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 roadworks overnight 4 to 9 Feb - road closures, lots of noise

South Glos Council will be resurfacing two lengths of Shire Way between 8 pm and 6 am every night from 4th to 9th February. They will be planing off the surface first, so there is going to be quite a bit of noise.

The parts to be resurfaced are coloured brown on this map - a length either side of the entrance to Woodchester, and the full Shire Way frontage of Maisemore and Cherington.

The road will be closed each night for the work - South Glos say "We will make every effort to ensure that access to properties and amenities fronting the site and whose only access is from the closed road, is kept available and the disruption to local residents is kept to a minimum. However, there may be periods of time when access to properties by vehicle will be unachievable, and for this, we apologise. Please note that adverse weather conditions or plant / delivery problems may affect these times and dates."

They are also asking people not to park on these lengths of Shire Way, as any vehicle that's obstructing the work may need to be removed.

Community Engagement Forum for Yate, Chipping Sodbury and Dodington - 31st January

The next Community Engagement Forum will be held on 31st January at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall from 7pm to 9pm.

This is your chance to talk to local councillors, the police and other services. You can raise issues, get them looked into, and get answers about local problems.

The meeting will include a presentation by the Alzheimer's Society.

Get fit, get walking!

The January to June programme of South Glos Walking to Health walks has been published (click here for the walks programme)

Where possible the walks start at places offering toilets, parking and somewhere to go afterwards for refreshments and a chat. All walks are free and are led by trained volunteers.

You are welcome to bring dogs as long as they are kept on the lead. Occasionally in the programme they may ask people not to bring their dogs, for example, a nature trail, or if the walk takes in fields of cattle.

Simply turn up – there is no need to book. All walks are free of charge, although they do ask for a small fee for refreshments.

Please see the January to June 2019 Stepping Forward programme for longer, more demanding walks.

If you prefer to do things independently, or you are unable to join one of the organised groupsgroups, you can click here for a range of promoted walking routes on the South Glos website

If you're into local history you can also check out heritage walks and trails in South Gloucestershire 

Free wellbeing sessions in Yate in January and February

Southern Brooks Partnership will be running a range of new wellbeing sessions in Kingswood, Patchway, Staple Hill and Yate starting in January and February - click here for session details.

All wellbeing sessions are free to attend for everyone. You can attend one class or as many as you like. Booking is required for all sessions (except drop-ins). Sessions are run as part of South Gloucestershire Wellbeing College.

Not the course for you? See what else is on offer FOR FREE at www.sgwellbeingcollege.org

Developers' money to fund improvements at YOSC, Chipping Sodbury Rugby Club, Blakeney Mills

It has been decided that almost £73,000 of developers' "Section 106" contributions paid to South Gloucestershire Council will be used for the following projects:

• Yate Town Council – £23,114.89 capital and £11,649.97 revenue funding for pitch drainage improvements on the grass pitches at Yate Outdoor Sport Complex and to purchase grounds maintenance equipment. 
• Chipping Sodbury Rugby Football Club - £23,114.89 capital and £11,649.97 revenue funding to upgrade existing showers and install heating in the Changing Rooms at The Ridings, Chipping Sodbury. 
• Blakeney Mills Play Area (Housing association) - £1,687.50 capital and £1,774.39 revenue (revenue to be capitalised) for enhancements to Blakeney Mills Play Area.