Chipping Sodbury buses disrupted due to Wickwar Road closure Wed/Thu this week

First Bus say: Due to the closure of Wickwar Road in Chipping Sodbury service 342 and X42 will terminate at the end of St Johns Way and will operate back down St Johns Way instead of Broad Street and Horse Street.

As a result we will not be able to serve the bus stops on Wickwar Road, Broad Street or Horse Street.

Free courses for adult learners in South Glos

Would you like to

• gain a qualification?
• improve your job skills?
• help your children's learning?

South Gloucestershire Community Learning are offering courses in English and Maths to Level 1 and 2 (Level 2 is equivalent to GCSE at A-C grade)

If English is not your first language, there are also short ESOL courses for people who need to improve their language skills for life in the community or for job seeking and work.

There are also IT courses that concentrate on building people's skills for the workplace and help them to search and apply for jobs online.

Other courses cover CV writing and interview skills, and Family Learning courses to help you help your child's learning.

There are enrolment sessions at Yate Library as follows:

• Thursday 5 Sept 5 pm to 7 pm
• Thursday 12 September 10 am to 12 noon

There are also enrolment sessions at other libraries on different days.

For more information you can ring 01454 864813, email community.learning@southglos.gov.uk, or check out the Community Learning website at www.southglos.gov.uk/learningandskills.

Housing for Wapley Court site?

Several planning applications have been submitted for the site of the old Wapley Court Elderly Persons Home, in Kelston Close - the other side of the Rodford Way dual carriageway from Abbotswood shops.

Originally there was one planning application for the demolition and for a mixture of flats and houses. This was then withdrawn, and a "prior notice of demolition" was submitted instead. We anticipate that another housing application will be submitted in due course.

Dodington Parish Council objected to the first application, which was for 16 houses and a block of 9 flats. Kelston Close is the access road for Abbotswood School, Culverhill School and the Phase Five Playgroup, not to mention the QE2 Playing Field. This road is already very crowded at peak school hours, and the Parish Council fears that cars from the new development might start using the heavily used parking bays marked out on Rodford Way.

As the building is surplus to requirements and isn't suitable for community use - we've looked into it - we can't see any objection to the demolition, but we'll let you know when the important planning application for housing is submitted again.

Have you signed Steve Webb's petition for decent buses to Southmead Hospital?

When Frenchay Hospital closes most of its services, most patients from our area will need to find their way to Southmead Hospital instead, through some of the worst traffic in Bristol. There are plans to improve some of the bus services to Southmead, but all our area is being offered is a bus to parkway Station, then you would have to wait for another bus to Southmead.

Imagine trying to get there for an appointment, if you haven't got a car or you acn't drive at the moment, especially if you're feeling unwell. And what about visitors and staff who live in our area? We think this just isn't good enough.

Steve Webb and the Focus Team have already gathered hundreds of signatures on the "We need a bus to Southmead" petition. Steve says

A big thank you to everyone who has responded to the petition already. The Council has a meeting of its PTSE committee (planning, transportation and strategic environment!) in the first week in September and will be looking at options for transport to Southmead, so we'll be sending them the petition before that meeting. If anyone hasn't signed yet, there is still time to sign the online petition at:


http://southmeadbuspetition.wordpress.com/signthepetition/

Want a "Wheely big challenge"? Try the Sodbury Sportive!

This annual cycling event on 18th August offers a choice of 30, 60 and 100 mile routes starting and finishing in Chipping Sodbury. It's organised by the Members and Friends of the Rotary Club of Chipping Sodbury. All profits from this classic sportive event will be given to charity.

• Challenging climbs and flowing descents
• Quiet roads and rewarding flat sections
• Excellent food stops
• Mechanical backup
• Hot food at the finish included

There are just a few more places available so sign up now at the Sodbury Sportive web page.

More details  also on the Sodbury Sportive Facebook page.

See the Rugby League World Cup Tropy

Fancy seeing or even holding the Rugby League World Cup Trophy? Then get along to Yate Shopping Centre between 9.30am and 4.30pm on Tuesday 6th August. The Trophy Tour is coming to town.

If you'd like to see some of the action in the autumn, you can be there for the USA v Cook Islands at the Memorial Stadium, Bristol on Wednesday 30 October, Kick-Off 8pm. The ticket hotline is 0844 847 2013 or you can visit www.rlwc2013.com for more information. If you upload your trophy photos to www.trophytour.rlwc2013.com you might even win some match tickets!