The SouthGlos Post

Fire crews attending a blaze at a storage shed in a remote location in Iron Acton called police after discovering an illicit alcohol still.

Officers were called in at about 7pm on Sunday 22nd August and found around 30 barrels of alcohol, bottles and bottling and labelling equipment.

Neighbourhood PC Ian Matthews said HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) are investigating the incident.

He said: “It seems that vodka was being illegally made and bottled at this site. Tests will be carried out by HMRC to check the alcohol content, but indications suggest it would be seriously harmful to health if drunk.

“I would urge anyone who has bought ‘Chekov Imperial Vodka’ or ‘Chundoff Russian Vodka’ unusually cheaply to contact either police on 0845 456 7000 or HMRC on 0800 595000.”

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Source: Avon and Somerset Police

The architect of a youth bus pass scheme is encouraging local youngsters to take advantage of the scheme before the school holidays end.

Cllr Sheila Cook, Conservative Cabinet Member for Children and Young People on South Gloucestershire Council, is appealing to local youngsters to take advantage of cheaper bus fares that are available to them, thanks to the council.

The district’s youth concessionary travel scheme entitles 14-18-year-olds in full time education to half adult bus fares on evening, weekend and school holiday journeys.

The scheme was the brainchild of Cllr Cook who first proposed a council motion on the subject back in 2006. She said:

“One of the biggest issues young people raise locally is transport, particularly its cost and how that discourages greater use of public transport, and so we have been determined to do something about it.

We are proud to be one of the few councils in the country to have introduced this sort of travel concession for local youngsters and we very much want them to take it up.

With just one week left of the summer holidays, it’s an ideal time to get hold of a pass, which will help access the huge range of activities available across the local area.

We have a special website for South Gloucestershire youngsters called ‘Youth Unlimited’ and all the information they need is on there.”

Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

Work is about to start on a scheme to tackle traffic congestion and improve road safety at the Kingsfield roundabout in Longwell Green.

The roundabout, which provides access to the Aspects Leisure Park and to Asda, has seen a considerable increase in traffic levels and queuing during the rush hour due to the significant expansion of local retail facilities over recent years.

The scheme will include widening the ring road to three lanes on the approaches to the roundabout and a widening of the Marsham Way approach to provide an extra lane for traffic turning onto the ring road. Traffic lights will also be installedto control traffic on all the main approaches to the junction, with the exception of Leisure Road which will remain under give way operation.

Similar improvements made last year to the Deanery Road roundabout on the ring road resulted in a reduction in commuter journey times and a positive impact on road safety – reducing accident numbers by more than 30 per cent.

It is hoped that there will be a similar improvement at the Kingsfield roundabout, which is one of the district’s main accident concentration sites.

The work is starting on Monday 23rd August and will last for 15 weeks. Outside of peak hours, the ring road will be reduced to one lane on each of the approaches to the roundabout and a temporary speed limit of 30mph will be in force for the duration of the works.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council

Whether it’s a trip to the beautiful baroque mansion at Dyrham Park or a peak at the old engine sheds at the Avon Valley Railway in Bitton, there is something for everyone during this year’s Heritage Open Days.

Unlock the secrets of the past and celebrate architecture and culture with all the family during this annual event which runs from Thursday 9th to Sunday 12th September at various locations across South Gloucestershire.

Some 26 properties and sites are taking part including Winterbourne Medieval Barn, Ram Hill Colliery in Coalpit Heath, the Rolls Royce Heritage Trust in Patchway, Thornbury Castle and St Mary’s Church in Yate, a grade I listed building dating from Norman times. They will all be opening their doors to the public for free and guided walks will take place at Thornbury Castle gardens and there will be free admission to the National Trust site at Dyrham Park on Saturday 11th.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council

Police are warning trades people to be on the alert to thieves targeting vans in South Gloucestershire and Bristol and stealing either the vehicles or tools.

Officers say the thieves, often themselves in a white Ford Transit van, are targeting vehicles at building sites or parked at builders’ merchants and large hardware stores.

The thieves have been described as white men, sometimes wearing fluorescent tabards. They are able to break into a van and make off with tools within seconds.

There have been more than 30 reported incidents in the past month in the Ashley Down, Downend, Eastville, Filton, Patchway, Sea Mills, St George and Thornbury areas, most between 8am and 2pm.

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Source: Avon and Somerset Police