or Day Passes (24 hours of unlimited riding for £12). Once their ride is complete, users simply close the lock on the bike to complete their ride and make it available for the next person to use.

The three-speed gear bike has a step-through design suitable for riders from 4’11” to 6’5”. They are also fitted with the company’s patented Laserlight Technology, combining a bright, dynamo-powered white light with a green laser projection, visible at night. This allows riders to be seen in blind spots and forewarn pedestrians that they’re on the road when riding in the dark.

Through the custom-built reporting dashboard, Beryl will be able to provide Herefordshire Council with valuable insights from the data generated by the bikes. This will help local authorities plan and grow their cycling infrastructure, based on accurate journey data.

Cllr John Harrington, Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure, said:

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“The new Beryl Bikes scheme will be a fantastic addition to the many active travel options offered through our Choose How you Move project. They will make short journeys in and across the city much easier, reduce congestion and vehicle emissions, and help to get more people out and about using healthy, active, sustainable transport.

“We’re delighted to welcome the first 75 Beryl Bikes to Hereford and look forward to a further 75 arriving soon. The bikes will make travelling around Hereford both easier and healthier for local people and visitors, and the local environment will benefit from reduced pollution and better air quality.”

Phil Ellis, Beryl CEO, said:

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“We’re excited to bring bike share to Hereford for the first time and make it easy and fun to get around the city by bike. Hereford is the perfect place for cycling and we’re pleased to be working with a dedicated and committed team at the Council to bring this project to life.”

Brexit Party selects general election candidate for Hereford

From The Hereford Times today:

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THE Brexit Party has chosen Matt Slocombe as their prospective parliamentary candidate for the Hereford and South Herefordshire constituency for the next general election.

Matt, who runs the Crown Inn at Woolhope, said he had to get involved in politics after the UK Government failed to deliver on the EU referendum result to leave the European Union earlier this year.

He is hoping to overturn incumbent Conservative Party MP Jesse Norman’s 15,013 majority.

Matt says there is a real disconnect between the electorate and the country’s MPs. He also believes the civil service needs an overhaul.

“I had to get involved; when our broken Parliament, dithering Government and ineffective opposition failed to deliver on the largest single vote in our history,” he said.

“I am a publican, not a politician, but I could not let the biggest betrayal by our elected representatives go unchecked.

“Democracy must be enacted. The disconnect between the electorate and the elected is palpable, so many people in this county want things to change.

“Our civil service needs immediate overhaul. When high ranking officials and MP’s collude with others to scupper the negotiations of your country then something is very, very wrong.

“We have businesses that lead the way in rural innovation and as a agricultural County we will have a huge opportunity operating free from the shackles of the EU.

“I am delighted to have been asked by the Brexit Party to stand as the PPC for Hereford and Herefordshire South.

“I never stop promoting Herefordshire, its people and its produce.

“I have been proud to serve Herefordians for two decades, now let me do it from Westminster.”

During the EU referendum in 2016, 59.2% of Herefordshire voters backed Leave while 40.8% voted Remain.

With the current mess fermenting daily the need to clear out the parliamentary remainers has never been so urgent. As The Slog says in his latest post:

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Nobody but nobody is more at risk than Britain in this situation. But even if Boris “wins”, bad Parliamentary precedents are being set, we wll have a Speaker who should be locked up, and the KKK Wing of the United Ideologues against Liberty will continue their evil work of trying to block or destabilise everything Britain does or tries. We’ll continue in turn to have no Constitution, and a police force we can no longer trust to do anything except protect the sclerotic organs of the State.

Doesn't look bright does it?