Plans to “raid” a village’s transport funds to spend in another part of South Gloucestershire have been put on hold.
A report that went to last Monday’s (5th November) meeting of South Gloucestershire Council’s Policy and Resources Committee meeting had recommended that £420,000 paid to the council by the developers of Hortham Village in Almondsbury parish should be spent on other transport schemes (specifically to cover an overspend on the Cheswick Bus Link in Stoke Gifford).
But, following an appeal at the meeting from Almondsbury Conservative Councillor Sheila Cook, councillors on the committee agreed to put the decision on hold and for further information to be gathered.
Cllr Cook argued that a decision to divert Hortham Village’s transport funds was being made before a ‘bus priority corridor study’ had been completed into whether these funds are required to improve public transport infrastructure along the A38 between Hortham Village and the M5 motorway.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Cook (Con, Almondsbury) welcomed the committee’s decision:
“I welcome the committee’s decision to agree to put this decision on hold.”
“It beggars belief that raiding Hortham Village’s transport funding and spending it miles away in another part of the district was being seriously considered before the study has been completed on whether these funds should be spent to improve the A38 to benefit Hortham Village residents.”
She added:
“I look forward to the study being completed as soon as practically possible – £420,000 is a tremendous amount of money which has the potential to transform public transport infrastructure along the A38.”
Photo: A Wessex Red no. 19 bus passes along the newly-opened Cheswick Bus Link. [Photo: © Stoke Gifford Journal]
Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council
