Latest news with #sustainableTransport
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Confidence that Llanharan bypass work will start as soon as possible
The Llanharan bypass is a 'priority' for RCT council with the leader saying he's confident work will start in earnest once it gets planning permission and a contractor is appointed. Councillor Andrew Morgan was responding to a question from Brynna and Llanharan councillor Janine Turner at Rhondda Cynon Taf full council on Wednesday, June 25 who said that the statement earlier this year that the Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor had been given the go-ahead following a redesign was very welcome news. She asked the leader for update on the progress made since then and to outline some of the key steps for the scheme to be delivered. READ MORE: Police call for pub landlord's licence to be revoked after investigation READ MORE: By-election date and candidates in Pontypridd confirmed after councillor stood down Cllr Morgan said the scheme was a priority for the council and that there had been a lot of work going on in the background to take it forward. The council has allocated £5.05m in the capital programme towards the project. He said the scheme had been 'redefined' in terms of embedding sustainable transport policies while still seeking to take the bulk of the traffic out of Llanharan. The scheme was delayed because of the roads review by Welsh Government but the council has now had the green light to take it forward. To get all the latest politics, health and education news, sign up to our Wales Matters newsletter. The council is working on a funding package but the next key stage is that the pre-planning application consultation is expected to start during September and October. All the consultation documents will be made available online and in person at Llantrisant Leisure Centre from September 19 to October 17 with consultation days to be organised in Llanharan itself in October. Cllr Morgan said the road scheme is very much in line with what they previously looked at in terms of the corridor and it doesn't deviate much from that but has just been redesigned in terms of things like landscaping and drainage. He said 'what that does mean is that we substantially reduce in-built carbon' which will be close to 20,000 tonnes and the ancient woodland has been protected. They've also looked at junctions and making sure there's a good flow of buses and that they don't get caught up in traffic. 'There's an awful lot of small changes but the primary thing is the scheme is going ahead as far as we're concerned. We will need to get planning permission. 'We are in conversation with Welsh Government. We are committed to this in terms of using some CIL (community infrastructure levy) funding from the housing development down there and committing our own funds.' He also said they'd secured some further money around the active travel element. Cllr Morgan said that once they do get planning and appoint a contractor 'I am confident the scheme will start in earnest'.
BreakingNews.ie
2 days ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
New sustainable transport bridge installed in Waterford City
A new sustainable transport bridge has been installed in Waterford City. The 207-metre-long movable pedestrian and cycle bridge over the River Suir is the centrepiece of a €200 million Waterford North Quays Infrastructure Project. Advertisement It was designed by Knight Architects in collaboration with Roughan & O'Donovan as lead Engineer and Hardesty & Hanover as M&E Engineer. The bridge was commissioned by Waterford City & County Council, constructed by BAM and will open to the public in 2026. The Waterford North Quays Infrastructure Project is Ireland's largest urban regeneration initiative. The bridge pays tribute to the city's trading legacy and its deep-rooted connection to the River Suir. Advertisement The structure's curves and faceted steel superstructure takes inspiration from Waterford's celebrated tradition of crystal glassware, while its twin-leaf bascule span ensures continued navigability of the river for marine traffic. Photo: Waterford City and County Council/Peter Grogan Above each of the feature piers, the bridge deck widens to form viewing platforms, furnished with seating to invite pause and reflection over the Suir and its evolving surroundings. The bridge is to facilitate pedestrians and cyclists, forming a new section of urban greenway that ultimately links the Waterford to Dungarvan and Waterford to New Ross Greenways. Its design is also future-proofed to facilitate a future electric shuttle bus connecting the north and south quays. Advertisement The architects designed an urban area at the South Plaza landing site with numerous surfaces to help guide pedestrians and cyclists in the right direction to ensure efficient movement on the bridge coupled with safe transitions at the end. Director of Knight Architects, Tom Osborne, said that the bridge does more than just connect two sides of a river. 'It connects the past with the future, catalysing the transformation of Ireland's oldest city whilst responding sensitively to its historic cultural and urban context. 'It represents a bold and forward-looking investment in the city's future and will act as a key enabler for the North Quays development, bringing new homes, jobs and cultural offerings to Waterford,' Mr Osborne said.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Headlines: 'School bangers' at Glastonbury and 'The Wave closes'
Here's our daily pick of stories from across local websites in the West of England, and interesting content from social media. Our pick of local website stories People living near Glastonbury Festival are fed up with the high number of helicopters being used to get to the event, according to Somerset Live. Residents claimed as many as 85 had landed in the vicinity in one day. The festival encourages people to choose sustainable transport options to get to the City Council has agreed to go ahead with the sale of Gloucestershire Airport at The Salisbury Journal reported on a £5m hole in Wiltshire Council's finances, caused largely by an overspend in adult social care. Our top three from yesterday What to watch on social media A set of Primary School Bangers with James B Partridge at Glastonbury Festival saw thousands of people sing along to hymns from their Green Rovers' owner Dale Vince has spoken about the sacking of manager Steve £26m inland surfing lake The Wave, in South Gloucestershire, has closed after a financial the 'love-locks' on Pero's Bridge in Bristol are to be removed, following concerns they are too heavy for the structure.
The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
How Dubai's 20-minute city ambitions are becoming reality
Dubai's 20-minute city ambitions are a 'reality in the making' as the Metro expansion, alongside the promotion of walking, cycling and greener spaces help to change perceptions of urban life, experts say. The UAE can also learn from older cities' mistakes by dispensing with legacy systems to reimagine a new world. The topic was in sharp focus at the Mobility Live Middle East and Middle East Rail conferences which took place side by side on Tuesday and Wednesday in Dubai. While the 20-minute city concept is not new – European cities have been built based on people being close to services – the term has been coined for a new generation of urban planning. It is typically used to refer to having key daily needs – work, services, schools and shops – within a 20-minute radius and accessible without having to use a car. Martin Tillman, a founder of transport consultancy TMP Consult, said the shorter these distances are, the better in the Gulf summer, and the move towards this in Dubai is a 'reality in the making'. 'You've got a huge part of the population that needs to walk or cycle to get around the cities and they don't have the luxury of having an air-conditioned environment. Not everyone can afford a taxi,' he said. 'We can make it more comfortable with shading and misting and other features.' Closer look at Dubai Metro's Blue Line expansion Sources of inspiration High-density developments are important in this regard. Cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia use them effectively and incorporate public transport, walking and cycling infrastructure. Gulf cities can look to these for inspiration, and Dubai's Sustainable City, with its car-free streets, emphasis on sustainable transport and access to shops, reflects some of the components of the 20-minute city. Expo City Dubai, with its focus on cyclists and pedestrians, is another example. Dubai's 2040 urban master plan incorporates the concept and a 20-minute model city being built in Al Barsha 2. Dubai is also set to transform into a more pedestrian-friendly city with more than 3,000km of new walkways in plans announced in December. A larger challenge for planners is to incorporate schools and workplaces, and this is where high density also plays a role in the 20-minute city. 'The lower the density, the harder that process is to put in place,' said Mr Tillman, referring to how people drive to schools and workplaces if they are farther away. 'The higher the density, the easier it is to put in. Here, people like big, separate low-density residential developments but we're slowly moving away from that.' Mr Tillman said the weather is another reason to build higher-density developments. 'We try to make sure that those distances that need to be covered are climate-sensitive … to make it possible for people to walk, cycle and use sustainable transport for as long as possible.' He said many new developments are trying to include sustainable elements. Richard van den Dool, vice president of charge at Enrx, a green technology company based in Denmark, said his vision is about reclaiming the streets for people rather than cars. 'Cities that do it well make more public transport, reduce parking spots and create greener areas and make it liveable again,' he said. 'They want people back living in the city.' Impact of public transport Dubai's roads are still often congested amid a continued population expansion and the car's continuing allure. That is where better public transport comes in. Dubai's huge expansion of the Metro, the revamped and extended bus network and the UAE's forthcoming Etihad Rail passenger service could have a huge impact, creating developments around stations, cutting congestion and boosting the 20-minute city push. The Dubai Metro Blue Line will connect major existing and new residential districts, while an Etihad Rail station is being built at the heart of the Jumeirah Golf Estates expansion. 'We have a golden opportunity to intensify development around new stations,' said Mr Tillman. 'The key here is to make sure that Etihad Rail is not a standalone train system and Dubai Metro is not a standalone. We must make sure these are integrated.' Mr van den Dool, whose company works in inductive heating, charging and power transfer, said his vision was one of mobility where electrified cars, scooters or buses can be charged using infrastructure built into clutter-free streets. 'How would it look if all those cars needed to have a cable? It will be a spider web of poles and cables,' he said. Instead, his company's technology is already used in Europe to charge buses on wireless inductive plates at bus stops, for example, removing the need for fixed-point charging. He said it is feasible for an entire city's bus network to run on such a system. Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority has also tested wireless charging of electric vehicles and buses. Mr van den Dool said Dubai and the UAE had an opportunity to learn from legacy cities and not repeat the mistakes older cities made. 'They can be the showcase for the rest of the world,' he said. 'Call it the 15 or 20-minute city or whatever … it's about where we want to be in 10 years from now.'
Khaleej Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai targets 1,000km of dedicated cycling tracks by 2030
Dubai has always set the benchmark in many areas, and the bustling emirate is now further enhancing its reputation for healthy living and sustainable transport. Dubai, which is already boasts if 560km of cycling tracks, is aiming 1,000km of dedicated cycling tracks by 2030, the Dubai Media Office said on Sunday, June 22. The growth has been tremendous with Dubai starting off with nine kilometres of cycling tracks in 2006.
