Rhuthun/Ruthin is a fickle place.
A couple of days ago, there appeared on social media a video of an articulated wagon struggling around the roundabout. This sparked quite a different view: how pedestrian-unfriendly Rhuthun is. Something should be done.
The ill-designed yet well-intentioned active travel solution to free more pedestrian space was scuppered very soon after introduction because of car users' siren voices on social media. This translated to county councillors who are normally strong being timorous. They cancelled the scheme. Long live the motor car.
There are other factors but the fact is the Square is certainly off-putting and is unconducive to visits
Perhaps the Levelling Up bid'll help but as far as I understand it this is just a posh parking arrangement with a crossroads rather than a roundabout. It *may* slow traffic. It *may* deter traffic from the town centre that doesn't need to be there. But it won't show off the so-called 'world class' Square to its best advantage in a streetscene littered with parked cars. The reason for a lack of ambition will again likely be timidity. Ultimately, no decision maker's likely to cross swords with the voluble car lobby on Facebook.
Here, nevertheless, are a couple of facts about traffic in the town centre.
In June, we revealed that the volume of cars crossing the Square in an hour equated to half of the volume on the A494 at peak times per hour. Since then, we've undertaken more surveys. We don't pretend these are scientific. It seems that the 462 per hour figure we quoted in June was a minimum. The average of several counts is actually 500 per hour.
At the same time, in June, we pointed out that the Civic Association reckoned that 57 per cent of traffic going through town shouldn't be there. 57 per cent wasn't stopping for shopping, delivering, personal business, to access a car park or anything like that. It was going through town rather than using Park Road, Wernfechan or Station Road.
Expect minor tinkering only. Will parked cars continue to littler and be spread around the Square? Is the Pope Catholic? Is Jeremy Clarkson a petrolhead?