The South Glos Post

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

A programme of modernising facilities for people with disabilities has been completed at three leisure centres in South Gloucestershire.

Longwell Green, Yate and Bradley Stoke leisure centres have all had their disabled toilets improved and new equipment installed, including the introduction of hoists.

The council has been working closely with South Gloucestershire Leisure, and the investment from the council is part of the Changing Places national campaign.

Councillor Heather Goddard, executive member for community services, said: “These improvements will benefit people with disabilities and make visiting our leisure centres a better experience. They are part of the council’s rolling programme of investment in leisure facilities.”

Mark Crutchley, chief executive of South Gloucestershire Leisure, which runs the facilities on behalf of the council, said: “These changing rooms are now more modern and fit-for-purpose and feedback we’ve already had is demonstrating how successful the work has been.”

“By helping people maintain their health and wellbeing in surroundings of a high standard, it ensures we retain our position at the heart of the diverse community across South Gloucestershire.”

Source: South Gloucestershire Council

Trading standards officers in South Gloucestershire have stepped up their efforts to combat incidents of rogue trading in the area with the introduction of four more ‘No Cold Calling Zones’.

The zones were set up by trading standards at the request of residents and Neighbourhood Watch groups, who have chosen to say ‘no’ to uninvited doorstep callers.

The new zones cover Cooks Close in Bradley Stoke, Simmonds View in Stoke Gifford, Kings Drive in Hanham and Sunningdale, Sandy Lodge, Troon and Hoylake in Yate.

Visitors to the No Cold Calling Zones will see street signs on lamp posts to warn traders, and residents will also be provided with information packs and a door/window sticker to display. The aim is to protect residents as well as empowering them to refuse traders selling at their door, through advice and information.

Residents are encouraged to report breaches of the zones to trading standards and the police as traders who ignore the zones could find themselves being arrested for committing an offence.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council

South Gloucestershire Council has been awarded a grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to develop a project which aims to get local communities involved in archaeology.

The HLF has given £21,000 towards the establishment of the South Gloucestershire Community Archaeology Research Project (SCARP). The award will be used to help establish community groups and to train members of these groups in techniques normally employed by archaeologists, including desk-based studies, geophysics and earthwork surveys. This project will encourage involvement in the historic environment, whilst providing basic archaeological skills to groups through workshops and in the field training.

The developmental phase of SCARP begins this summer with a pilot project involving Southern Brooks Archaeology – an organisation formed from the history societies of Bradley Stoke, Stoke Gifford, Patchway and Filton. These groups have come together to survey two sites, one a potential medieval settlement, the other a potential Roman site. The results of their work will be available to see at the Discover Your Past event being held at Little Stoke Park, Stoke Gifford on Sunday 18 July, which is part of the Festival of British Archaeology.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council