July/August 2020
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News
Funds allocated for Brook Way resurfacing
L
ocal councillors have welcomed the allocation of funds to resurface Orpheus Avenue (Little Stoke) and part of Brook Way (Bradley Stoke) during the current financial year. The decision was reached at a meeting of South Gloucestershire Council’s Cabinet on 8th June as part of a swathe of budget adjustments being made in response to the Covid-19 crisis. With doubts over whether external contractors would be able to complete some highway maintenance schemes already scheduled for 2020/21, executive members agreed to reallocate funding of more than £560,000 to the Orpheus Avenue / Brook Way scheme, with any residual amount going to the country lane programme. The main issues affecting schemes involving external contractors were said to be the difficulty in arranging accommodation for a travelling workforce and the increased number of parked cars in residential streets as a result of employees working from home or being on furlough. The scheme in the Stokes will be carried out by the council’s own Streetcare team and is expected to have fewer issues with parked cars. Almost half a mile of road – and adjoining footpaths – are set to be resurfaced. The Journal understands that the scheme includes the section of Brook Way between Christ the King Church and Sherbourne’s Brake (Beehive) Roundabout, and the full length of Orpheus Avenue. Conservative councillors Roger Avenin and John Ashe, who represent Bradley Stoke South, said: “This is great news for our local communities. Brook Way and Orpheus Avenue are used by hundreds of residents each day and, as a result, are well worn so we are pleased to welcome the funding to restore the road and paths to a suitable standard.”
Cllr Keith Cranney points out a section of damaged road surface
Conservative councillors Brian Allinson, Ernie Brown and Keith Cranney, who represent the Stoke Gifford ward, including Little Stoke, added: “Collectively we want to thank the Cabinet for considering a scheme which we have all lobbied hard for. We will continue to push for more investment into infrastructure across Stoke Gifford and Little Stoke.” Editor’s note South Gloucestershire Council had previously given an assurance that the same sections of road would be resurfaced ahead of the commencement of the eightmonth full closure of Gipsy Patch Lane in March 2020. However, on further investigation, the scheme was found to require more work than first anticipated and could only be carried out by closing the roads. The council got as far as publishing closure notices for the work to be done in early February 2020, but by mid-January increased traffic congestion caused by the improvement works at Great Stoke Roundabout had become a serious issue throughout Bradley Stoke and the Orpheus Avenue / Brook Way scheme was postponed “until the major schemes in the area are complete”.
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