Biomech

Yet when the huge diversion was in place several months ago we saw a DRASTIC drop in traffic and many of us were aware of companies around and out of Hereford being told to avoid it. The 15% through traffic does not tally with what we see on a day to day basis. For example, school holidays only see a very small decrease in traffic, so if all the parents are off the road during half term, where is all the sustain traffic coming from? Best place for a by pass is West. Simply because we have the M5 to the East which helps traffic going from Birmingham/Manchester down to Newport/Bristol and potentially Cardiff.

2 fantastic business ideas here; and This is a VERY viable opportunity here. You could have a a coffee/food cart mid way down Belmont road and then have a worker stationed further up the road (away from Hereford) taking orders. The person takes the order and the payment, radios the order down to the cart who has it waiting for when the vehicle gets there. Think a retro-fitted, slow-flow "drive thru". If I had a food stall, I would be looking into that asap.

Oh, that's what I was going to ask. Can someone tell me, simply put and without any political sniping or spin or bullshit. Why an incinerator is a GOOD idea? Why would the council go for it if it's going to put them/us $40million more in debt? Surely if we have to "loan" the money, there's going to be interest attached to that? I'd love a Jaguar XKR, but if I don't have the money for it it, I'm certainly not going to be buying one.

I've just been in a meeting with the council and was reading the article on my phone on the HT website, where I noticed that the usual cobra command of "the cabinet" have been on a mass downvoting spree, giving you all negative thumbs. Never fear though, I thumbed you up at least once to take the edge of. (Of course by a council meeting, I do of course mean that I was taking a dump)

Didn't someone mention on the HT comments once that we already have 2 facilities that aren't enough close to capacity?

And yet in the 1800's (oh look there's that number again), the americans were building vast railroads across the country. You might be familiar with this - but the navvies over there developed a systematic approach which meant that they could lay railway track at WALKING pace. Around 1873 the Canadians started to develope the idea of a railway. In circa 1881 work began on the Canadian Pacific Railway. In 1886, the first train left Montreal to arrive in Port Moody... some 2,826 MILES AWAY. 5 years, and they laid a fully functioning railroad track that stretch 2,800 MILES. And you're telling us it would take 20-30 years to build a road that was about 20 miles long? I don't really give two sh!ts about Herefords road network - as long as I can get OUT, that's all that matters. And, quite frankly, the ratio of time/distance often leaves me spending more time trying to get out than actually on the road to where I'm going.

This I agree with. However there are other factors of course, such as government subsidies for wages which incentivise businesses into employing migrant workers and, as I've mentioned, I have seen first hand the change from summer workers spending money and permanant migrant workers sending money "home". Colin is also correct, that not all EE's are Polish. There are many Lithuanians and Slovakians too. Maybe this comes back to Bobby's point about a general census of people, who they are and where they are from / their UK status. But surely you HAVE to wonder, why the influx of immigrants is so high from Eastern European (and Indian) countries when the EU also incorporates Spain, France, Germany, Finland, Sweden and Denmark. You never hear a peep out of them. You can argue standard of living, but there are northern EU states that have things like higher taxation than the UK. Not to mention, the standard of living argument only backs up the notion (and evidence) that migrant workers from the East would be sending money back home. I have no problem with legit, immigrants. People who immigrate to the UK. But there is nothing wrong with putting a cap in place - even per country. Nothing AT ALL wrong with that. But as Ubique(?) mentioned above, people are too scared to bring these topics up for fear of being branded a racist.

It will do, but not a great deal I imagine until about 6 months from now. Unless you're a very keen cyclist, the weather this time of year is very off putting. I cycle when I can, but that tends to be more in the brighter/warmer months.

And we already know we couldn't bride you with an extra chair and oversight of the beer committee :P I knew a women once who had a lot of food allergies, some pretty extreme. It all stemmed from binge drinking as a club rep in the med during her 20's. Is there something you're not telling us Glenda? ;) Also, I love salmon, beef and chicken. Pretty much all I eat is meat and sugar :)

If you stand with your back to Lloyds - you wouldn't even know it's Christmas. Literally NOTHING on the WHSmith side of high town. I know I've always advocated any development in the city to be in line with the older features of the place, but I kind of meant like the Cotswolds. Even a pre-schooler knows that the 70's weren't the best times in terms of design and looks. The OLM - as it currently stands - on the roundabout end - looks like John Major in a brick coloured tie standing in Milton Keynes :P

Dunelm probably do but I felt it was bad/rude about going in there and not buying anything, particularly being a cafe. Hey, if only I thought about a burger in the morning, then I could have killed 2 birds with one stone! heh

Ah ok, in that case, I just think it's a silly name :P I hadn't heard those 3 places been termed "pinch points" until they started publishing them as "pinch point schemes". Fair enough. Somewhere recently I posted about a yellow box on the OLM roundabout - I was right, they have made the yellow box cover more than the one lane that it did before. And yes, this means that if you're coming around from Steels you can't see if the other side is clear - ultimately, people are going into this yellow box and then releasing they have no where to go, thus creating a slight blockage.

So after stating that there was a set deadline and the offer was non-negotiable... they changed the deadline and tried to negotiate other terms. They don't even have the integrity to stand by their own words when claiming to be working for a better Hereford, no wonder the public have no faith thin them what so ever. By changing the terms they've only made themselves look even more desperate

It wouldn't surprise me if that was from a member of the public after repeatedly banging their head against it :P

Dippy, may I take this opportunity to congratulate you on a normal post, void of any lines, italics of bold text ;)

Oh :/ Well if it's listed it's listed I guess, going to look particularly strange though. Reminds me of those Chinese "nail houses" For your perusal; "Won't sell up? Enjoy living in the middle of a motorway! Road is built around a house after elderly Chinese couple refuse to move" http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2236746/Road-built-building-couple-refuse-China.html

It really is futile trying to shop in Hereford. Ragwert, I bought a tree elsewhere, I didn't fancy the cheap looking ones and bought one for £100 that was FAR superior to the £125/£150 ones sold in the Christmas shop - where I noted the Garland to be around £30/35 a piece. I bought the Garland from the butter market people (as last year) for £17. I would have gone to the toilet at Gaol Street, but it was a bit of a walk from Next ;P

Jesus Christ! I've always maintained that we should get the opinion of the emergency services and see what their views on Hereford's traffic are. It's for the exact reason posted in your images Colin, that I no longer shop in Hereford and strategically - very strategically - plan where I go and at what time. I only go up Belmont road after 8pm, going before is just suicide. My window for heading to anything on the North of Hereford was 11am-Midday. Anything either side of that and coming back South makes it just not worth it. It's a smaller window than a NASA launch. And when I do go out, it takes some tactical driving to get through, I have some very specific lane switches that help me get to where I'm going within the hour.

Mind you, at least factories had windows :P

For a long time I've been "shopping" shopping elsewhere because of the lack of choice, shops, traffic etc in Hereford. I still bought the small things locally, stationery, stamps etc. That was until yesterday when I went shopping; Summary: Shopping in Hereford is utterly unpleasant. With the exception of food shopping, I am now only buying online and in places like Cardiff/Worcester/Gloucester Traffic - Bad, slow. Parking - Badly designed car parks Shops - Lack of Products - Lack of Toilets - Lack of Traffic: Edgar Street South was surprisingly and pleasantly quick - on more than one occasion! (northbound was backed up to Steeles though). However, I then proceeded to spend no less than 20 minutes trying to get up the ramp in Tescos underground car park. I actually do my food shopping at around 2am now so I don't have to deal with the traffic and hordes of people taking up as much of the aisles as they possibly can. As we all know, traffic in Hereford is always pretty dire, I have, on several occasions, taken a packed lunch because I know I'll be sitting in queues of traffic ..Parking: I went to Tesco underground (park upstairs/outside), B&M/Next and The Range. The Range was fine, as expected. But the problem here lies in car park design. We know that the B&M/Next is just a joke, a 6ft wide opening that acts as the entrance AND exit for a one way system that's so tight that the second anyone wants to manoeuvre a car the whole thing jams up.. .. as does Tesco (town). A one way system where, again, if someone is waiting for a space to empty as the driver returns, the entire thing grinds to a halt. This then causes a backup throughout the undergound carpark which can spill out onto the large Tesco roundabout causing further delays. It still amazes me when people drive into the "trees" carpark there. It's a dead end and has enough space for 1 car to drive down. You have to reverse out because you can't turn and if someone has followed you in, you better prepare for a LONG stay. Shops: There aren't that really that many and those with a similar genre are dotted all over the place requiring multiple car trips and, potentially, multiple parking charges. You can't "browse" the shops in Hereford for what you want, you need to know what it is that you want and where it is. If you wanted some new trousers, you might look in M&S, H&M and Next.... Next, so you have to go to the other side of town, navigate a ridiculous carpark and go inside JUST to see if they MIGHT have what you want, perhaps only to head back through traffic in to town back to M&S. Lack of actual products: Have you ever actually tried to buy something in Hereford when you didn't know for sure what shop had it? You literally spend hours walking around trying all of the shops that you'd expect to have it, only to find that they don't. It's almost, but not quite, as bad as wanting a rolling pin and finding that the cook shops in town don't sell them. 2 Things in particular come to mind from yesterdays jaunt. 1. Garland. I wanted some Christmas Garland, just a cheap bit. There are only 2 places in the city that sell it. The "cheap" popup Christmas shop opposite the Entertainer, where it will set you back around £35 (a standard artificial tree in there is often upward of £125!) and the indoor market fake florist stall (where they make funeral bits and flower craft) Cheaper and good service - I actually bought last years bits from there too. 2. A burger. Yesterday I hadn't had breakfast and was really hungry. I REALLY fancied a cheese burger, a proper one, you know, big, made with meat not sugar. So I headed to the Charcoal Grill who do amazing burgers - it was closed. Marmaris - closed, Flames - closed down, Munchies - Heard their food isn't great, several other "takeaway" shops down Union Street - closed or out of business. So after much walking I looked into McDonalds and the queue was to the door so that was a no go. Couldn't even get a proper burger. I ended up eating a sandwich from Tescos whilst sat in the carpark. Toilets: Because I had spent a lot of time walking, driving etc around town trying to find things, I needed the toilet, I was at Next at the time. The closest toilet for public use is at the Leisure Centre. It's about a third of a mile away, around a 5 minute brisk walk. Obviously I could accommodate that. But it made me think, what if I was 80? What if I was in a wheelchair or on crutches with a broken foot? That wouldn't be an easy trip. On the whole, it was a horrible experience. Shopping at this time of year is supposed to be fun and exciting but it was very unpleasant because of the way Hereford has been managed/developed. The only big exception really was The Range. Ample and ACCESSIBLE parking. Good range of items, friendly and helpful staff. I live here and find it a very unpleasant place to shop - what are visitors going to think? And I really feel sorry for the small businesses here, because the city is doing nothing but pushing people away. (quick note on the OLM defense, there's still nothing there. Yet another supermarkey, some new resturants and the rest are shops we already have just moving in) So I've decided I'm completely done with shopping in Hereford now. I'll continue to buy my food shopping at 2am and I'll crawl into town to make deposits at the bank. But if I want anything other than food, I'm now buying it online or somewhere like Cardiff or Worcester. As for stationery and office consumables, I've just placed a few bulk orders for Ink, Envelopes, Pens etc.

I have some genuine questions that I'm hoping some of the councillors can answer; 1. The big squares of grey slats on the wall facing Tesco roundabout - are they temporary until windows are put in or is that how they will stay? 2. The slanted roofing at the same end of the building, given that this is, roughly, where the sun rises, will these slopes be covered in solar panels? 3. The newmarket pub, it's kind of an old shabby building stuck in the middle of the new buildings, will it be staying or will it be removed? Thanks

I've already posted comparison between Hereford traffic and that of a horse and cart from the 1800's. Here's a bit more to cement the fact that, despite being preached to by the council that they are forward thinking, Hereford is stuck in the 1800's The OLM a big new build. Now I assumed that the the slanted roofing was an architectural decision to base it on the look of the old market cattle shelters. Which makes sense. The only trouble is, that this is a "design" from the 1800's. This design is known as a "Saw Tooth Roof", attributed to architect William Fairbairn as early as 1827. It's primary concept was to allow day light into the large factories. Now I'm just guessing here, but I see no windows in the roof and imagine the interior will be floored and lit accordingly. Funnily enough, Fairbairn dubbed this the "shed principle" :P One of the drawbacks of this design of roof is that "crap" and debris collect in the troughs leading to drainage issues if not cleared. I mean, I'm sure they thought of all of this, they are highly paid architects after all, not idiots, and know a great deal more about building design than I ever will. I'm just pointing out that this is another example of Hereford stuck in the 1800's. And wouldn't it make SO much sense to put solar panels on these sloped roofs. Also found this; I would, however, like to add that the construction company aren't really at fault in any of this, they've done a cracking job and make huge amounts of progress in the time that they have been working. So well done to the guys on the ground. So there you have it, we have potholed roads from the 1600's, traffic that moves slower than a horse and cart in 1700's and buildings that look like they have been poached straight out of the 1800's.

heh Dippy normally clicks the Bold button ;P Back on topic though - I don't think they have enough weight, I think you need to propose a coalition between all 4 options :P (Voted :))

I must say, I agree with whoever said the other day that it looks like a factory. Those big grey slates on the sides facing the roundabouts - I assume they are temporary and will be replaced with glass windows looking into the store/s?

Why is it called a "pinch point"? Surely when you pinch something you're condensing it, compressing it - essentially forcing more into a smaller space? Unless they mean they are literally "pinching" our travel time for themselves