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www.stokegiffordjournal.co.uk
June 2021
News
Councillor Column Transport matters, parks & paved-over gardens
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our three local district councillors have recently held a meeting with the leader and other senior officials of South Gloucestershire Council to express our concern over the manner in which transport matters affecting our community have been planned. The closure of Gipsy Patch Lane, the closure of Hambrook lane at the by-pass crossing, Parkway Bridge restrictions and the ongoing partial closure of lanes at Hambrook Lights, have all combined to make this area difficult to move about in. At the same time many of our roads are overdue for proper maintenance and re surfacing. We have demanded a review of these issues. The summer is now with us, and the care and maintenance of our parks and open spaces is being stepped up by the parish council. However, this is something that we all have a responsibility to help with. Litter is a perennial problem. Please do make every effort to take your litter home after that picnic. The council does regularly empty the litter bins, but in peak season they can fill up rapidly, and that it is when we rely on people making the effort to take their litter home. We all love a barbecue, but it is wrong to light disposable BBQ’s directly on grassy areas in our parks. I have requested that the parish council consider constructing a couple of purpose-built BBQ facilities close to our picnic areas. Our community is a great place to live and work in, and I am immensely proud of it. One of the aspects that makes it so good are the lovely gardens and green spaces that many of our residents maintain. It is very
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important because those lovely gardens provide an environment that encourages abundant bird life and other natural wildlife. For that reason, I do get a little concerned when so many residents rip up their front gardens and pave them over for additional parking space. Those paved-over gardens not only change the food essential for the wildlife, but can also affect natural drainage and result in localised flooding. By the time of the next elections in 2023, I will have served as a parish councillor for 22 years and as a district councillor for 20 years. New blood is required and so I will not be seeking re-election. I encourage anyone who loves the community and feels a desire to help in its welfare and future, to consider standing as a councillor. The role is unaffected by party politics which do not feature in the day to day activities of being a local councillor. Cllr Brian Allinson Stoke Gifford parish councillor and South Gloucestershire councillor for Stoke Gifford ward Write to your politicians, national or local, for free. Visit writetothem.com
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Step-free access now available at station
New footbridge and lift towers at Patchway Station, Station Road, Little Stoke
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assengers can now benefit from improved accessibility at Patchway railway station in Station Road, Little Stoke after two lifts were installed and commissioned. Alongside a new stepped footbridge, the new lifts will help connect platforms one and two and provide step-free access for the elderly, people carrying luggage or with limited mobility, and pushchairs. The lift installation is the latest in a series of improvements to stations across the West following electrification of the railway. Samantha Patterson, Network Rail sponsor, said: “We’re pleased that passengers using Patchway Station will now benefit from the station being fully accessible with the introduction of two new lifts to both platforms. “It has been a challenging yet rewarding project that we hope will serve the local community well for years to come.” Danny Matthews, Great Western Railway Patchway station manager, said: “We’re committed to supporting projects which help to improve accessibility at stations and we’re delighted these lifts are now open and available for use by our customers.” Councillor Steve Reade, South Gloucestershire Council’s cabinet member for regeneration,
environment and strategic infrastructure, said: “I am delighted to see that the new lifts installed at Patchway station are now open for people to use.” “The lifts were installed as part of the electrification project, as the original footbridge had to be replaced, and provides an accessible route between the platforms. They will help encourage sustainable travel and it is anticipated that they will be well used by employees of local businesses such as Rolls-Royce and local residents travelling from the station.”
Patchway Station, Station Road, Little Stoke, Bristol BS34 6JT
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