Tuesday 30 November 2010

Frome Vale Area Forum - this Thursday

If you have an issue you'd like to raise or would like to know more about the Council's Street Care services, come along to Shireway Community Association at 7pm on Thursday 2nd December for the Frome Vale Area Forum.

Monday 29 November 2010

Nibley Lane parking

Residents and local councillor Claire Young met a highways engineer in Nibley Lane this morning to look at changes to the yellow lines there. Following the recent resurfacing, the lines needed reinstating, but having seen "no parking" cones all the way down to the river, residents were concerned the double yellow lines might extend that far. The engineer was able to reassure everyone that the cones were actually there to keep the road clear so it could be swept.

Residents wanted double yellow lines around the junction with the Badminton Road to be reinstated, as there have been problems with cars parking there, but wanted the road outside Rockleigh to be free of restrictions. On the other side of the road, it was agreed to take the yellow lines down to the entrance of the Bird Farm to make it easier for people exiting. The engineer sprayed yellow paint to show where the lines should now end and said the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) relating to the lines would be amended when they were tidying up all the TROs for the restrictions around the new council offices.

Have your say on nuclear power station proposals

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) will be holding a consultation event in Thornbury next month. It will give local residents the chance to hear how the Government’s proposed policies for energy have changed and also to ask questions about the inclusion of Oldbury in the list of potential new nuclear power stations.

Representatives from DECC will attend the meeting, as part of the national consultation on the revised Draft Nuclear National Policy Statement, which runs until 24 January. The listing of proposed sites for new nuclear power stations is part of the national policy statement. The DECC representatives are planning to give a presentation and answer questions afterwards.

The meeting will take place on Thursday 16 December, 7pm – 9pm, Severnside Hall, Thornbury leisure centre.

Friday 26 November 2010

Chipping Sodbury Victorian Day - next Friday!



Yes, Victorian Day is back, on Friday 3 December. This very popular event is supported by BBC Radio Bristol. There will be lots of attractions and music right through from 1.30 to 9.30 pm - see the Chipping Sodbury Lions Club website for full details.

Yate waste facility latest

The Joint Waste Core Strategy is a planning document that sets out where waste facilities should be provided in the West of England. It is currently going through its independent Examination by the Planning Inspectorate and the hearing sessions finished on Tuesday. Yate Town Council made representations about the plans for a waste facility on the trading estate to the edge of Yate.

On Wednesday, the West of England authorities submitted their proposed changes. There is no further consultation. The Inspector will now consider all the information in preparing his factual report for the Partnership Authorities. It is anticipated this will be no later than 28th January 2011. The Inspector's final report will follow. Further information will be available on the West of England website as it becomes available.

Monday 22 November 2010

Progress continues on Yate Town Centre works

The 70 new parking spaces on the site of the former Swan pub have now been opened, just in time for the very busy Christmas shopping period. Work is carrying on to realign Link Road, which has now been reopened to single file traffic in both directions.

The mains electricity works are taking a little longer than expected, but Link Road should reopen fully on December 13th. Work will start to install new traffic lights in Link Road on January 13th, and the new improved bus station will open on Monday, January 31st. (More in the Gazette)

Meanwhile the car park under the proposed Tesco Extra store is to be slightly redesigned to provide for an extra emergency exit.

The Gazette quotes Tesco  as saying they will erect the temporary store in East Walk after Christmas, and that demolition of the existing store will start in February.

Sunday 21 November 2010

Chipping Sodbury Waitrose development gathers pace


Several recent moves show that the developers are serious about this site. Chelverton Deeley Freed has bought the former Lanes hardware shop in the High Street. This would give them a way through to the river and onwards to the Waitrose site.

The Gazette quotes a company director saying that they want to create a pedestrian link with three, four or five new shops at the rear of the building.

In another move Sodbury Town Council has agreed to give up its lease on the Wickwar Road car park. There are currently 180 free spaces. Under the Waitrose plan the free spaces will be reduced to 92 but there would be a further 208 short-term spaces for shoppers to the supermarket and the High Street. Again, more from the Gazette here.

A revised planning application is being submitted, and South Glos Council is expected to make a decision in December or January.

Saturday 20 November 2010

Christmas decorations go back to nature

All the family can learn how to make a Christmas wreath and tree decorations using natural material found in woodland, at an event organised by South Gloucestershire Council and the Friends of Ridge Wood.

The event is taking place on Sunday 28 November at the Ridgewood Centre, Yate and the workshops will be run by local expert Jo Wright from Organic Blooms, Iron Acton. All the ingredients to make perfect decorations will be supplied.

Participants will learn some basic basketry skills and how to work with willow, twist a wreath for the door, and find out how twigs, pine cones and other natural woodland materials make the perfect ingredients to create unique Christmas wreaths and decorations. 

The event, for adults and children over 10, runs from 10am – 1pm and is limited to 20 places per session.The Friends of Ridge Wood will be providing mince pies and hot drinks on the day.

The cost is £10 per place and early booking is recommended. Children should be accompanied by an adult.

This year the Friends of Ridge Wood are also running a Children’s Christmas Decoration session at the same time, for children of 5 – 10 years of age. Two sessions will run from 10.15am - 11.30am, and 11.30 - 12.45 providing a range of exciting creative activities for children. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and the cost is £2.50 per place payable on the day (includes refreshments and materials). The number of places is limited so pre-booking is essential.

How to get there: The Ridgewood Centre is located on Station Road, Yate, between Yate and Chipping Sodbury – post code BS37 4AF.

For more information and to book a place, please call: 01454 863725 / 863592.

Friday 19 November 2010

Latest on new recycling collections

The new recycling services start on Monday (22nd November). You should receive your new containers by Sunday afternoon, but some people won't get their plastic bottle bags due to the ship carrying them being delayed. Instead you will be given two large clear plastic bags as a temporary measure or you can use any other sturdy re-usable bag you might have, such as an Ikea bag or a "bag for life". Don't use lightweight plastic carrier bags. If you haven't received your new containers by Sunday evening, please ring the Contact Centre on on 01454 868000 Monday to let them know. This is also the number to ring if you have any other enquiries.

Some people are concerned about the fact cardboard will no longer be allowed in the green bins. Initially, the advice was to put it inside the largest cardboard box you are sending for recycling or to put it under your green been. Now we are told you can place cardboard in a sturdy re-usable bag and place it by the side of the bins. The cardboard will be collected and the bag returned.

Sunday 7 November 2010

Small saving for one person costs community £thousands


To avoid a small collection charge someone recently dumped a sofa in an underpass on Shire Way. Subsequently it was set on fire. Smoke blackening the walls and the roof of the underpass was damaged. The heat was so intense that the paving slabs cracked.

Cllr Mandy Sainsbury said "The whole appalling incident could have been avoided if the householder who dumped the furniture had organised for a collection from South Gloucestershire Council.

"It would have cost the householder just £17 but now the council will have to foot the bill to clean and repair the subway, which will run into thousands of pounds, such is the extent of the damage."

Saturday 6 November 2010

Swan gone

After a delay for asbestos to be removed, the Swan Inn has now disappeared from Yate Shopping Centre car park. This is all that's left:

70 extra parking spaces should be available by next weekend - more details in the Gazette.

In the meantime, there's the world's least helpful pedestrian diversion:

Sorry, couldn't resist that...

Friday 5 November 2010

Resurfacing of the A432 in Yate

From today, Stover Road will be closed and the lights at the junction with the A432 Badminton Road will be replaced with temporary ones so that the road can be resurfaced and the detector-loops cut. The estimated completion date is 17 November.

Similar work is being carried out at the junction of Station Road and Cranleigh Court Road. It's hoped this will finish by Sunday.

Thursday 4 November 2010

More details on flat fare bus services

We now have more details about the new flat fare bus tickets. The Hopper ticket will cost just £1 single or £1.50 return, and Chipping Sodbury will be included as well as Yate. The Hopper tickets will be valid in a zone extending from St Johns Way, Chipping Sodbury in the East to the Badminton Road Council offices in the West.

The following services will be covered by the Hopper ticket:

  • X27 Yate to Bristol via Brimsham Park
  • 84 Yate to Wotton-Under-Edge via Chipping Sodbury
  • 85 Yate to Emersons Green
  • 86 Wotton-Under-Edge to Kingswood (South Gloucestershire) via Chipping Sodbury and Yate
  • 87 Chipping Sodbury to Longwell Green via Yate
  • 88 Chipping Sodbury to Iron Acton via Yate
  • 200 Chipping Sodbury to University of the West of England
  • 482/3 Chipping Sodbury to Cribbs Causeway via Yate
  • 581 Chipping Sodbury to Hanham via Yate
  • 620 Tetbury to Bath via Yate and Chipping Sodbury
  • 622 Chipping Sodbury to Cribbs Causeway via Yate
  • 689 Yate to Bristol via Pucklechurch
Please note that if you buy a return ticket, you will need to use the same company's buses coming back.

Flat rate bus fare success for Yate

Local transport campaigners are celebrating the news that you will soon be able to travel anywhere in Yate for £1. The flat rate will apply on all buses within Yate run by Wessex Connect and Severnside Transport buses.

Yate Town Councillor Chris Willmore said, “This is something we’ve been fighting for for over three years. It makes taking a bus within the town cheaper and simpler. People will be able to get on the bus knowing exactly how much it will cost them and knowing it won’t be an arm and a leg.”

Cllr Sue Walker (Lib Dem, Yate Central and Chair of Friends of Yate Station) said, “Now it’s cheap enough, we all need to get out there and use the buses so we don’t lose them. This flat rate fare will be a real boon for rail users, who up to now have had to fork out nearly as much for the short bus ride to the station as they have for their rail tickets in some cases. Taking a bus to the station and then travelling further afield will now be a real option for many more people.”

Cllr Claire Young (Lib Dem, Westerleigh) said, “This is excellent news for the people of Yate, we now need something similar for people living in the surrounding villages. When it costs over half as much to get the bus from Coalpit Heath to Yate station as it does for the train trip from there to Bristol and back, it’s no wonder people are put off using the services.”


The photos show Lib Dem Cllr Alan Lawrance at a bus stop and a group of campaigners including Chris Willmore (left) with green survey forms. The top demand in our green survey was cheap bus transport round town so people can leave the car at home.

Wednesday 3 November 2010

Campaigners hopeful of winning battle on rail shelters



Local rail campaigners are winning their battle to keep Yate commuters dry this winter. Last month, rail user Chris Willmore slammed First Great Western’s decision to leave Yate commuters with no shelter from the rain after Perspex panels in the shelters were destroyed by vandals. At Monday’s Friends of Yate Station meeting, she and other campaigners met representatives of the rail company face to face to push for action.

After the meeting, Chris Willmore said, “First Great Western are now investigating using the sort of metal mesh with holes that Yate Town Council has used successfully on its bus shelters, such as the one on Church Road. We are delighted, as this will give a longer term, vandal-resistant solution. Anyone who has waited for a train in the recent wet and windy weather will be keen for the shelters to be fixed as soon as possible.”

The photo shows local rail campaigners and Lib Dem Focus councillors Chris Willmore, Wully Perks and Martin Monk doing a  spot of amateur weather forecasting - currently an essential skill for Yate rail passengers. 

By the way, this is the 700th item posted on our blog since it started in January 2007. It's nice that it's some positive news. Best wishes to all our regular readers!

Tuesday 2 November 2010

Clearing fallen leaves

From Monday, South Glos suspended the routine mechanical sweeping programme to concentrate on clearing leaf fall - targeting known problem areas and responding to requests from residents reported through the Street Care Helpdesk. Initially the sweeping programme will be suspended for three weeks.

If you want to report a concern, please contact Street Care on 01454 868000 or e-mail streetcare@southglos.gov.uk