The South Glos Post

Libraries across South Gloucestershire are gearing up for this year’s circus-themed summer holiday reading challenge.

Children are being encouraged to read at least six books of their own choice over the school holidays and a website www.circus-stars.org.uk featuring a number of circus-themed adventures will help keep young people inspired during the challenge.

Everyone who completes the challenge will receive a certificate and a medal.

Just visit any library in South Gloucestershire and ask for a free fold out Circus Stars stage set to get you started. There are stickers to collect and lots of fun to be had but if you need any further inspiration then visit your local library for a range of circus-themed events which are taking place including free drop-in sessions:

• Clowning around: crafts and fun
• Take to the stage: have a go at some circus skills with Joshua (this activity is suitable for KS2 children only)
• It’s Showtime! Design and make your own big top (not to scale)

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A new congestion-busting transport link road has been included as part of a flagship rapid transit scheme, delighting local campaigners.

Approved by South Gloucestershire Council’s Cabinet on Monday (25th July), the North Fringe to Hengrove Package rapid transit scheme includes the ‘Stoke Gifford Transport Link’ – also known locally as the Stoke Gifford bypass.

The bypass had been due to open over ten years ago in order to deal with the huge congestion in the North Fringe of Bristol created by the development of 8,000 homes at Bradley Stoke and other nearby developments. It was cancelled when South Gloucestershire Council was run by the Liberal Democrats. A long campaign has been fought by local Conservatives to revive plans for the new road.

Speaking at Monday’s Cabinet meeting, Stoke Gifford Conservative councillor Keith Cranney said:

“I welcome the North Fringe to Hengrove Package rapid transit scheme and feel that the Stoke Gifford Transport Link is the most important element of it.”

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Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

South Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats have welcomed a major step forward in achieving an integrated transport system fit for the 21st Century.

Lib Dem Transport Spokesperson Cllr Pat Hockey said, “I welcome the Cabinet’s decision to move forward with its bid for Government funding to enable work to start on the South Gloucestershire element of a rapid transport system. This will link The Mall, the main employment areas, including the Science Park at Emersons Green, Bradley Stoke and UWE, with Bristol City Centre and beyond.

“This may not be the tram we had originally hoped for but it is new and exciting and will offer a very attractive alternative to sitting behind the wheel in a traffic jam. It is regrettable that this progress has to be linked to the loss of Green Belt at Harry Stoke. The original proposals if they had gone ahead would have meant not only the loss of the countryside but a wide dual carriageway attracting even more cars on to the Ring Road joining the queues at the Hambrook roundabout.”

Cllr Hockey added, “We don’t have to abandon our dreams for a tram. If the funding becomes available the extra width needed to convert the bus rapid transit into a tramway is being safeguarded with these proposals.”

More info: North Fringe to Hengrove Package (Travel+)

Source: South Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats

Work has started to build a new dedicated road for buses and cyclists which will speed up journey times and reduce delays to bus services.

The new two-way route links the University of West of England (UWE) Frenchay Campus with the Abbeywood Roundabout via the Cheswick housing development.

The route is over land to the rear of the Hewlett Packard site. Construction work within the UWE site will be carried out during the university summer holidays, while work on the route behind Hewlett Packard will commence in the autumn. Buses are expected to be running on the route by the summer of 2012

Cyclists will be able to use the new link and there will be an adjacent footpath which will link in with existing cycle and walking routes.

Cllr Brian Allinson, executive member for planning, transportation and the strategic environment, said: “This new bus link will help to reduce delays for a number of bus services in the local area. This will complement recently completed schemes across South Gloucestershire to improve the bus network such as the Great Stoke Way bus lane and Abbeywood Roundabout improvement.”

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