South Glos consulting on HGV parking ban on Rodford Way near Kelston Close

For years people living near this part of Rodford Way have been woken up in the early hours of the morning by heavy goods vehicles starting up - they've been using this stretch of road as an unofficial lorry park.

South Glos are now considering banning HGVs over 7.5 tonnes from parking there, and they want your views.

The consultation is open until 8th October - you can see the documents and comment here

Kelston Close - consultation on waiting restrictions - revised plan

South Glos Council is consulting on replacing the existing unenforceable restrictions with a mixture of no waiting at any time (double yellow lines), no waiting during prescribed hours (single yellow lines) and no stopping on school entrance markings (yellow school zig zags)

Due to an administrative error South Glos uploaded the wrong plan. If you have already commented please look at the consultation and plan again. Any comments received on the incorrect plan - i.e. before 1 pm on 11 July - will be disregarded.


You can see the proposals and comment here. The closing date for comments has been put back to  31st July 2019.

South Glos Waste Strategy consultation - change of emphasis

South Glos Council's proposed Resource and Waste Strategy is pivoting from the current emphasis on recycling - which has been very successful - to saving resources by reducing consumption. Examples are eliminating single-use items and reducing the amount of raw materials we all use.

There is a detailed strategy document and an online questionnaire, or you can download and print a paper version of the survey to post to South Glos or hand in at a local library or one stop shop. The consultation is open until Friday 27th September 2019.

There will be roadshows - our most local ones are:
02 July (Tuesday) at Waitrose, Chipping Sodbury between 10:00 - 18:00
28 August (Wednesday) at Yate Shopping Centre between 10:00 - 14:00

There will also be presentations at the coming Community Engagement Forums - the one for Yate, Chipping Sodbury and Dodington will be on Thursday 11 July at St Nicholas Church, Abbotswood, Yate BS37 4LG.

Consultation on weight limits for Sodbury and Dodington roads

There's a South Glos Council consultation aimed at stopping HGVs using the smaller roads as a short cut between Chipping Sodbury and the B4465/ M4 road network.  The idea is to to introduce an environmental 7.5T weight limit, with an exemption ‘Except for loading’ on the affected lanes and adjacent residential streets within the Dodington area.

You can see and comment on the proposals here - the consultation is open until Tuesday 16th July 2019. 

The full list of roads affected is:

• Bowling Road
• Catchpot Lane
• Chapel Lane
• Cherry Road
• Chestnut Drive
• Claypit Hill
• Culverhill Road
• Dodington Lane
• Dodington Road
• Downleaze Drive
• Elm Close
• Gibbs Lane
• Grassington Drive
• Gullivers Place
• Highfield Road
• Horseshoe Lane
• Jobbins Close
• Leaman Close
• Lilliput Avenue
• Lilliput Court
• Love Lane
• Meadow Road
• Mill Lane
• Old Parish Lane
• River Road
• Sodbury Lane
• Sodbury Little Lane
• Streamside Road
• Virginia Close
• Wistaria Avenue

Two consultations on cycle lanes - Kennedy Road to Cotswold Road, and Rodford Way

These consultations will be of interest to motorists who use these roads, not just cyclists.

South Glos Council is consulting on two schemes to make local roads safer for cyclists. In both cases existing advisory cycles lanes (dotted) would be converted to mandatory cycle lanes (solid white lines).

As well as making the cycle lanes more visible and therefore safer, motor vehicles will be prohibited from driving or parking in the cycle lanes - it's not illegal at the moment.

Access to premises, parking bays and junctions along the route would be not be affected by this proposal.

That's basically all that's proposed on the Rodford Way scheme - the consultation can be found here and it runs until 11th March. The new mandatory cycle lanes here will help enforce "No U Turn" restrictions because it should hopefully stop the dangerous manouvre by larger vehicles that sweep through the cycle lanes to turn round.

There's a bit more to the Kennedy Road to Cotswold Road scheme, where only part of the length has cycle lanes at the moment. It will mean that there will be continuous cycle lanes both ways from the Normandy Drive pedestrian crossing to Smarts Green. The consultation can be found here and it runs until 15th March.

Plans for Yate Heritage Centre extension on display until Saturday

Come along to find out more and have your say about these exciting proposals.

Shire Way traffic scheme consultation

If you've driven down Shire Way in the last few days you may have seen the yellow "Proposed traffic scheme consultation" signs, but even if you've looked on the South Glos consultation web page it's not very easy to find.

It's actually listed as “Yate Spur - Link to Central Yate” because it's to do with improving the access to the Yate Spur signed cycle route. The aim is to enhance safety for cyclists and encourage additional non-motorised journeys.

The proposal is to put two advisory cycle lanes, each 1.5 metres wide, down Shire Way from the Rodford Way junction to the zebra crossing that leads to Sargeant's Farm Bridge and the path and cycle track across Wapley Common.

Under this plan, the space for the cycle lanes would be freed up by removing the speed-restricting build-outs and the centre line. There would also be a short diagonal cycle path to the gate next to zebra crossing, so that cyclists and pedestrians would meet at the gateway.

The consultation is only open until 25 July, so please could people make their views known to South Glos.Here are a few things to think about:

• If you're a local motorist, do you think that removing the build-outs would increase traffic speeds on Shire Way? Would removing the centre line increase road hazards?
• If you're a cyclist, would the proposed arrangement make you feel any safer?
• If you walk across to Wapley, would you want cyclists and pedestrians coming together right on the gateway, next to the notice boards?
• If you're a local resident, can you see parking problems if the cycle lanes are installed on this stretch, bearing in mind that there have been efforts to stop people parking on the grass?

 You can get direct to the consultation by clicking on this link

Changes proposed for B&Q roundabout

At long last South Glos has come forward with some draft proposals to improve Yate's confusing B&Q (salt truck) roundabout. Their plans show much clearer road markings and signs, plus two puffin crossings.

The plans are open for comment until Monday 2 July - you can see the details and comment here

Winter road gritting to be reduced? Have your say!

South Glos Council is consulting about which roads should be salted and gritted during icy weather - it's yet another "saving" they have identified to help cope with the reduction in grant funding received from central government.

They are proposing to reduce their fleet from 11 gritters to 9, and take 30 km of roads off the list that are salted when freezing conditions seem likely.

In our area Claypit Hill, part of Dodington Road, Gibbs Lane and Sodbury Lane would no longer be gritted.

Other nearby roads include Park lane and Perrinpit Road (Frampton Cotterell), Tormarton Road / Shire Hill / part of Marshfield Road and Ashwicke Road / St Martins Lane (Marshfield and Tormarton) and Old Down Road (Badminton)

The consultation is open until 18 June. There will be a drop-in sessions with StreetCare staff in the meeting room at Yate Outdoor Sports Complex, Broad Lane, Yate, Bristol, BS37 7LB, from 15:00 to 17:00 on Wednesday 2nd May.

You can read more and have your say on the consultation here

Have your say on housing for older people

With life expectancy increasing and people from the post-war "baby boom" reaching old age, the number of older people in South Gloucestershire is increasing. To help them plan for older people's housing needs, the council are carrying out a survey.

You can find out more and complete the survey via the consultation web page. The survey will run until the 27th April.

M4 Junction 18a - South Glos Cabinet set to support Western option

Following last year's consultation on a possible new junction 18a on the M4, South Gloucestershire's Conservative Cabinet looks set to support the Western option via Emersons Green as the preferred route.

This option involves re-aligning the motorway at Henfield. Residents have already contacted us to raise concerns. As yet we have seen no plan for how they intend to manage the additional traffic this will push through our villages and the residential roads in the south of Yate. Nor have we seen a plan for how, when or where a link will be provided from the new junction to Yate and how that will feed into the already congested road network in the town. If these issues are not properly addressed ahead of time, this new junction will just add to local transport problems.

Sunnyside Changing Rooms Extension Project - Public Consultation

Yate Town Council is hoping to extend the changing facility at Sunnyside Playing Fields this year:

• To allow female football to take place alongside male match fixtures;
• To provide an adequate amount of changing rooms in relation to the amount of teams using the pitches and neighbouring Tennis Court facility;
• To improve disability access to the facility to promote inclusive sport taking place on site;
• To create environmental sustainability by considering the installation of solar panels;
• To review and improve improvement of security measures at the facility.

For more details and to have your say, please click on Yate Town Council's Sunnyside project web page

Have your say on Climate Change Strategy

Climate Change is one of the biggest challenges facing the world today. South Glos Council is currently consulting on its draft Climate Change Strategy for 2018 - 2023. You can find out more and have your say at www.southglos.gov.uk/climate18 until 12th March.
There are several ways you can respond:

• Take part in the online survey
• Download and print a paper copy of the survey and send to Freepost  RTXL-YJXJ-BXEX, South Gloucestershire Council, Corporate Research & Consultation Team, Climate Change Strategy, Council offices, Badminton Road, Yate, BRISTOL BS37 5AF
• Email: consultation@southglos.gov.uk
• Telephone: 01454868154

Great Western rail franchise consultation

Do you use GWR train services? If so, please respond to the Department of Transport's Great Western rail franchise consultation.

There's a few items regarding MetroWest/Greater Bristol Metro and the potential splitting of the local services around Bristol and intercity services to/from Paddington into two different operators. If you're a regular rail user this could affect you.

The consultation is open until 21 February 2018.

Tell the Council your priorities

Over the last 6 years South Glos Council has already cut £63.6m from its annual budget and they're intending to cut another £10.5m per annum across 2018/19 and 2019/20. Even that leaves the council with a predicted hole of £15.7m by 2021/22 so watch out for more cuts being announced.

What do you think the council's priorities should be? Fill in the budget survey to let them know. Your Liberal Democrat Focus Team will be fighting to protect services for the most vulnerable.

Consultation events on Ageing Better Plan

We told you recently about South Glos's "Ageing Better" consultation. The Ageing Better Plan aims to guide South Glos's work to support older people (age 65+)

They are holding two consultation events, one of which is a drop in event, open to the public and is taking place on Wednesday 22nd November 2017, Yate Outdoor Sports Complex between 9.30am – 12.30pm. Everyone is welcome and they would encourage everyone to attend, as it is really important that people have their say.

The second event is being held for voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, on Wednesday 29th November, 10.00 am – 12.00 pm at The Batch, Cadbury Heath.

For full details of the events,  further information, and copies of all consultation documents, please go to the South Glos Ageing Better Plan website link

Consultation on 30 mph limit for Frampton Cotterell

Many drivers from our area go through Frampton Cotterell on their way to and from Bristol. At the moment the stretch of the B4058 Bristol Road from the Church Road traffic lights almost to the Swan is 40 mph.

The proposal is to reduce the speed limit to 30 mph in order to cut the number of accidents. You can see the information and respond to the consultation here - it's open until 17th November.

Finch Road - consultation on waiting and stopping restrictions

In the light of the traffic problems around Raysfield School, which have not been helped by the proposal to redevelop the Tern Inn and the Heron Way Shops car park - now gated off by the owner - South Glos Council has launched two consultations:

FINCH ROAD and HERON WAY - Proposed No Waiting at any Time - Raysfield School Area - STATUTORY NOTICE

See https://consultations.southglos.gov.uk/consult.ti/PT.5732RaysfieldWaitingRest/consultationHome

CHIPPING SODBURY - FINCH ROAD - Protection of School Entrances - No Stopping Order - Raysfield School Area - STATUTORY NOTICE

See https://consultations.southglos.gov.uk/consult.ti/PT.5733RaysfieldNoStopping/consultationHome

The proposals are partly to make existing "no parking" lines legally enforceable.

The consultations run until 16 November.

South Glos Food Plan consultation

South Glos is looking at developing a Food Plan covering

• Health and wellbeing
• Environment and sustainability
• Jobs and local food economy

They say "A Food Plan in South Gloucestershire will create a vision for improving the food system and culture in South Gloucestershire. It will be a collaborative project that brings together a range of stakeholders that have an influence on food in the region. It will celebrate the good work that is currently happening and highlight the gaps for improvement."

They are now consulting on how to go about developing the Food Plan - you can find out more and have your say here.

The public consultation on the food plan is open until Friday 5th January 2018. The final version of the Food Plan will be launched in Spring 2018.

Ageing Better Plan - South Glos consultation

South Glos Council's Ageing Better Plan will bring together the outcomes and priorities that will guide work to support older people (age 65+), the way they will measure progress and how they will work to realise their vision. It is based on data, evidence and consultation with older people and wider partners across the area.

South Gloucestershire Council is now opening the Ageing Better Plan to public consultation between until 12th January 2018.

They are keen to hear views from as wide a range of people as possible; find out what you think of the plan, including how it could be improved, whether they've left out anything that you think is a crucial issue, or how you'd like to get involved in making it happen.

You can find out more and make your views known here.