More bus news

First Bus has announced that they are increasing most adult return fares on services in Bristol and South Gloucestershire by between 10p and 30p from 1st April (ones operating in and out of Bristol Bus Station are unaffected except for the X39 Bristol-Bath). The price of the FirstDay tickets has been frozen though - so for a ticket covering Zones 1, 2 and 3, which includes our area, it will still be £6, which is cheaper than the return fare to Bristol.

First has also introduced a Customer Charter, which promises money back in the form of free travel up to the value of the original journey if one of its buses leaves a defined timing point more than one minute early, more than 20 minutes late or fails to operate at all. This onlyapplies if the company is at fault. So you can claim if the bus breaks down or the driver doesn't report for work but not if heavy traffic or bad weather slows your journey.

Come along and have your say tonight

The latest Frome Vale Area Forum is at 7pm tonight (Thursday 8th March) in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall - and it's never been more important to come along.

Last month the Tory executive in South Gloucestershire agreed to a Liberal Democrat budget proposal that aspects of the government funded New Homes Bonus and more of the highways budget should be devolved to local Area Forums. Tonight Frome Vale Area Forum will be allocating an extra £50,000 to local transport schemes, as well as allocating grants to community groups and giving you a chance to have your say on how localism should work in our area. This is a real chance to say how money should be spent in our area now and influence how decisions are made in the coming years.

Good and bad news on the buses

There is both good and bad news for users of the 342 and X42 bus services, which serve Coalpit Heath and Nibley among other places.

The bad news is that the 18:05 X42service from Bristol to Chipping Sodbury is being withdrawn from 1st April. First have told officers that due to the delays on the 342 services in the evening peak period they often have two vehicles operating the corridor at the same time. They argue that the 342 gives a greater degree of consistency and will meet the greatest passenger demand.

The good news is that the Sunday/Bank Holiday service is improving from 2 hourly to hourly, also from the start of April.

There are other changes to times and timetables should be available shortly on the Council's website.

Safer Stronger Community Group meeting tonight

The latest meeting of the Frampton Cotterell, Westerleigh, Iron Acton and Coalpit Heath Safer Stronger Community Group is tonight (Tuesday 6th March) at 7.30pm in Iron Acton Village Hall. As well as giving you a chance to raise issues, there will be an item on the Green Dog Walkers scheme and updates from Village Action and Avon Fire and Rescue.

New threat to Westerleigh-Pucklechurch school transport

Conservative-run South Gloucestershire Council is once again looking to remove the free school transport from Westerleigh to Pucklechurch. Under the plans, which you can read more about on the Council's website, children that currently use the service would be forced to pay a fare of £360 per year from September 2013 if they wanted to continue to use it. Parents would be responsible for transporting new pupils to school, unless spare seats were available. No charge would be made for low income families. The proposals would only effect children travelling to Pucklechurch School. There would be no change for any children travelling to the nearest primary school in Yate, who are entitled to transport due to there being no safe route to school. The changes are part of a review that would also see an end to free transport to denominational schools. You have until 27th April to comment on the plans. You can do that online, email comments to SAPAdmin@southglos.gov.uk or write to Strategy, Access & Planning AdminDepartment for Children & Young People, PO Box 2082, Castle Street, Thornbury BS35 9BQ. Please let Claire know your views too. This issue will be discussed at the Children and Young People's Select Committee meeting which starts at 2pm on Wednesday 7 March in Kingswood Civic Centre. Members of the public are welcome to attend.

Have your say on Westerleigh Rd/Shorthill Rd plans

You have until 31st March to have your say on plans for safety improvements on Westerleigh Road and Shorthill Road in Westerleigh. You can view and comment on the proposals online. Don't forget to comment on those parts of the plans that you support as well as raising any concerns you might have.

The proposals include:

• moving the downhill interactive speed sign further up Shorthill so that drivers are warned to slow down earlier
• extending the 30mph speed limit up to the traffic lights on Shorthill and to the other side of the railway bridge on Westerleigh Road
• a pedestrian refuge near the village hall to make it easier to cross the road and to encourage cars to slow down
• improving the signage at the railway bridge to make drivers more aware they are entering a village
• "dragon's teeth" road markings on the approach to the village in both directions to warn drivers to slow down

The plans also try to address some of the issues raised in the disability walkabout that took place last summer (see left). As well as the pedestrian refuge on Shorthill Road, there is a proposal to build out from the corner of the village green to enable dropped kerbs to be put in. This would enable everyone, including wheelchair users, to cross at the point where visibility is greatest.

Big tidy up at the Manor School

During the Big Spring Clean 2012, the Manor School, Coalpit Heath will be holding a big tidy up on Thursday 15th March, 3.30pm – 4.30pm. The big tidy up is part of a week-long focus on the environment that will include gardening, a visit from SITA (the council's waste contractors) and other outdoor events. If you'd like to join in, just turn up on the day.