CITY OF ST.ASAPH TOWN COUNCIL
St.Asaph Relief Road Campaign (Scroll down for City Status)
St. Asaph Relief Road Campaign
Introduction
For decades the concerns of the citizens have been ignored by the County Council and the Welsh Assembly/Welsh Office and no attempts have been made to address the problems.
So in 2007 the St. Asaph Town Council resolved to launch a strong campaign for a relief road to alleviate the traffic from the Vale of Clwyd passing though it’s centre.
The aims of the campaign were:
• To raise the awareness of the traffic problems.
• To persuade the Authorities to recognise the problem.
• To have an in depth feasibility study on the optimum route.
• To have a relief road constructed (long term).
Achievements to date
• Local Members of Parliament, of the European Parliament, of the Assembly and the County Council now fully support the campaign
• Rhyl, Rhuddlan, St.Asaph, Trefnant and Denigh Councils support the campaign. These Councils represent over half of the population of Denbighshire County Council. Also Councils in neighbouring Counties, such as Caerwys, support the campaign.
• Several passive demonstrations have been held on the streets of St.Asaph and the response from drivers in support of the campaign has been very encouraging.
• A petition of over 5,000 signatures has been presented to Denbighshire CC and the Welsh Assembly Government.
• The need for a relief has been identified in the Taith programme. Taith is producing a capital programme for all transport schemes across North Wales.
In September 2010 consultants produced a 100+ page report on transport in and around St.Asaph.
In the short term it recommends that the advisory route for Heavy Traffic along the B5381 be implemented and monitored, the balance of traffic and pedestrian space on The Roe, High St. and Lower Denbigh Rd space be reviewed, a study be commissioned to identify the permanent by-pass solution and an off road cycle link between lower and Upper St.Asaph be implemented.
In the long term (5-15 years) the permanent by-pass solution should be implemented.
Civic City Status For St Asaph (click here to see application)
St Asaph has been known as a city throughout the ages but it has never been recognised as a civic city by charter or letters patent. However, by virtue of the Cathedral, it can claim to be an ecclesiastical city.
The reasons why St. Asaph should be granted Civic City status are as follows:
• The Welsh Bards from 1300 referred to the place as Ty Asaph, as St.Davids was known as Ty Dafydd. This status was greater than that of Dinas based on the term for a fortress. Travel writers from the 1700s onwards always referred to the place as a city.
• St. Asaph was founded in 560A.D. With a monastic settlement and with it’s Cathedral it has been at the centre of the established church in North East Wales ever since.
•In 1346 the choral singing of St. Asaph was written about. The fine tradition of music has continued to the present North Wales International Music Festival.
• Fairs and markets were first mentioned in 1646 and trade and commerce has continued with St. Asaph being home to many international firms and HQs for many national organisations.
• The Bible was translated into Welsh at St. Asaph providing good Welsh for all to read for the first time. Today it has the first Welsh medium comprehensive school in Wales to foster the language.
St. Asaph submitted applications for City Status in 2000 for the Millennium and in 2002 for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee but failed.
In 2012 it is likely that the Queen will grant a city status to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee. If size is the criterion for city status St. Asaph will probably fail but if merit is the reason then St. Asaph should have city status like St. Davids.