Good news on rural transport

South Glos Council has successfully bid for £150,000 to fund a feasibility study into the potential for more integration between Community Transport (CT) Operators and NHS appointment processes, in order to increase accessibility to health services from our rural areas.

You can read more here.

Never mind the TV debates...

... what happened when the candidates for Thornbury and Yate went head-to-head for the first time?

At the start of the General Election campaign the five candidates for this constituency took part in their first ‘hustings’ meeting. Young people attending sixth forms across Yate and Chipping Sodbury, and voting for the first time at this General Election, organised a meeting at Yate International Academy, attended by over 100 sixth formers. What was THEIR verdict on all the candidates for this seat after quizzing them?

Before the hustings, in a secret ballot the Tories were neck and neck with Steve Webb, with the other parties trailing.

But after a two hour head-to-head grilling of all the candidates things changed.

In an exit poll at the end of the event the Tory vote halved from 25% to 12%, while Steve Webb's vote surged from 25% to 43%.

After testing the candidates on all sorts of issues, the young people's verdict was clear. THEY want Steve Webb to win - they see him as the best person to help deliver the future they want for themselves and their world.

You can hear the candidates at the following public hustings meetings:

Tues 14th April – 7pm
Armadillo, Station Road, Yate, Bristol, BS37 4FW
(organised by Federation of Small Business)

Thurs 16th April – 7.30pmZion United Church, Woodend Road, Frampton Cotterell, BS36 2HY

Tues 21st April – 7.30pm
Thornbury Baptist Church, Gillingstool, Thornbury, BS35 2EG

Thurs 23rd April – 7.30pm
Cranleigh Court Chapel, Cranleigh Court Road, Yate, BS37 5DQ

When people hear Steve and what he has been able to achieve with residents locally and nationally it strikes a chord.

Have your say on support for fostered young people

South Glos is asking for your views on a new policy to enable young people who have been fostered to continue to get support once they turn 18.

The policy will set out how to extend the fostering arrangements, what it means financially for the former foster carer and the regulations and support required. Several different options are proposed and the council would like to hear your views.

Further information is available on the consultation website: https://consultations.southglos.gov.uk/consult.ti/stayingput2015/consultationHome - you have until 15th May to respond.

Volunteer to tackle speeding

At Monday's Safer Stronger Community Group meeting, PC Finbar Simmons made a plea for more volunteers to join our local Community Speedwatch teams. If you are interested, contact John Pearce of the speedwatch steering group on 07843 871387 and he will put you in touch with your local co-ordinator.

Now the election campaign really begins

Parliament was dissolved on Monday and the election campaign is well under way. Steve Webb was unanimously adopted as the Liberal Democrat parlaimentary candidate for the Thornbury and Yate constituency at a meeting of Lib Dem members in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall this week. Steve will be very busy for the next few weeks because quite apart from campaigning he's still the Minister of State for Pensions - the government doesn't finish until the election result is known.

Meanwhile local Lib Dems have been out on the streets talking to as many voters as possible, though you may well have seen us at other times - we make a real effort to keep in contact between elections, either on the doorstep or via our regular Focus and other leaflets.

If you would like to help Steve's campaign in a practical way you can email Steve on steve@stevewebb.org.uk or click here if you would like to make a financial donation to our campaign.

Easter bus services

First Bus have made the following announcement regarding their Easter services (for other operators, please check individual websites):

Easter services for the West of England - over Easter, we will be running the following services:

Good Friday (Friday 3 April)
- Buses will operate Sunday/Public Holiday timetables. This includes Bath Park & Ride services (21, 31 & 41).
- The Bristol Airport Flyer (Service A1) will operate a normal Monday to Friday service.

Saturday 4 April
- Services will operate normal Saturday service.

Easter Sunday (Sunday 5 April)
- Buses will operate Sunday/Public Holiday timetables.
- No Park & Ride will operate in Bath (Services 21, 31 & 41).

Bank Holiday Monday (6 April)
- Buses will operate Sunday/Public Holiday timetables. This includes Bath Park & Ride services (21, 31 & 41).
- The Bristol Airport Flyer (Service A1) will operate a normal Monday to Friday service.

Please note: If it says Sunday/Public Holiday timetable and your bus service does not normally run on a Sunday/Public Holiday it will not run on this day.

Church Road bridge latest

Unfortunately the council is still waiting for BT to remove their last cables from the temporary bridge. Once they have done that council workers can take that structure down and tidy up the verges and the river bank. At that time they will also sort out the copings and a couple of other minor snagging items like the mastic seals in the parapet walls. Officers will continue to push BT for a date for them to complete.

Tonight (Thursday 2nd April) officers are due to carry out a load test on the bridge, starting at 10pm to minimise traffic disruption. The purpose of the load test is to gather performance data to compare with predicted structural performance. The University of Bristol want the information for their academic research which will then eventually feedback in to the industry and help promote the use of these Fibre Reinforced Polymer structures.

The test is not being carried out because officers have any concerns over the bridge.

The test will be carried out under traffic signals but there may be some delays to motorists for a few minutes while lorries run slowly across the bridge and the strain gauges, accelerometers and deflection sensors collect the data.