Westerleigh housing options consultation documents now online

The information from last week's well-attended exhibition on the options for up to 20 new homes in Westerleigh was due to be made available on South Glos Council's website this week.

Unfortunately this has been delayed due to technical issues with the website. The council has therefore agreed to a request from Claire Young and the Parish Council for that deadline to be extended from 9th January until 13th January. The consultation form can be accessed here.

It's important that whether you support housing on one of the two sites, both or neither, that you respond to the consultation to let the council know your views. Please let Claire know what you think too.

Campaigners call for cycle path to be finished

Paul Hulbert and Claire Young launching the petition in August

Westerleigh Councillor Claire Young delivered a petition to a meeting of South Gloucestershire Council on Wednesday as part of an ongoing campaign for the completion of the ‘Yate Spur’ cycle path. The petition has so far been signed by over 300 residents from Yate, Westerleigh and further afield.

Claire said: “This petition shows there is strong support for completing the “Yate Spur” cycle path, which currently stops just south of Westerleigh but is planned to link up the village and Yate with the Bristol-Bath railway path and the wider cycle network. When it’s finished, it will provide a safe, off-road route for travelling to the Science Park at Emerson’s Green, Bristol city centre, Bath and beyond. Families will be able to enjoy leisure rides and it will make commuting to work by bike a realistic option for many more people.”

Local resident Rob Bushill spoke at the meeting in support of the petition.“There are just two ways in and out of Yate towards Bristol. Via Badminton Road, which has a lot of heavy traffic, or via Westerleigh, a narrow rat run of twisting bumpy country lanes that is so off putting and dangerous that even experienced cyclists avoid it. Yate has become an island to anyone bar the car driver, which is incredible considering that 30 plus miles of great cycleway is available just 2 miles away."

“By constructing this small but complex stretch of pathway, it will open up the shops of Emerson’s Green, the things for the family in Bath and Bristol, even provide a safer but longer route to the offices of Emerald Park and the Science Park. It’s 50 minutes to Bristol by bike, it’s a viable means of transport in the week and a source of family enjoyment at the weekends. It’s definitely not just for lycra-clad cyclists. By building these last few miles of cycleway, a huge barrier to people making those trips would be taken away.”

The Local Economic Partnership (LEP) Investment Board are due to consider further funding for the scheme at a meeting today. Claire called upon the Council to present the petition to them and lobby for the extra funding. We will continue campaigning until we have secured this vital sustainable transport link You can add your support here.

Unwanted green bin collection

If you live in Frampton Cotterell or Westerleigh ward and don't want to keep your green bin, you can put it out next week for it to be taken away.

Whether you do that on Monday 15th December or Friday 19th December depends on which road you live in and doesn't exactly follow either the ward boundaries or the postal addresses. It depends on which bin round you're on. You should get a leaflet through your door telling you which day it is - if your bin is being collected on Monday, you should have received the leaflet today or will get it tomorrow. It is being delivered by a delivery company so may come mixed in with advertising flyers - check carefully and don't just stick it in the recycling with everything else!

You need to put it out by 7am and it must be empty. If you currently receive help putting out your bins and require assistance to put your unwanted green bin out, please contact 01454 868000.

(Edited on Friday evening as updated information provided by the council).

Park Lane speeding

At the recent Safer Stronger Community Group, Claire Young raised the issue of speeding on Park Lane on behalf of residents.

In the year to the end of October 2014 the camera van visited Park Lane (outside number 66) 21 times for an hour each and 223 tickets were issued. Beat manager PC Simmons also carries out checks on foot and he suggested co-ordinating those with the camera van, the mobile Vehicle Activated Sign and the Community Speedwatch teams.

If you are concerned about speeding on Park Lane between Badminton Road and the village boundary and would like to help, please contact speedwatch co-ordinator John Pearce on 07843 871387.

Westerleigh Road resurfacing

Claire Young was pleased when the council responded to her repeated requests on behalf of residents for Westerleigh Road to be resurfaced through Westerleigh. The prepatory patching work was carried out recently, ready for the resurfacing to be done in the spring/summer next year. Unfortunately at this site and others where patching has been carried out, there has been what officers believe is a problem with the material used. They are awaiting the results of formal independent tests before taking further action.

Solar scheme at Badminton Road

Earlier this year, we reported that the council was proposing to put solar panels on land next to the council offices at Nibley. This morning Claire Young and fellow councillors met officers to discuss the plans before an application is submitted.This would be a very small scheme compared to the commercial solar farms that have sprung up in the area recently, the aim being to provide electricity for the council offices.

While keen for the council to save money in a positive way and use greener energy, your Focus Team was concerned that enough space should be left for the long-planned park and ride.This now needs to be bigger than originally planned due to all the new homes being built in Yate. The good news is that the latest plans allow for a 236 space car park, with the possibility of further spaces behind the offices. The solar panels would go on the slightly higher ground towards the back of the site in the top picture, which isn't suitable for car parking.

Your Focus Team is campaigning to get the park and ride built, along with other transport schemes in the Yate area. Go to http://letsgetyatemoving-ldthornburyandyate.nationbuilder.com  to back the campaign and share your experiences and ideas about local transport.

Frampton End Road to be deep cleaned

Next Wednesday (10th December) Frampton End Road is scheduled to get a "deep clean". A digger will be used to get mud off the road, the vegetation will be cut back with a flail and there will be highways and cleansing teams on hand to do other tasks.

Don't forget that local resident Alan Bracey is looking for volunteers to help keep the road clean and tidy for all to enjoy. If you can help, please contact Alan on 01454 772837 or email him at: aljenbracey@blueyonder.co.uk