Wales: Swansea council challenged on Welsh-language commitment

[Harold Schiffman]

.
21 December 2007: Swansea council challenged on Welsh-language commitment
Dec 20 2007 by Robin Turner, Western Mail

A WELSH council has been condemned for removing bilingual roadsigns
from a complex roundabout and replacing them with English-only ones.
Members of Cymdeithas yr Iaith said Swansea Council was "not
practising what it preached" over its language policy.
A spokeswoman said, "Despite the fact the council has declared on many
an occasion that they practise and wish to promote bilingualism within
Swansea, in reality they are not." The bilingual signs at the busy
Ynysforgan roundabout were changed for English-only signs in
September. The roundabout, a major link between the M4 and the north
of Swansea, carries tens of thousands of vehicles a day. It has more
than 20 signs, multiple lanes and a variety of exits and entrances.

A council statement when the signs were changed said, "Ynysforgan is a
very complicated junction and we receive a lot of complaints about the
number of signs there. "We felt the only way to simplify the
roundabout was to get English-only signs. "Due to the junction being a
busy and complicated one bilingual road markings and signs could
confuse car drivers and create possible dangers. "Swansea council has
a language plan that promotes bilingualism, but there are some
occasions where health and safety is more important."

The Welsh Language society spokeswoman continued yesterday,
"Complaints by society members in Swansea have been pouring in to the
Council's offices since the monolingual signs were placed on the
roundabout." Sioned Haf, national campaigns officer for Cymdeithas yr
Iaith, said the council's claim that the signs were removed dur to
"health and safety" was an insult and completely unfounded. She said,
"Bilingual and multi-lingual signs exist across Europe in countries
where there are more than one official language, for example in
Belgium, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

"The steps taken by Swansea Council are an insult to residents of
Swansea and to the whole of Wales as a country that possesses two
languages. This whole escapade regarding these road signs prove that
there is dire need for a new Welsh Language Act, ensuring that this
nonsense does not arise in the future." She added that the society
believed there were more bilingualism problems in Swansea. "Evidence
has come forward the council does not ensure that correspondence to
the citizens of Swansea is done so bilingually.

"Amongst other examples of operating monolingual or mostly in English
are, distributing recycling leaflets in English only.

"There exists a phone line to ask for a Welsh leaflet, but it is only
answered in English.

"Leaflets in English only regarding safety during the Christmas period
are also being distributed.

"And our members complain of no response to complaints regarding the
lack of services in Welsh

"There are also many more examples of monolingual signs across the city."

Rhys ap Rhobert, a resident of Swansea and member of Cymdeithas yr
Iaith said,"It is evident by now Swansea Council is not practising the
policy of bilingualism it preaches.

A Swansea Council spokesman said yesterday, "This authority is
committed to implementing its Welsh Language Scheme. The Council is
continuing to work with the Welsh Language Board to ensure that the
Council's Welsh Language Scheme is implemented effectively.

"As part of our commitment, next year we are introducing a linguistic
skills strategy that will help us continue to develop and deliver
services and information bilingually.

"We are also continuing our work to train staff across the council and
raising awareness of their responsibilities in respect of the
bilingual delivery of services."


http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/wales-news/2007/12/20/swansea-council-challenged-on-welsh-language-commitment-91466-20271578/

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