Station Road Post Office to close

The Post Office have announced the results of their "consultation" about closing 29 Post Offices in the Greater Bristol area and, surprise, surprise, all 29 are to close. This includes the Post Office in the Tesco Express Store in Station Road, Yate. Local people will have to join the already long queues at Yate Post Office.

Steve Webb told the Gazette, "The depressing thing about the whole consultation process was that we always knew that if we got the post office to change their mind about one of the offices on their list they would simply substitute another one.

"As soon as the government decided that 2,500 offices had to go, the die was cast."

See the Evening Post for a full list of closures.

Hope for bus services?

Steve Webb met the Managing Director of First Bus this week, and it sounds like First may possibly be going to listen to all the comments they've had about their proposals to restructure the bus service and withdraw the "X" express buses from the Yate/Sodbury routes. You can read Steve's account of the bus meeting here.

More information needed on composting facility

As we reported recently, SITA now hope to site the in-vessel composting facility next to the Highways depot off the A46 near Tormarton. Lib Dem Councillors from the area (including Sue Hope, pictured above with Chair of Tormarton Parish Council, John Wells) are calling on the Council's waste contractors SITA to provide more information so residents can understand the full impact and for consultation events to be held for the public.

Claire Young has asked SITA for details of the current routes used by collection vehicles and where they would travel if this proposal went ahead so that residents can compare the two and see whether there would be a significant impact on local roads.

ETA: You can read more in the Gazette.

Don't forget! Have your say on the buses

It's important that everyone tells First what they think - you still have time to make comments via their website www.firstgroup.com/haveyoursay/bristol. The deadline is tomorrow, Sunday 25th.

Nibley Lane to close on Tuesday

Nibley Lane, Westerleigh will be closed on Tuesday 27 May 2008 between 9.30am - 2.30pm to enable street cleansing work to be undertaken.

Residents call for action on B4465/Westerleigh Road

Residents are calling for action to improve safety on the B4465 and the unclassified Westerleigh Road, which link the A46 close to the M4 with the ring road.

Local Councillor Claire Young said, "Residents all along the B4465 and the unclassified Westerleigh Road are worried about the speed of the traffic. There are currently three national speed limit sections along this route. The first section between the A46 and Codrington is very twisty and narrow in places and there have been a number of accidents there this year, including a fatal one. Between Codrington and Westerleigh there is the junction with Codrington Lane and between Westerleigh and the ring road lies Henfield Crossroads, concealed in a dip.”

“This week I presented a petition on behalf of residents calling on the Council to lower the speed limit on those derestricted sections. I also explained to the Council that many local people are concerned about the HGVs that use the route. They believe that the heavy traffic is damaging the road and increasing the risk of accidents.”

X factor bus bombshell petition

Lib Dem Councillor Sheila Mead and fellow councillors handed in a petition from residents affected by the proposed cuts to the bus services in Chipping Sodbury and Yate to the Executive member of S Glos Council. Sheila believes it’s vital to make sure the Conservative Council listens to their concerns.

Sheila Mead said, “Those people who’ve signed the petition really want their concerns taken seriously. We want the Council to make sure First Bus understands that these cuts are unacceptable without offering better alternatives. If streamlining one part of a service to make it better then leaves other people without any buses it will not improve or increase the public use of bus transport. I also hope that everyone who signed the petition will respond to the consultation by First which ends on 25th May.”

The petition reads: Due to proposed changes in the bus routes provided by First, there will be no bus servicing Cotswold Road from the end of July 2008. We feel that the removal of this service will seriously affect people’s ability to access local amenities, including Doctors Surgeries and shops. The extra distance people would have to travel to reach a bus stop would be beyond many local members of the local community and could effectively isolate people in their own homes. In a day and age when we are being encouraged to use public transport, it is extremely important that this service is maintained.

Cllr Ian Blair said, “It is disappointing that the Council failed to give prompt information to Councillors over the proposed bus timetable changes and consultation. There’s only 5 days to go before the deadline but the Council only saw fit to give members a briefing yesterday.”

He added, “As well as the petition presented from residents at today’s Council I asked the Executive member what is he going to do for Yate and Sodbury residents now that the Council has withdrawn funding for the Nibley park and ride? The answer I have received states the funding was reprioritised to fund a Park and Ride at Parkway Station. That’s all very well for the Executive members residents near that station but it still doesn’t reassure the public living in the Yate and Sodbury area about what this Conservative Council will be doing for them! And at the moment it looks as if they are doing nothing."

"To make matters worse the Council bus briefing given to us yesterday stated, 'There appear to be some positive proposals in the consultation package', this does nothing to reassure me that this Council is taking the bus timetable changes seriously.”

Can you spot YOUR local councillors in the photo?
- Front centre: Kay Crowe.
- Middle, right to left: Linda Boon, Howard Gawler, Sheila Mead, Dave Hockey.
- Back, right to left: Claire Young, Jon Williams, Sue Hope, Ruth Davis, Mike Drew, Mike Robbins, Alan Lawrance, Ian Blair.