Latest news with #EastBristolLiveableNeighbourhood
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Headlines: Crop circles and village 'overtourism'
Here's our daily pick of stories from across local websites in the West of England, and interesting content from social media. Travellers who tried to set up camp on a playing field in Tewkesbury were moved on by police, according to Gloucestershire Live. Police say they have now left the county. Meanwhile, Bristol 24/7 says there has been "a surge of pavement parking" since changes under the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood scheme, which is being looked at by police. Thames Water being "the least trusted" water company in the country is getting traction on the Swindon Advertiser. This is from the annual Water Matters survey. The Weston Mercury reports on low take-up of Covid-19 jabs as NHS Somerset urges people at highest risk of serious illness to sign up for its spring booster. A crop circle has appeared in Sutton Veny in Wiltshire, according to Gloucestershire Live. And serial charity runner Jason Vickers is holding a 12-hour walk and runathon on Burnham-on-Sea seafront this weekend, reports. Footballer admits plot to smuggle £600k of cannabis New traffic rules as village faces 'overtourism' School forced to reduce teachers and subject options Bad times for Forest Green Rovers, who lost their semi-final play offs on penalties. A "prehistoric party" next month in Gloucester with "life-size" dinosaurs has got people excited. Conservationist Dominic Dyer has posted on X about the eight gorillas remaining at the old Bristol Zoo site – using a screenshot of a Daily Mirror article from Tuesday. And, sadly, a young member of Weston-super-Mare Cricket Club – who played a "key role on and off the pitch" - has died. Follow BBC West social channels in Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. High rise fire and eerie shipwrecks Headlines: Peregrine names and night buses Headlines: Car park walls and maternity unit closure
Telegraph
10-04-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Fire engine gets stuck behind LTN bollard
A fire engine crew found themselves stuck behind a low-traffic neighbourhood roadblock because they did not know the code to drop the bollard. The incident, which was captured on camera by a resident, saw fire crews struggling to navigate around the narrow terraced streets of the areas of Redfield and Barton Hill in Bristol. But both Avon Fire and Rescue Service and Bristol city council played down the issue, and fire chiefs said they wanted to reassure residents that they 'do not anticipate' that the controversial East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood (EBLN) traffic scheme will 'impact our average response times to emergency incidents'. They said firefighters are still in the process of 'familiarising themselves' with the new road layouts and access procedures to the area. The incident happened on Tuesday morning after firefighters left the scene of a bin-fire in a block of flats. The crew approached an EBLN 'modal filter' which contained planters wide enough apart to let emergency vehicles through – but the gap is blocked by a bollard which requires an access code to unlock and lower. The fire crew that attended the fire was pictured on Tuesday morning trying and failing to lower the bollard. A spokeswoman for Avon Fire and Rescue said: 'We'd like to reassure residents that from our initial findings we do not anticipate the new EBLN scheme will impact our average response times to emergency incidents. 'Following the launch of the new scheme, firefighters are familiarising themselves with the new road layouts and access procedures to the area.' She added: 'We continue to work closely with the council to ensure we have access to the area beyond the bollards, including access codes and use of the bus gate.' The EBLN scheme has effectively created a series of self-contained cul-de-sacs for motorists. Drivers are left with a network of smaller residential streets off main roads that are no longer connected to each other. Bristol city council played down the seriousness of the incident, after the photograph sparked a backlash on social media from opponents of the scheme. The council said the incident the fire crews were called to did not require first responders to drop any bollards to actually reach the scene – the incident with the bollard happened as fire crews were leaving the area to return to base – and claimed it had 'offered multiple meetings' with emergency services during various stages of the design of the scheme. Cllr Ed Plowden, chairman of Bristol's Transport and Connectivity Committee, said traffic congestion was 'one of the biggest' contributors to delays to emergency services getting to incidents. 'We have been in regular communication with Avon Fire and Rescue Service and other emergency services throughout the process of designing and implementing the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood trial scheme,' said Cllr Plowden, a Green Party councillor. 'One of the biggest contributors to delays to our city's emergency services remains the issue of excess traffic, which the scheme aims to rectify. The emergency services have the ability to drop any bollards that may be blocking their path and are able to freely use the scheme's bus gates. 'We will continue to work closely with emergency services to ensure that they can carry out their vital work during the scheme's trial period and beyond.'
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Yahoo
New bus gate installed overnight met with protest
Work to install a controversial bus gate started overnight and was met with protests and a police presence. The East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood trial scheme aims to prevent drivers from cutting through residential roads in the St George, Redfield and Barton Hill areas of Bristol. A bus gate, part of the trial, was installed in the early hours of Thursday on Avonvale Road with 10 protesters present and police attending the scene between 04:00 and 06:00 GMT. Bristol City Council was approached for comment. More news stories for Bristol Watch the latest Points West Listen to the latest news for Bristol Avon and Somerset Police said in a statement: "While in attendance, a peaceful protest of approximately 10 people mustered. "Officers engaged with the protesters and they facilitated a peaceful protest while work was carried out. "Officers left the scene at around 06:00 GMT." A resident who lives near Avonvale Road said she was "not happy at all" about the bus gate. "This is not helpful for the people who are living here in the area," she said. She conceded that it would not cause a problem for her personally but for "so many other people" who have cars. Tina Lewis, another resident, added: "It makes it awkward for the businesses around here. "It causes people to have to go out of their way and not be able to get to work. "People taking kids to school, it does make it a problem." Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Incentives to boost support for low traffic scheme Traders opposed to new bus gate on city route Everything we know about Bristol's travel changes Bristol City Council
BBC News
06-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
New incentives to boost support for Bristol low traffic scheme
A city council is offering residents living within a controversial low traffic neighbourhood scheme a package of travel offers "to help them adapt" to the changes.A trial of the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood scheme was due to start in December, but due to protests it has still only been partially been City Council is now offering incentives including £100 of bus tickets, a £150 voucher towards a bike and certain exemptions for blue badge holders and people driving to councillor Ed Plowden, chair of the transport policy committee, said the new measures were proof the council is listening to residents' concerns and trying to find compromises. All adults who live, work and study in Bristol and every household within the trial area will receive an extra £100 of First Bus bus tickets in the post in the coming months, the council families living within the trial area will also be able to chose between an extra £250 in bus tickets or a £150 voucher to buy a refurbished badge holders living within the scheme will be able to nominate a vehicle to drive through the bus gates due to be installed on Avonvale Road, Marsh Lane and who need to drive for work can also apply for a 12 month exemption for the bus gates. But Katie Sullivan, part of the Stop East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood Road Closures campaign group, told BBC Bristol: "There's no point having a pile of bus tickets if we've still got the problem of buses not turning up."Ms Sullivan, from Barton Hill, added that there was also concern that the incentives are only for the short term."Six months down the line we are on our own again and all the issues that we have with the scheme will still be there," she Plowden said those opposed to the scheme were taking an "all or nothing approach" and were unwilling to compromise or engage with the council. 'Conspiracy theories' He said that the offers were a sign "we've been listening to what people have said" and addressing concern over disability access and those dependent on their car for Pietro Herrera, a member of the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood Appreciation Group, said that the scheme had been "fantastic" for his family's quality of life."We are able to walk our kids to school. We are able to cycle with our families to the local shops and it's quiet," he Herrera said he understood people's concerns, but said people's genuine worries had become "blended with conspiracy theories". "I would implore people to allow this to happen, I am absolutely certain that the 'Stop' campaign would get support from the 'Pro' campaign for any changes that need making if the data supports it," he said.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Graves damaged by drivers using cemetery as shortcut
Drivers have damaged graves when using a closed cemetery road as a shortcut to avoid traffic in neighbouring roads. The route through Avon View Cemetery in east Bristol is only supposed to be used by hearses, maintenance vehicles or visitors with limited mobility. But drivers have been using the route regularly to avoid heavy traffic and bypass roadblocks within the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood scheme. The cemetery installed bollards to block the road, but people have since driven directly over graves to evade the closure. "They [the bollards] have only been up for two days and people decided to drive in and drive over people's graves," said Ian Calway, from Friends of Avon View Cemetery. "Has anyone got any morals any more or any respect? This is all to save 10 minutes. That's it." Mr Calway told BBC Radio Bristol the cemetery has been seen by many as a convenient route from Blackswarth Road to Beaufort Road. He added: "We'd been getting complaints from various members of the public about cars using the cemetery as a shortcut. "It's not just the volume [of cars], it's the speed." Mr Calway said people have been driving along the 5mph (8km/h) road at "up to 35mph (56km/h)". Wooden bollards were initially installed to stop people using the road, but Mr Calway said they were removed by drivers and thrown into nearby hedges. Funding via the liveable neighbourhood scheme has since enabled the installation of metal bollards. But Mr Calway said some vehicles have been using the cemetery's narrow footpaths, where even hearses are not permitted. "This place is visited by the elderly and mothers with small children. It's just crazy," he said. Barney Harris, who lives nearby, said: "One of the [damaged] graves was from 2019 - it's not even an old grave, it's absolutely appalling. "I can't comprehend how people would justify doing this. It's a disgrace." Councillor Stephen Williams, chairman of the public health and communities committee at Bristol City Council, said the council would pass on all available evidence to the police. "We are saddened to see the damage caused by careless driving through a space that people should respect as a sanctuary for those wanting to remember loved ones and take time for reflection," he said. Williams added that temporary structures had been installed to stop cars driving through. "Within the next two weeks permanent planters will be installed at various locations to stop any unauthorised vehicles attempting to pass around the bollards that are already in place and ensure vehicles cannot leave the driveways." Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Protest disrupts work on liveable neighbourhood Work begins on liveable neighbourhood pilot Thousands demand halt to East Bristol LTN trial
