And Times of Sir Bernard Lovell Bernard Lovell Academy
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The Week in East Bristol & North East Somerset FREE Issue no 445 20th October 2016 Read by over 30,000 people every week In this week’s issue ...... Use or lose new bus service . page 6 Transport forum warning over new 19a route Sir Bernard Lovell honoured . pages 12 & 13 Special day in Oldland for radio astronomer Safety concerns over Keynsham crossing . page 15 Bath Hill courtesy crossing is confusing, say residents 2 The Week in • Thursday 20th October 2016 Hanham 'Clowns' terrify youngsters at youth club The current craze of people dressing and behaving in an anti- social and threatening way has come to the Hanham and Keynsham area. Last Wednesday night police were called to Hanham Youth Club after two 'clowns' frightened the young people enjoying themselves there. Sandy Hore-Ruthven, chief executive of Creative Youth Network, which runs the club, said it had been Year 7 night at the club and there were lots of young people inside at the time. “Two people, we don't know who, turned up with the intention of valuable police resources are also being used, potentially frightening the young people which they duly did. We called the impacting on our capacity to respond to other more serious police.” incidents.” It is understood the clowns did not enter the club itself but Anyone with information can report it to via frightened the youngsters by appearing at the windows. www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/contact-us/tell-us-something Mr Hore-Ruthven added: “We take this seriously. The people behind this may think it is fun but it is not funny for a lot of young people.” The so-called 'killer clown' craze began in America. There have also been reports on social media in recent days of 'clowns' hanging around in Keynsham, and claims that some have had BB guns (air guns that shoot pellets). Other people dressed as clowns have been spotted in Longwell Green. Mr Hore-Ruthven said the clowns in Hanham were not brandishing weapons as far as youth club leaders were aware. Police say they have received several reports of people dressed as clowns and behaving in an anti-social and threatening manner following a number of similar incidents across the country. Inspector Julie Knight, of the Local Policing Directorate, said: “We don't want to stop people enjoying themselves but we'd like to ask people to consider how their behaviour will affect others. “These incidents can potentially be very distressing and frightening for those involved and we are taking all reports made to us seriously. “Anyone involved in intimidating or threatening behaviour may well end up committing an offence, being arrested and having a criminal record and we'd urge them to think carefully about the consequences of their actions. “We're aware of a number of social media groups raising concerns about this type of behaviour and we'd ask people to refrain from taking matters into their own hands and to report anything they are worried about to us. “We'd also like to remind people that in dealing with these issues The Week in • Thursday 20th October 2016 3 EXCLUSIVE New venue for 'Huge disruption' coming when Structural maintenance work on the viaduct at Bromley Parkinson's group Heath will mean the complete closure of that section of the Dr Sophia Hulbert came to the September social morning of Avon Ring Road, bringing huge disruption for both the Bath & District branch of Parkinson's UK and highlighted motorists and local residents. the beneficial effects of music and dance on balance, The 52-week project is set to start in April but South posture, gait, flexibility, sociability and quality of life. Gloucestershire Council has yet to reveal how long the A4174 Social meetings are not just for people with Parkinson's and ring road at Bromley Heath will need to be closed to two-way their carers, but for anyone with an interest in helping in any traffic. one of the ways needed. This week it said it would be publicising details as soon as the The branch has a new venue at the Talbot Inn in Bath Road, plans are finalised. Keynsham, for social coffee mornings. There will be a A £15.5m grant from the Government's Challenge Fund is being meeting on Tuesday 25th October from 10am to noon and used for maintenance and improvement work on the ring road then on the last Tuesday of each month. between the A38 at Filton and the A4 at Hicks Gate. This Contact Hazel Mitchell on 0117 3360476 to find out more. includes work on the carriageway, footpaths, cycleways and street lighting, as well as structural maintenance for the viaduct at Bromley Heath, Avon Valley Bridge and Filton subway. There are already huge traffic problems connected with the The Week in MetroBus works which were highlighted at South Gloucestershire's Public Transport Forum last Monday. Bristol city councillor Lesley Alexander, who represents Frome Vale, told the meeting that there was “chaos” in her ward because of the Stoke Lane roadworks and some people were losing their jobs as a result of being so late to work, while children were not getting to school on time. Barrs Court, Bitton, Brislington, Cadbury Heath, Compton Dando, Corston, Downend, Emersons Green, Fishponds, Hanham, Hillfields, Keynsham, Kingswood, Longwell Green, Mangotsfield, Marksbury, North Common, Oldland Common, Pucklechurch, Saltford, Staple Hill, Stockwood, St George, Warmley, Whitchurch, Wick, Willsbridge. 15,000 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. BS31 1HA 0117 986 0381 www.theweekin.co.uk ISSN: 2052-9767 Managing Editor Stephen Rodgers [email protected] Editorial Becky Feather 07973 839936 Christine Rogers Advertising Jodie Deason and Tracy Broderick 0117 986 0381 [email protected] @theweekineditor No material in this publication, nor its associated website (www.theweekin.co.uk) may be reproduced without the written permission of Keynsham & Saltford Times Ltd. All rights reserved. 4 The Week in • Thursday 20th October 2016 ring road closes completely at Bromley Heath Cllr Pat Hockey told the Forum that the Bromley Heath roadworks would bring “huge disruption” and it was important that people knew what was coming and what to do. The meeting heard that council officers are in discussion with bus operators about alternative routes. This week a South Gloucestershire Council spokesperson told us: "Improvements to our road network are planned up until March 2018 across South Gloucestershire as part The ring road at Bromley Heath of the Challenge Fund. This includes resurfacing further sections of the A4174 ring road, which will weekend and night time closures where possible to reduce the involve further closures, and improvements to the A403 in impact on businesses and commuters whilst we carry out these Avonmouth. essential maintenance works. "An Item has been added to the agenda of the next Public “We are currently working on a programme of improvements for Transport Forum meeting in January to discuss the Challenge the Bromley Heath area, and will publicise details of this work Fund programme and provide updates on other major as soon as the plans are finalised.” infrastructure work in South Gloucestershire. “Over the last year we have carried out around 50,000m2 (an • The southbound carriageway of the A4174 is currently closed area covering almost seven football pitches) of resurfacing on overnight for maintenance from the Kingsfield Roundabout at the A4174 ring road with little disruption to commuter and Longwell Green to Avon Valley Bridge until the end of the business traffic. As with the previous work, we will utilise October. The road is fully open during the day and at weekends. The Week in • Thursday 20th October 2016 5 'Use or lose bus services' People are being warned that they must “use or lose” bus service changes being brought in next month in the wake of public pressure. Last month bus company First' axed the 17a Southmead to Keynsham route and switched the route of the 37 Bristol to Bath service so instead of going through Bitton, Swineford and Kelston it turns off at Willsbridge and goes via Keynsham. There was an outcry about the changes and as a result First worked with South Gloucestershire Council to put on a short- term stop-gap - the 19b - to provide an hourly off-peak service from North Common to Keynsham and the Chandag Estate. From 14th November there will be a change to the 19 service (Cribbs Causeway to Bath via Bitton) so that one bus an hour will operate from Cadbury Heath via Oldland Common and Kenilworth Drive to Keynsham and then on to Bath via the A4 through Saltford and Newton St Loe. Numbered the 19a, it will be supported by South Glos Council. In turn this will allow the 37 to revert to its route along the A431 into Bath. At last Monday's meeting of the South Glos Public Transport Annual Candles of Forum, the council's transport operations manager Roy Steele Remembrance service said the “brutal message” to the public was that they must “use it or lose it” as there is funding for 18 months only and it could This year's Annual Candles of Remembrance Service will be held at Keynsham Methodist Church in High Street, on Saturday 12th not be subsidised beyond then. November, starting at 3pm. “It has to bear fruit very quickly,” he said. This is an opportunity to remember babies and children who have Letters, page 10 died, whatever the age, circumstances and whether the loss was recent or sometime ago.