THE WEEK IN East & North East Somerset FREE Issue 515 7th March 2018 Read by over 40,000 people each week ‘the best location for Junction 18a’ The findings of a major Emersons Green. March) says the so-called This week the Cabinet study suggest that the best A report going to South Western Option is better Member for Transport Cllr option for an M4 Junction Council’s than the Eastern Option at Colin Hunt said: “I have 18a and link road is near Cabinet next Monday (12th . been campaigning for a new

Junction 18A on the M4 for several decades now - it is desperately needed to take traffic off the ring road. “The final decision is up to Highways , but Council can make a recommendation. On balance the Western Option creates more jobs, offers much greater economic growth, is better for the environment, will have a larger impact on congestion and is clearly the public favourite – all of these facts will be taken into account when we make our recommendation on March 12th.” Since before he was elected in 2010, Kingswood MP Chris Skidmore has also campaigned for a new Junction 18a as a solution to Continued on page 3 2 The Week in • Wednesday 7th March 2018 Emersons Green ‘the best location for Junction 18a’ Continued from page 1 were suggested – Option A Pucklechurch parish councillor increasing residential and running close to Parkfield Bob Symons & Gail Boyle commercial demands being Rank, with an Option B placed on Emersons Green, cutting across fields closer and he secured Government to Pucklechurch village. funding in 2016 to pay for a Either route would link to a feasibility study. new roundabout close to the It had always been widely B4465 at the Shortwood presumed that the junction Road/ Lane junction would be at Emersons and then continue to link up Green, so it came as a shock with the A4174 ring road. when it emerged during the During the public study last summer – and consultation which ran from exclusively reported in The August to October, around Week In at the time - that 800 people attended public Pucklechurch was also an exhibitions and 1,275 option, with a link road questionnaire responses running through the Green were received, together with Belt. Mr Skidmore said he more than 300 letters. could not and would not Analysis of the question- 6% indicated that they did Option and Eastern Option as a single carriageway. support an Eastern Option naires showed 51% suppor- not have a preference on A have strong business It would also have a and he and MP Luke Hall, ted the Western Option and which junction should be cases, Option B is dismissed significant adverse impact whose constituency inclu- 17% supported the Eastern taken forward. because it would not meet on heritage and the des Pucklechurch, collected Option. In addition, 26% Although the papers going future traffic need as it surrounding population. a 2,100-name petition indicated that they did not to Monday’s meeting say would only have been built Continued on page 4 against it. support either option, and that both the Western Two possible routes for the Eastern Option proposal

Also in this week’s issue

Keynsham CCTV improvements ‘within 6 weeks’ . . . page 7

The area recovers from snow and ice . . . page 15

More concerns over Douglas factory development . . . page 21

Transport campaigner attacked on train . . . page 24

The Week in • Wednesday 7th March 2018 3 Emersons Green ‘the best location for Junction 18a’ Continued from page 3 would be constructed to the economy. In comparison, the and said that galvanising so who took part in the This week Mr Skidmore north of the existing M4, Easter