Yate, Chipping Sodbury and Dodington Community Engagement Forum 16 November

The Yate and Chipping Sodbury Community Engagement Forum will be meeting 7 pm – 9 pm on 16 November at Poole Court, Poole Court Drive, Yate BS37 5PP.

This is your chance to talk directly to local Police and Fire and Rescue representatives, and Town/Parish and South Glos Councillors about issues of local concern.

There will also be a presentation about the work done by Abbotswood Action Group and the progress made in the Abbotswood area.

Flood risk plans now online

At the Environment Agency's drop-in exhibition on the risk of river flooding in the Yate and Chipping Sodbury area in March, local councillor Claire Young asked them to make the plans available online for those who couldn't attend.

They have now published the plans on their website. If you would like to make comments, you can email them to mark.goldingay@environment-agency.gov.uk

Yate, Chipping Sodbury and Dodington Community Engagement Forum

The next Community Engagement Forum for Yate, Chipping Sodbury and Dodington (which includes the rural part of Dodington Parish) is at 7pm on Monday 27th March at St Nicholas Family Centre, Abbotswood, Yate BS37 4LG.

Flood risk drop-in

Last week local councillor Claire Young and a number of her colleagues attended an Environment Agency drop-in looking at the risk of river flooding in the Yate and Chipping Sodbury area and options for reducing it.

One of the at risk areas identified was Nibley. There they were suggesting property-level measures such as flood gates and non-return valves, as larger scale measures are not considered viable at this point.

On other sections of the river options included widening the channel and creating flood storage covering up to 20 hectares, with capacity equivalent to 80 Olympic-size swimming pools. Claire took the opportunity to discuss how this would affect properties downstream at places like Frampton Cotterell and was assured that the flood storage area at Tubbs Bottom would reduce the risk downstream.

The Environment Agency stress they are at a very early stage of their study and they do not have funding to implement any options at this stage. The majority will have to come from other public or private sources, including developers. Claire asked the agency to make the exhibition materials available on their website.

Dodington Road railway bridge

It's now nearly three years since Westerleigh Councillor Claire Young and highways officials from South Glos met Network Rail representatives to talk about their plans for raising the parapets on the railway bridge on Dodington Road, Chipping Sodbury. At the time we had expected the work would be done by 2014 but nothing has happened. Now though a temporary road closure notice has been published. This enables the road to be closed at the bridge for the works at any time in the 18 months from 4 January 2016, although the work is expected to take two weeks. The work is being done as part of the electrification of the line.

Chipping Sodbury police station opening hours reduced

The police have announced that they are reducing the opening hours at the Chipping Sodbury enquiry office from this week. It will be will be open Monday to Friday 10am until 6pm, but will be closed for lunch between 1.30pm and 2.15pm.

Views wanted on Chipping Sodbury highways plans

South Glos Council is consulting on proposals for a new traffic management scheme in Chipping Sodbury. The plans include introducing a new 20mph speed limit around the centre of Chipping Sodbury and enhancing the existing pedestrian crossing facilities at the junction of High Street and Wickwar Road, High Street and Broad Street. There would also be a new traffic calming feature on Hounds road near St John's School and there are plans to introduce waiting restrictions around Chipping Sodbury and Station Road.

For further information please visit www.southglos.gov.uk/chippingsodburytraffic  -  the deadline for comments is Friday 27th June.

A public exhibition will also be held upstairs in the Town Hall in Chipping Sodbury on Monday 9 June between 2pm and 8pm. You will be able to talk directly to the scheme’s designers and provide feedback.

Want a "Wheely big challenge"? Try the Sodbury Sportive!

This annual cycling event on 18th August offers a choice of 30, 60 and 100 mile routes starting and finishing in Chipping Sodbury. It's organised by the Members and Friends of the Rotary Club of Chipping Sodbury. All profits from this classic sportive event will be given to charity.

• Challenging climbs and flowing descents
• Quiet roads and rewarding flat sections
• Excellent food stops
• Mechanical backup
• Hot food at the finish included

There are just a few more places available so sign up now at the Sodbury Sportive web page.

More details  also on the Sodbury Sportive Facebook page.

Chipping Sodbury Library to close for repairs

The Town Lands Trust who own the building that hosts Chipping Sodbury Library is carrying out urgent repairs to the floor. These will involve excavating the basement in the rear half of the library, so the service will be moved to the back of the Grammar School from Tuesday July 31^st until Wednesday August 29^th.  The library will be closed on four days -  Friday July 27^th, Saturday July 28^th, Friday August 31^st and Saturday September 1^st to move shelving, book stock and equipment.

Although the library will operate normally, there will unfortunately be no access to public computers or the fax.

482/483 bus service changes

The current operator of the 482 and 483 bus services, from Chipping Sodbury to Cribbs Causeway via Coalpit Heath and Frampton Cotterell among others, had announced that they no longer intended to operate the service from 20 May, as the services were no longer commercially viable. Following an emergency tender, Wessex Connect will now run the service for a year with increased journeys in the afternoon peak times.