Resurfacing works around the area

Last week we reported that Badminton Road would be closed overnight for resurfacing work. Other roads around our area will also be resurfaced in the coming weeks:

• 20-23 June - Tytherington Road, Tytherington
• 21-29 June - Westerleigh Road, Pucklechurch
• 24 June - 2 July - Latteridge Road, Iron Acton, between the traffic lights and the railway line.

The roads will be closed 8pm to 6am each night.These works will inevitably create a significant amount of noise. Access to properties and amenities fronting the site and whose only access is from the closed road, will be available at all times and every effort will be made to keep the disruption to local residents to a minimum. Adverse weather or other problems could change the times and dates. Throughout the work, the road must be kept clear of vehicles.

What can be done about the lorries?

 Angry Action Group members representing the residents of Rangeworthy and Cromhall had a meeting with South Gloucestershire’s Cabinet Member responsible for Transport along with the Officer advising him. Although accepting his apology they remain dissatisfied with the explanation of why he decided to respond to the Latteridge Road Action Group’s petition by removing the long standing requirement for lorries associated with the Morrison’s Depot to use Latteridge Road and why no consultation had taken place.

Local Councillor Howard Gawler joined them and has also apologised for not ensuring that consultation was taking place before any decision was made. South Gloucestershire Officers had been carrying out surveys on Wotton Road, Bristol Road and Badminton Road while Latteridge Road was closed. Comparing the routes taken then with those from earlier surveys, the recommendation had been that there would be so few extra lorries choosing to use Wotton Road that it wouldn’t make any difference. Local residents strongly disagree with this. They are now awaiting the outcome of the Cabinet Member’s promised reconsideration of his decision.

The only real way to alleviate the problems caused by these enormous lorries which travel between Yate and the motorways is to locate the distribution warehouses where there are more suitable access roads. Howard along with Pat Hockey, the Councillor representing residents living along Latteridge Road as well as part of Wotton Road and Bristol Road, last week won the backing of other South Gloucestershire Councillors to request officers to investigate the possibilities of preventing further use of premises in Yate as distribution centres when they are vacated. This would help achieve the aim to improve the number and mix of jobs for people living in Yate.

Latteridge Road closure delayed

The bank was due to be repaired in July/August by installing a “PERMACRIB RETAINING WALL”, a wooden slatted wall built at an angle which was identified as the best solution by a geotechnical report. This would mean closing the road for about 4 weeks right in the middle of harvest when over 8000Tonnes of grain would be delivered in over 1000 tractor/lorry movements to Heal’s farm for storing and/or drying. It would be impossible to divert these via any other local roads.

Pat and Dave Hockey went along to a meeting of local farmers, representatives of Iron Acton Parish Council, South Gloucestershire Officers and the consultant. The work will now be delayed until after the harvest.

Latteridge Road closure

Latteridge Road, Iron Acton will be closed to traffic from 10pm today (Sunday 29th June 2008) until 5.00am tomorrow morning, due to essential works on the Railway Crossing after a vehicle collided with it.

The alternative route for vehicles is via Bristol Road B4058, Perinpit Road and Old Gloucester Road B4427 to A38 and vice versa
OR
Bristol Road B4058, Wotton Road B4058, Stidcote Lane, Duck Street, Stowell Hill Road, Tytherington Road to A38 and vice versa.