Ashley Ward News Update

bristol | community | news report Thursday October 23, 2008 15:52 by Tom FW.

from an email, fw-ed for your interest!

From a new email I get, the latests news from the Ashley Ward from Jon Rogers email - there is some good news in here...

1. The next "drop in" problem solving meeting called "Ask The Agencies"
is on Thursday 20th November 2008. It is between 6pm and 7:30pm at St
Pauls Learning Centre on Grosvenor Road.

2. The Council Officers and the Legal Team are finally preparing a
Discontinuation Notice to be served on the owners and advertisers of the
3 billboards at the bottom of Ashley Road. Local residents have been
campaigning for many years to rid St Werburghs of the unsightly
billboards, so this will be welcome news.

3. Congratulations to St Werburghs Nursery and Children's Centre for
their "Outstanding" OFSTED report. Well deserved.

4. Opposition continues to mount against the expansion plans for
Sefton Park School. The site is already tight, but the administration
seems determined to increase pupil numbers by 50% rather than developing
schools on either Brunel site or the old Fairfield site. Latest
information is at http://www.ashleygrangeresidentsorganisation.co.uk/

5. After the debacle in St Andrews and other areas, the street lighting
policy for the City has been sent back for a rethink.

6. The Council is about to consult, with the help of local residents, on
plans to close the Hurlingham Road rat run. Local residents will know
that there have been many accidents and altercations. It is hoped that
the work can also improve the exit from Chesterfield Road onto Ashley
Hill. I also understand that Officers "hope to have a consultation
leaflet prepared over the coming weeks" about the Brook Hill and York
Road junction in Montpelier.

7. New mini-recycling centres are opening at David Thomas House on
Effingham Road and at Mary Carpenter Place. They comprise 6 wheeled
bins for glass (3 bins), paper (2 bins) and cans (1 bin). Also there is
a new garden waste sack stockist - Apperley Business Supplies Ltd, 1 St
Andrews Road.

8. Two big holes are being dug in the ground at St Barnabas School
playing field and the green outside the Learning Centre on Grosvenor
Road to help with flood protection.

9. Sadly, Bristol is pressing on with seeking PFI funding for an
environmentally unsound Mass Burn Incinerator. The Conservatives joined
again with Labour to push on with this flawed solution at Full Council
on 9th September 2008. http://bristol-libdems.org.uk/incinerator

10. Steer Davies Gleave have advised Bristol City Council to rule out
tram or ultra light rail (ULR) options and go for a "rubber tyred"
option for the Rapid Transit corridor between Ashton Vale and Temple
Meads. This seems short sighted. There is already rail track in situ
for much of the route and supporters of ULR say that the costs could be
comparable to using buses. I know which I would prefer serving SS Great
Britain, the new Museum of Bristol, the Create Centre and the Cumberland
Basin, so if we can, we should keep options open.

11. Residents Parking comes up at the Scrutiny meeting on Thursday. The
interim discussion paper has just been published and seems lacking in
any detail. Sadly, I am away for Thursday's meeting, but colleagues
will attend and I'll let you know when I hear more.

12. Also on the agenda is Cycling City and Josh Hart's idea of a
"Cycling Expressway" beside the rail track between Lawrence Hill Station
and Montpelier. A smooth link from Montpelier, through St Werburghs,
across Glenfrome Road, the M32, St Marks Road, Stapleton Road station
and joining the Bristol/Bath Railway Path seems like a real winner,
perhaps helping to mend the rift caused by the M32.

13. Consultation is progressing with local residents on the future plans
for St Agnes Park. There are also plans progressing for improvements
around the "5 trees" on corner of Brigstocke Road and City Road opposite
the billboard. Well done Dick!

14. Not forgotten, but further news awaited on Westmoreland House
Compulsory Purchase Order (why so slow?), Stokes Croft development
(extra funding in pipeline?) and the Dove Lane development (where are
latest consultation results?).