Latest news with #NorthSomerset
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Bristol Airport's major £60m upgrade officially opens
A new £60m transport interchange has been officially opened at Bristol Airport. The facility, one of the largest of its kind in the region, can hold an extra 2,000 parking spaces, as well as significantly expanding the number of bus and coach spaces. It will also home the airport's new "drop and go" zone and offer better pedestrian links to the terminal. Dave Lees, chief executive of the Airport, said the new development was "really important as it represents a milestone in terms of improving the facilities for our customers". "Gone are the days of passengers having to walk up slopes here," he added, explaining that the number of bays for coaches and buses had been doubled, as well as the addition of new covered access routes, covered seating and toilet facilities. This signifies the airport's "level of ambition" as it "looks to the future", he project has taken more than two years to complete, and is part of a wider £400m "airport transformation programme" to improve transport links. Currently only about 15% of airport customers arrive at the site by bus. North Somerset Council leader Mile Bell said the new facility was a "fantastic new piece of infrastructure" for customers but stressed that there was still work to be done."I think we all recognise that we've still got more to do to make the access routes easier and introduce mass transit, particularly from Bristol city centre so people can get here easier, faster and cheaper using public transport," he said. Meanwhile, he added, passengers should "give public transport a try" and avoid antisocial parking in local communities around the airport. His comments were echoed by North Somerset MP Sadik Al-Hassan, who also called for a mass transit to the airport and urged any further expansion of the airport to be "balanced with the views of the community". Telling the BBC there were "swings and roundabouts" with any airport expansion, he said: "This is allowing more people to come here by sustainable means, so I'm hoping it will help. but it's part of what needs to be a larger plan to look at how the airport sits within the wider economic area."
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Clevedon traders in protest against on-street parking charges
Some independent town traders wore black funeral clothing as they staged a protest against proposed parking charges, which they warn will kill-off October, North Somerset Council voted to introduce on-street and car parking charges in Clevedon, Nailsea and Portishead, as a way to balance its shopkeeper Judith Levy, who took part in the demonstration on Hill Road, said: "We've seen it happen in other places where independent shops start closing up and it would be awful if it were to happen here."North Somerset Council said it "needs to save £44m over the next three years after reduced national government funding". Charges are set be introduced following a consultation of Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs), which closes on 18 July. A council spokesperson said it has seen an increase in demand for services, particularly in adult social care and children's services, along with rising added: "We've had no choice but to review all areas of council income generation and spend, including making the difficult decision on introducing parking charges across North Somerset."But some independent shopkeepers accused the local authority of being careless with their spending. "I understand the council need to balance their budget but part of the problem is their own making with the big mess they've done on the seafront", said Ms Levy, referring to the removal of the controversial wiggly road markings which cost about £1.5m."We've already lost about 30% of trade since the seafront debacle", she said, claiming businesses have seen lower footfall after the removal of sea-facing parking in Clevedon and the introduction of a one-way system."Since then all the traders on Hill Road have found it harder. It hit the reputation of the town and it stopped a lot of people coming," she added. North Somerset Council hopes to raise a million pounds as it seeks to balance its leader Mike Bell, previously said parking hikes were "unavoidable", warning the council "was in a financial emergency".Ms Levy, who runs a retail and yoga studio on Hill Road is also worried about the impact new charges can have on nearby roads."Our street will be paid parking which means residential streets around it will be full of cars because people will try to avoid paying," she said. She suggested having a park and ride into town. Discover Clevedon, which represent traders, has written to the council saying a 30-minute free parking period was not included in the recently published Traffic Regulation Orders."The published TROs do not accurately reflect the decision previously made by North Somerset Council to include a 30-minute free parking period for on-street parking," the letter said."This omission means that the proposals do not present an accurate basis for respondents to comment on, effectively removing the opportunity for stakeholders to fulfil the statutory requirements of the TRO consultation process."North Somerset Council did not respond to the claims, but has invited residents, businesses and other organisations to comment via their website. They added: "All comments received will be reviewed and a decision will be taken shortly on the next steps regarding introducing parking charges in Clevedon."
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Nineteen rescued from Weston-super-Mare beach mud on hottest weekend
Nineteen people stuck in dangerous beach mud flats at the weekend had to be rescued by emergency services, sparking a safety incidents took place on the shoreline at Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, on the hottest weekend of the year so Fire and Rescue Service said it needed to use its hovercraft and called on RNLI support. The fire service said everyone was rescued safely and no injuries were a statement, the RNLI at Weston-super-Mare said: "If you see anyone walking to the shoreline and towards the mud, please warn them of the dangers, you could save a life." The RNLI's lifeboat crews were called to six mud flat rescues on Sunday. The mud appears on the shoreline at low Weston-super-Mare Lifeboats RNLI Facebook page shared one of the accounts from a person said: "We waded through thigh deep mud for an hour and half to reach the sea. I just wasn't aware the dangers of doing that. "We got to the sea and even though I was sinking I was thrilled the tide was coming in as I thought I could cool down and swim. "I genuinely was not aware of the danger, it didn't even occur to me to call 999. I feel incredibly stupid. "I can't thank the RNLI enough."I think it's really important to raise awareness."
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Work to cut traffic on major road given go-ahead
Work to improve congestion issues on parts of the A38 in Somerset have been approved. North Somerset and Somerset Council said the project would see work take place at nine locations along the A38 running between Barrow Street junction at Barrow Tanks, and the Edithmead roundabout. The Department for Transport, which funds the Major Road Network (MRN), supported proposed improvements and construction. Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council's lead member for transport and waste services, said: "It's great to get this confirmation of funding, we have lobbied hard to secure the money to improve a busy and vital stretch of the A38 in Somerset." Plans for a new rail station in Wellington have also been approved. North Somerset Council leader Mike Bell said: "The A38 MRN will improve capacity on our roads, making journeys smoother, safer and more reliable. "The scheme also includes sustainable options for getting around such as the widening of walking and cycling paths and new crossings for the Strawberry Line." Some key areas in Somerset which are set to be updated are Edithmead roundabout, which authorities said would get a "through-about" option and the creation of a staggered junction at Cross. For North Somerset, traffic signalling software has been proposed for Barrow Street Junction, and there are to be improvements at various points on the airport terminal roundabout. More news stories for Somerset Listen to the latest news for Somerset North Somerset Council Somerset Council Drivers warned over two months of gas upgrade work Plans to improve A38 at major motorway roundabout Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
The Sun
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Picturesque English town is getting new £27m train line for first time in 60 years – & will cut journey times by an hour
A PICTURE-POSTCARD town in the English countryside is set to get a train line for the first time in 60 years. The quaint town, in the west of England, is currently one of the largest towns in the UK without a railway station. 2 2 However, this will not be the case for much longer, as Portishead has been given a whopping £27.6 million sum to build a new one, which will take passengers to Bristol in just 25 minutes. The Bristol to Portishead line closed way back in 1964, meaning residents have been unable to travel to the city by train for over 60 years. When the new train line opens, in three years' time, an hourly service will run to Bristol, transporting commuters from the coastal town to the bustling city. Work to start in spring 2026 Work is due to start on the train line in spring 2026, and will hopefully be completed in 2028. The neighbouring town of Pill is also set to get a new train line to Bristol. The line has already been restored for freight trains but will be made more suitable for passenger trains. Helen Godwin, the West of England mayor, said: "The West of England and North Somerset, with government backing and industry partners, will connect more people to opportunity, leisure and nature. "We're investing in jobs and economic growth. Local people will see and feel the difference from commutes being cut in half through train travel, and building this key transport infrastructure will unlock sites for much-needed new homes. "Pill and Portishead are two of the five new railway stations being built in the West over the next few years. "But our ambition goes further. Delivering projects like the Bristol & Portishead Line now lays the foundations for a better transport system overall for the West of England, building the suburban railway network that other places take for granted." Incredible plans to tunnel underneath UK city centre for massive train network are unveiled More UK train news This comes as bold new plans to tunnel beneath a major UK city for a massive underground train and tram network have been officially unveiled. The dramatic move aims to transform how people travel in and out of the busy urban centre and tackle future congestion. The ambitious project, based in Manchester and led by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, would see trains and trams running below ground for the first time in the city's history, aiming to ease congestion and support future economic growth Plus, a direct train service between a central Scottish city and London is due to launch as early as spring 2026. Lumo, which is part of FirstGroup, will run four return services a day to Stirling in Scotland, with the exception of Sundays, where there will be three. The route will provide first-ever direct services to London for Whifflet, Greenfaulds, and Larbert. Currently, the Lumo brand runs on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh. The new West Coast services were due to start this year, however FirstGroup said they are "currently expected to commence mid-2026 following the delivery of the trains and staff training". Lumo's new route will link London Euston directly to Stirling, also calling at Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet (serving Coatbridge), Greenfaulds (serving Cumbernauld) and Larbert.
