Transport

Car problems

A few diarists were experiencing problems with running and maintaining cars on September 24th.

• Aha! What fun the car refused to start which meant that I had to sprint to work across the Plas . . . Oh what joy!

• On the way home called at local garage for a quote and order 2 new car tyres £99.

• The front end of my precious Ford Escort was going to be patched up which my 17 year old daughter drove into a hedge on her first trip out.

• After leisurely breakfast we all go down to Knighton to pick up Ann's car; it has passed its MOT. No problems. Cost £39.75 including side light we asked to be renewed.

• I then took my car for a MOT at the friendly and efficient garage at Llanfaes.

Other diarists were just learning how to drive.

• Practised driving as learning to drive

• Took Ffion driving - test next week!

Some diarists were concerned with parking problems and how to deal with them.

• Back Lane Car Park, Newtown

  Recycling

  I drove myself in the family V W Golf saloon to the Oxon Park and Ride car park which is located on the outskirts of Shrewsbury from where I caught a bus into town. The Oxon Park and Ride is one of several car parks surrounding Shrewsbury, a fairly recent innovation designed to lower congestion of traffic in the town centre.

• In Newtown the Back Lane car park was very busy, it being market day. Dropped off a load of bottles and jars at the bottle bank and found a parking place. Went to renew the seasonal parking permit, which expires at the end of this month, at the District Council Office in the park (until recently it was in Market Street which I'm sure must have been more convenient for many people). Annual parking permit costs £60 - probably we don't save much, if anything, but it saves a lot of hassle and I find it worthwhile - no worry about finding the appropriate change for the machine or overrunning the time limit. Can also be used in Machynlleth, Llanidloes and Welshpool to which I also go at times.

• We travelled in our blue Ford Focus car which is now a year old. We took the A465 - the Heads of the Valleys road, and the journey took about an hour. When we reached Abergavenny we found that the fair was in town - in one of the car parks. The narrow streets were rather chaotic with cars lorries and pedestrians. Eventually we found an empty space in the car park at the bottom of the town.