Latest news with #HeatherMack
ITV News
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- ITV News
Bus gates: The next step of Bristol's controversial liveable neighbourhood scheme
The controversial low traffic area in East Bristol has finally been completed after cameras to three bus gates have been switched on. The new bus gates introduced as part of the controversial Liveable Neighbourhood scheme must now be used by motorists. The gates are located halfway down Marsh Lane, and then on either side of the junction with Avonvale Road, on the corner next to Banksy's Valentine's Day mural. Bristol City Council has confirmed that the CCTV cameras installed at these sites are now operational, but they have already been vandalised. What are the new rules? All the bus gates are in use 24-hours a day, seven days a week. They mean that the only road users who can travel through the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood (EBLN) are: Buses Emergency vehicles Bicycles Solo motorcycles Taxis Residents of the EBLN area whose vehicle has a disabled tax class (must apply for an exemption) Professional carers who work in homes of people who live within the EBLN area (must apply for an exemption) Residents of the EBLN area who have a Blue Badge registered to their address can nominate one vehicle (must apply for an exemption) Residents of the EBLN area who are on a low income, who meet the eligibility criteria and need to drive to work (must apply for an exemption) Parents or carers who live within the EBLN area who receive a personal travel budget for their child with SEND (the council will contact eligible residents) Although the bus gate cameras are now working, motorists caught driving through the area without an exemption will be sent a warning letter rather than being fined for the first few weeks. What is the liveable neighbourhood scheme? This step marks the start of the six-month pilot scheme of the EBLN, which has been designed to achieve a better balance between how streets are used for vehicles and people. It's the first liveable neighbourhood project in the city and aims to make the streets safer and less polluted. The deputy leader of Bristol City Council, Cllr Heather Mack, said: 'By stopping drivers from cutting through residential roads, and by encouraging more people to walk, wheel and cycle for shorter journeys or to use public transport, including the new number 16 bus that goes right through the trial area, local residential streets should be safer and quieter." Why is it so controversial? Two of the signs for the bus gates were vandalised shortly after they were installed, with the words "no poor people allowed" spray-painted across them. The cameras themselves have now also been vandalised, just hours after they were installed. Some local residents have strongly opposed the plans, claiming it will make life "unnecessarily difficult" and create a "wealth divide" within the community. Police were needed earlier this year when contractors were blocked from carrying out work. Cllr Mack described it as a "very difficult situation" and acknowledged that the council hadn't expected the extent of the opposition. She told ITV News West Country: "I think the level of protest did come from a lack of trust in how the scheme developed and I think we should have expected that and reacted more quickly for that protest."In a statement, she noted: 'I live in the area myself, and I came and listened to people across the trial area and recognised there was a risk we hadn't responded to concerns some community members had, especially those on low incomes and disabled people.'As a result, we have put together a boosted range of travel offers and bus gate exemptions, and I really urge everyone who thinks they could be eligible to check the criteria and apply as soon as possible.'The travel offers, which include a choice of £250 of First Bus tickets or £150 to spend on a reconditioned bike, are available for households in the trial area who receive certain benefits. This is on top of £100 of First Bus tickets that every household across the EBLN will receive through the post soon."
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Today in Chicago History: Geraldo hosts ‘Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults' — looking for the gangster's riches
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on April 21, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) High temperature: 88 degrees (1985) Low temperature: 27 degrees (1986) Precipitation: 1.08 inches (1973) Snowfall: 0.6 inches (1903) Chicago's Lager Beer Riot proved immigrants' power 1855: One person was killed and 60 more were arrested during the Lager Beer Riot, which protested a 600 percent increase in tavern license fees and Sunday closings. It was considered Chicago's first civil disturbance. 1955: Conjoined 8-month-old twin girls, Deborah Marie and Christine Mary Andrews, were separated during an almost five-hour surgery performed by Mercy Hospital neurosurgeon Harold Voris. Flashback: Mercy Hospital's major milestones It's considered the first successful separation of twins who were joined at the head. 1967: At least 10 tornadoes touched down in northern Illinois. The most severe of them hit Belvidere, Oak Lawn and Lake Zurich. It was the worst such storm in the area's history: Fifty-eight people were killed, including many children, and more than 1,000 were injured. A front-page story in the Chicago Tribune the next day captured the anguish of most Chicagoans: 'O, God, why did this happen.' 1986: Geraldo hosted 'The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults' deep inside the former Lexington Hotel in Chicago. Spoiler alert: There weren't any jewels, money or cars inside — just a few old bottles and a sign. The real riches of the legendary boss of Chicago's organized crime syndicate were more than 2,000 miles west in northern California, quietly occupying the homes of his four granddaughters — Veronica, Diane, Barbara and Theresa. 1996: The Chicago Bulls (72-10) extended their NBA single-season record for victories — 72 — while closing out the regular season with an impressive 33-8 record on the road, second-best in league history, behind the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers. (The Golden State Warriors finished 73-9 during the 2015-2016 season.) The Bulls won their fourth NBA championship in six years on June 16, 1996, beating the Seattle SuperSonics 87-75. 2015: In a unanimous verdict, a three-judge panel in Denpasar District Court convicted Heather Mack and boyfriend Tommy Schaefer in the slaying of Sheila von Wiese-Mack. The Bali 'suitcase murder': Oak Park native Heather Mack's murder conviction, Indonesian imprisonment, deportation Mack was sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing her mother, while Schaefer, who admitted fatally beating von Wiese-Mack but claimed self defense, received an 18-year prison term. Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past. Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@ and mmather@
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Monthly bin collection plan is mooted by council
Bristol could become the first council in England to collect black waste bins once every three or four weeks, under new plans. The city council, run by the Green Party, already has the highest recycling rate among "core cities" in England, with 45% of household waste being recycled. Bristol City Council has launched a public consultation on the potential changes, which will run until 10 March. The authority's deputy leader, Heather Mack, said the move would reduce the cost and "the impact on the environment", but opposition councillors said there were increasing complaints about the existing service which should be sorted first. Switching to a three-weekly black bin collection will save the council £1.3m a year, while a four-weekly collection would save £2.3m. The move has been proposed to encourage more recycling of food waste. Bristol City Council said around 50% of households don't recycle food waste, and a quarter of most black bin rubbish is food which could be recycled. Around £700 worth of food is thrown away every year per house, the council added. Food waste is sent to an anaerobic digestion plant, and converted into energy by burning the methane waste that comes from it, with the by-product being used for farm fertiliser. The council is also facing increasing costs of treating waste, which has increased by £4m in the last five years. Ms Mack said: "There's due to be a tax on the residual waste we send to be processed, for the carbon in that. "So we really need to consider how much we're sending and where else could it go. "We would also offer larger bins for larger households, and an extra collection for people with sanitary products or nappies, so we don't want people to unduly struggle with this," she added. The plans have been criticised by opposition parties at City Hall. Tom Renhard, leader of the Labour group, said: "There needs to be a focus on sorting out the existing service. "I'm getting an increasing number of complaints from local residents across the city that recycling isn't being collected and black bins aren't being collected on [the current] two-weekly basis. "Some of my residents haven't had a recycling collection this side of Christmas. "You're also starting to see that if residents' recycling isn't getting collected and it's piling up, they're going to put it in the bin, which isn't going to help recycling rates." Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Black bin collections 'may be cut to once a month' Bristol parents invited to join nappy recycling trial Work continues to complete overdue bin collections Bristol City Council Bristol Waste
