South Glos bus services to get upgrades to reduce emissions

The government’s Clean Bus Technology Fund has awarded major grant funding to South Glos Council which will be used to cut emissions and improve air quality.

The money will be used to retrofit emissions reductions technology on the 78/79 service buses that run from Thornbury to Bristol, via Filton and Cribbs Causeway, the X46 which runs from Yate to Bristol, via Winterbourne, and the 47 which runs from Chipping Sodbury to Bristol via Downend.

All 81 buses will be upgraded from Euro IV/V standard to Euro VI, which is the best environmental standard available and will cut the release of harmful Nitrous Oxides from these buses by up to 94 per cent.

Council Chairman to skydive for charity

The Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council, Ladden Brook Ward Councillor Howard Gawler, will plunge 10,000 feet from a plane on Sunday 7 September to raise money for charity.

Howard will be undertaking a tandem skydive to raise funds for the South Gloucestershire based Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC), one of his chosen Chair’s charities for the year. This will involve him free-falling through the air (without the parachute deployed) for 5,000 feet at around 120 mph, before safely parachuting to the ground. He will be harnessed to a professional parachute instructor at all times throughout the descent. Howard's niece Sarah Farthing, from Wick in South Gloucestershire, will also be taking part in the skydive.

Howard said: “I’m really looking forward to my debut skydive in aid of this very worthy cause, the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. Any one of us may be thankful for the air ambulance’s life saving services at some point in our lives and I’m proud to give them my support."

“The charity doesn’t receive any government or National Lottery funding, which means they rely entirely on the generosity of local people to continue operating. I hope to raise as much money for them as possible, so please visit the dedicated Just Giving page to sponsor my jump or to make a donation.”

To make a donation please visit the Chair’s Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/ChairsCharity2014

You can find out more about the Great Western Air Ambulance at www.greatwesternairambulance.com

The future of the Air Ambulance Service at Filton

If Filton Airfield closes, it's essential that the Great Western Air Ambulance stays based at Filton. It's different from the neighbouring air ambulance services, which concentrate on transporting patients. Ours is a true Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, and has a specialist trauma consultant on board - it's one of only four such specialist services in the UK.

The site at Filton is strategically located so that the helicopter can get to any serious incident within our area as quickly as possible. If it had to be moved to Staverton for example, response times would become longer and lives would be at risk.

Please let South Glos Council know what you feel about this by commenting on their Filton Airfield Position Statement (also available in libraries and at One Stop Shops)

Comments need to be made by July 29th to planningLDF@southglos.gov.uk or by post to South Gloucestershire Council, Spatial Planning Team, PO Box 2081, South Gloucestershire, BS35 9BP.

The Air Ambulance is run by a local charity - check out the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity website here

Accidents and the Air Ambulance

Over the last few days the Air Ambulance was called to two accidents in Yate, one at Eggshill Lane and one in Church Road. This made us think...

• Was the helicopter being used because of serious traffic problems?
• Will this become normal if all those extra houses come to Yate, bringing lots of extra traffic?
• How much does this cost compared to a normal ambulance?
• Will the helicopter be needed more when Frenchay Hospital closes and people have to be transported to Southmead?
• What happens when Filton Airfield closes?

Of course we don't know the circumstances that applied to these two accidents - it may be that the air ambulance was the most appropriate method of providing treatment.

But do any of our readers have comments or relevant background information on the service?