The SouthGlos Post

Work was due to start yesterday (Monday 19th July) on South Gloucestershire’s first park and ride at Hunts Ground Road, Stoke Gifford, near Bristol Parkway rail station.

The site will provide extra parking for commuters using train services at Parkway Station and will also serve the regular bus services that call at Parkway.

Its location also means that it is well-placed to serve the proposed North Fringe to Hengrove rapid transit scheme.

The location is just off Hunts Ground Road, approximately 400 metres east of Parkway Railway Station and will hold 200 car parking spaces including provision for disabled car parking and motorbikes. Parking at the site will cost £5 a day in the week and £3 a day at weekends.

The estimated construction period is 32 weeks, and completion is expected to be in March 2011.

The site will include lighting and a CCTV system and the gates will be locked at night and opened early in the morning to enhance security. The payment machines will be by credit/debit card only.

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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

Volunteers from the community are helping neighbourhood police keep Little Stoke and Stoke Gifford safe.

Since the volunteers signed up in autumn 2009 they have helped police identify anti-social behaviour (ASB) hotspots, enabled officers to seize alcohol from underage drinkers, identified 60 speeding vehicles and carried out community clean-ups.

Neighbourhood PC Mark Graham said: “We asked for volunteers to help us tackle the three issues that the community had told us were their priorities: speeding, ASB and littering.

“These people are making a real difference to their community. Making the neighbourhood safer and stronger is a team effort. Police work with other agencies like South Gloucestershire Council, but we need the support of local people as well.”

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Source: Avon and Somerset Police

Assets worth almost £35,000 are to be seized from a Stoke Gifford man convicted of drug dealing.

In August 2009 the man admitted supplying cocaine and cannabis and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. On Friday February 05 2010 Bristol Crown Court ordered the confiscation of his realisable assets – £15,758 in cash seized from his home and two vehicles with a total value of £34,758.

The order follows an investigation by the Avon and Somerset Constabulary Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) which showed that the man had benefited from crime to the amount of £123,932.

Dr Kirstie Cogram, who manages the FIU, said: “This confiscation order demonstrates the ongoing commitment of Avon and Somerset Constabulary to dismantling criminal networks and seizing their assets.

“This order should send a clear warning to criminals that crime does not pay and any benefits they have gained from their criminal activity will be stripped away.”

This is the 111th confiscation order obtained by Avon and Somerset Constabulary this financial year (2009-10).

Last year, assets worth more than £2.5 million were seized in 133 cases. A further £5.6 million is cash and assets have been frozen pending the outcome of current court cases.

The money seized goes to central government, the police, CPS and the courts. Through the new Community Payback scheme launched last May, some of the money is also returned to local communities.

Related link: Atrium Initiative

Source: Avon and Somerset Police

Police are appealing for witnesses and information after a woman was deceived by an offender claiming to have her missing dog.

The victim was walking in Church Lane, Hambrook on Wednesday 13th January 2010 at around 5pm. This was the last time the dog was seen.

The owner has since put up posters offering a reward and has made numerous enquiries to try and find the animal.

On Wednesday 20th January 2010 the victim received a phone call from a man who said he had the dog. Her husband arranged to meet this man at Curtis Lane, Stoke Gifford.

The man said to put the money in a bag and leave it at a gate and that the dog would be returned if they drove up the road afterwards. They followed the instructions and the money was taken but the dog was not left.

The female dog, called Millie is a Petite Basset Griffon Vendeen.

Anyone with any information on this incident or the whereabouts of the dog is asked to contact police in Staple Hill on 0845 456 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police would urge anyone who receives a call from someone claiming to have their pet to report it at their local station.

Source: Avon and Somerset Police