THE WEEK IN East Bristol & North East Somerset FREE Issue 535 25th July 2018 Read by over 40,000 people each week Better train service vital for Keynsham’s future Rail chiefs have been accommodate thousands by the town council was nesses, to give feedback urged to improve more residents and held at The Space above about the current rail Keynsham’s train service workers. the library last Tuesday for service and to hear about as the town gears up to A public meeting hosted people, including busi- plans for the future. It was not well attended, having been advertised on social media just a few hours before it started. Those commuters who did go along spoke of their frustration at service cancellations and overcrowding. Amanda Davis, group finance director at Independent Vet Care (IVC) which recently moved into C Block at Keynsham’s Chocolate Quarter, bringing 350 jobs to the town, told the meeting that her staff were keen to use trains but that three train carriages is not enough. She said Pukka Herbs have also relocated recently to C Block and with two floors of employment space there still to be filled, and Taylor Wimpey’s adjoining estate only half built, more must be done to meet the increasing demand on the rail service. Continued on page 3 2 The Week in • Wednesday 25th July 2018 Better train service vital for Keynsham’s future Continued from page 1 with an increase in Network Rail delays include She said residents on the cancelled and delayed trains over-running improvement estate are frustrated with which GWR recognised had work, points and signal workers from The an impact on customers and failures and a 10mph speed Chocolate Quarter parking communities. He said the restriction at Temple Meads. on their roads and that IVC massive engineering work The weather – snow, wind, have recently taken on more programme and fleet change ice and more recently high parking spaces for their staff for every route meant there temperatures – are also at Somerdale, as well as at had been an impact on day- blamed, while fatalities and the rugby club, to help ease to-day delivery. He said a trespassing on the line have the problem. joint improvement plan has also caused delays. Great Western Railway’s been agreed with Network Mr Lanchester said a lot of regional station manager Rail and some routes are lessons had been learned John Lanchester addressed now seeing improvement. since April when the re- the meeting, as did Heather He said the main causes of signalling at Temple Meads Cullimore, of the GWR’s delays are driver Station was brought into Severnside Community Rail availability with 10% of the service (it is now controlled Partnership, which links 1,369 drivers in training. from the Thames Valley local communities with the Training on new electric Signalling Centre at Didcot rail industry. The event had suburban fleet and new bi- Parkway). However, he said also been billed as a chance mode long distance fleet the benefits of looking at to meet Keynsham’s new started late due to the late things on a wide scale station manager Lynn completion of electrification include allowing other The employment space at The Chocolate Quarter has Edginton, but she was and IET (Intercity Express projects to come on line, capacity for more workers unable to attend. Train) delivery. Mr such as the MetroWest Mr Lanchester acknow- Lanchester said the revised programme which will Bristol Temple Meads and said having four tracks will ledged that it had been a timescale meant both provide more frequent Filton Abbey Wood – two release capacity which will very difficult six months programmes running at the trains. However, he for stopping trains and two impact on Keynsham. same time, plus training on emphasised that MetroWest for non-stopping trains. He Continued on page 4 the cascaded west fleet and is contingent on lots of Also in the new Castle Class trains. things happening first. The use of rest days for Mr Lanchester also spoke this week’s training means fewer about the Filton Bank four- issue drivers are available at tracking project which is weekends. doubling the number of Dramatic fire He said the causes of railway lines between scenes at Keynsham bin store Hanham . page 7 Woman taken to hospital Page Park café after kitchen fire scoops regional award A woman in her 50s was taken to hospital with minor burns and smoke inhalation following a kitchen fire in . page 12 Kynaston View in Hanham. Two crews from Kingswood fire station attended the S. Glos overhauls incident on the afternoon of Monday 16th July but found its planning the fire was out on arrival due to a neighbour service extinguishing the flames with a bucket of water. pages 16 & 17 Firefighters in breathing apparatus used one positive pressure ventilation fan to clear smoke from the second- Local councillor floor flat. receives British A second casualty was treated for smoke inhalation and Empire Medal the cause of the fire is thought to be accidental. page 15 For more information on kitchen safety, visit Avon Fire & Rescue Service’s website. The Week in • Wednesday 25th July 2018 3 Better train service vital South Glos for Keynsham’s future Stumbling block Continued from page 3 is full by 7.15am. Mr being introduced at Among the suggestions from Lanchester said the potential Keynsham Station – CCTV, a to recycling rail users at the meeting were for more car parking for ticket machine and new for the Portsmouth to Cardiff rail passengers is being lighting. She also said it is more items route to stop at Keynsham, looked at. hoped that a coffee facility and for some of the London He said he would take away will be in place in time for the South Gloucestershire Council has been looking at trains to stop at the station. all the comments made at the colder months ahead. options to recycle more items from kerbside collections Cllr Brian Simmons said he meeting and stressed that this Meanwhile a new Facebook but says it has not been able to find suitable disposal hoped there would be a time next year local services page for travellers called outlets. shuttle bus service linking the will be a much better Users of Keynsham Station In answer to a written question last week from Staple station and the proposed Park position. Forum started last week to Hill councillor Shirley Potts to Cabinet member Paul & Ride site at Hicks Gate. He • Heather Cullimore spoke at keep passengers updated on Hughes about what was being done to identify new also said that Keynsham the meeting about the service delays and items for recycling from kerbside collections, she was Station’s over-flow car park improvements currently cancellations. informed that officers are constantly looking at new markets and opportunities to improve the service and in turn reduce the waste sent to recovery and landfill. THE WEEK IN “In the past 12 months officers have looked at options for plastic film, plastic packaging, coffee cups, and Barrs Court, Bitton, Brislington, black plastic but have not been able to find suitable Cadbury Heath, Compton Dando, disposal outlets for these materials.” Corston, Downend, Emersons She was told that the current kerbside service is very Green, Fishponds, Hanham, comprehensive - collecting plastic bottles, pots, tubs Hillfields, Keynsham, Kingswood, and trays as well as cardboard, cartons, paper, food, Longwell Green, Mangotsfield, glass, metal, textiles and household batteries. Marksbury, North Common, Oldland Common, Pucklechurch, Saltford, Staple Hill, Stockwood, St George, Warmley, Whitchurch, Wick, Willsbridge. 16,000 copies are distributed through retail outlets, libraries, pubs, community centres each week. Verified pick-up rate of 97%. Publisher Keynsham & Saltford Times Ltd, 8 Temple Court, Keynsham. 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A copy of this procedure can be found on our website or can be sent upon written request to the address above. 4 The Week in • Wednesday 25th July 2018 Wessex Bus to close with services transferred or cancelled Wessex Bus, which has 200 April 2007 under the trading name of Company Limited (owned by employees, has announced it is to Wessex Connect; by June of that year Stagecoach) who will be taking over hospital which was vital. stop trading on 1st September. the bus business of South most Wessex contracted routes from “I hope that a solution can be found Most services are being transferred to Gloucestershire Bus and Coach 2nd September.” with someone else picking up this Stagecoach but among those being Company had been acquired and rapid The routes being transferred to route, as has happened for other withdrawn is the No 10 from Lyde growth followed. Services were Stagecoach are: Wessex routes, or an alternative Green to Southmead Hospital via developed across the contracted and • 513/514 – Brislington to Knowle provided by a different company.” Sainsbury’s at Emersons Green, commercial sector with growth in local • 515 – Stockwood to Imperial Park The 51 (South Bristol Hospital at Mangotsfield, Downend, Frenchay, authority work and the Wessex Star • 625 – Severn Beach to UWE Hengrove Park to Broadmead), the 42 Parkway Station and Little Stoke.