THE WEEK IN East Bristol & North East Somerset FREE Issue 529 13th June 2018 Read by over 40,000 people each week More roadworks and closures lined up this summer Motorists will face From Monday 2nd July, A431 Bath Road and A4175 Keynsham Bypass, are part significant diversions when South Gloucestershire Cherry Garden Road. of a wider £3.35m sections of two major roads Council will be starting a The works, which look set Government funded scheme at Bitton are closed this two-month project to repair to overlap with to improve drainage and summer. and improve drainage on the improvement works on the flood protection systems in South Gloucestershire. For the first month or so, there will be temporary traffic lights but in August there will be closures on some sections of Cherry Garden Road and Bath Road. When a small stretch of road on the Bitton side of the roundabout is closed, the official diversion route will be via Bath, Saltford, Keynsham and Longwell Green – see the map on page 3. Continued on page 3 2 The Week in • Wednesday 13th June 2018 More roadworks and closures lined up this summer Continued from page 1 “For the second, there is be affected for the first month The detour when part of Bath likely to be significant but during the second month Road near Bitton Station is disruption as we close the council says there may be closed, and during the closure different sections of the some disruption to routine of part of Cherry Garden roads. We understand the collections. Road, will be via Bridgeyate, scheme will cause disruption Under certain circumstances Warmley and Longwell to residents, commuters and local businesses affected by Green. At a drop-in event businesses and would like to the road closure may be held at Bitton Rec last apologise in advance and eligible for a reduction or Tuesday for people to find kindly ask for your patience relief in business rates. about the project, concerns while this is taking place.” Meanwhile further along the were raised about the impact Access for residents and A431 at Swineford, the on the lanes around the businesses in Cherry Garden council has been co-ordin- Golden Valley, which were Road and Bath Road will be ating flood alleviation works used as a short cut four years maintained during the work, for the past six months, with we need to work on the main begin over the summer and ago when the A431 was which involves replacing minimal disruption. route through the village to take up to four weeks.” closed for months because of and/or upgrading defective It has been working with repair and, where possible, Meanwhile the repair and a landslide at Kelston. More pipes, removing root ingress landowners to improve and make improvements to the replacement drainage works recently roadworks in the from trees and replacing clear ditches and rebuild existing highway drainage on Abson Road between Wick also saw the lanes defective manholes and gully vehicle ditch crossings, as systems. All works will be Wick and Pucklechurch jammed with cars. covers. CCTV surveys have well as clearing vegetation at carried out under temporary which started in mid-May are Council officers say they will revealed significant damage Pipley Brook, using CCTV traffic signal control and we going well and the team have be monitoring the situation and the council says it may equipment to inspect highway do not anticipate major not as yet discovered any and will operate a “flexible find further defects as work drainage systems along the disruption in the area. unexpected major problems. approach” to the traffic begins on site. A431, and surveying and “We do not yet have a The work is likely to be management and will The council also says it will clearing culverts along Pipley detailed programme of these completed by the end of implement additional do everything to minimise the Brook and culverts that cross works but anticipate they will October. regulations, closures or impact on bus passengers and the main road. signage if appropriate. more information is expected The council says: “We are The council says there will be soon. Bin collections will not now reaching the stage where “minimal disruption” during the first month of the works: Also in this week’s issue Queen honours Staple Hill councillor . page 5 Volunteers angry over thefts from Kingswood Park . page 6 Big parking changes planned for Warmley . page 7 Surprise party for dedicated Keynsham community worker . page 25 The Week in • Wednesday 13th June 2018 3 Kingswood Fishponds Tumble dryer fire Do you recognise leads to safety advice this man? Police need help identifying this man who they believe Crews from Kingswood provided safety advice. trainers. Don’t put in may have information related to an investigation into a and Hicks Gate fire The cause of the fire is drenched clothing – wring distraction burglary. stations were called to a thought to be accidental. or spin it first. The burglary happened kitchen fire in Court Road People are advised not to Make sure the ducting is on Wednesday 30th in Kingswood last leave dryers unattended clear and free of build-up, May between 1pm and Thursday evening. when in use including that the external vent is clear 2.30pm at an address in Firefighters found the overnight. Only put clothing and unobstructed and that Fishponds. tumble dryer fire was out on in the dryer and regularly your property has working Two men knocked on arrival but carried out an clean out the filters. Don’t smoke alarms. For more on the door of an elderly inspection to ensure there overload dryers or put in fire safety visit the Avon woman who lives was no further damage and large bulky items or Fire & Rescue website. alone. The men said that they were from a water company and THE WEEK IN required urgent access to her property to stop a leak next door. While one man went to the kitchen and Barrs Court, Bitton, Brislington, moved the woman’s washing machine the other man Cadbury Heath, Compton Dando, searched her house. Corston, Downend, Emersons The men stole jewellery and more than £1,000 in cash. Green, Fishponds, Hanham, If you can help identify the person in the e-fit or have Hillfields, Keynsham, Kingswood, any information that could help with the police Longwell Green, Mangotsfield, investigation, call 101 quoting reference number Marksbury, North Common, Oldland 5218117939 and ask to speak to PC 4478 Davies. 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. BS31 1HA 0117 986 0381 www.theweekin.co.uk ISSN: 2052-9767 Managing Editor Stephen Rodgers [email protected] News Editor Becky Feather 07973 839936 Contributors 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. Keynsham & Saltford Times Ltd. t/a The Week In is regulated by IMPRESS: The Independent Monitor for the Press CIC. As such, we adhere to the IMPRESS complaints procedure. 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 13th June 2018 Staple Hill Fishponds Pleas for Shirley recognised in foodbank donations Queen’s Birthday Honours The foodbank at Fishponds Baptist Church Shirley Potts from Staple 35 years, initially for the is in need of donations of Hill has been awarded the Soundwell ward and since items particularly tinned British Empire Medal in local government goods including tomatoes, the Queen’s Birthday reorganisation in 1995, she potatoes, vegetables and Honours List. has represented Staple Hill custard. Toilet rolls are She gets the award for on South Glos Council. also needed. services to the community She has helped get many The church on Downend in South Gloucestershire. community projects going Road is an outlet of the She is expected to receive in the area, including the East Bristol Foodbank run her award from Dame Janet Friends of Page Park, by the Trussell Trust. Trotter, the Lord Lieutenant Christmas on the Hill, the Donations can be dropped of Gloucestershire later in Staple Hill Regeneration off at the church on Sundays or weekday the year. The ceremonial Project and still remains deprivation affecting the Girls’ School in Knowle. mornings. county of Gloucestershire very active locally. local area and enhance the She said she had been The referral-based includes modern This picture was taken lives of local residents. inundated with messages of foodbank is open on Gloucestershire and South recently at the launch of the Dame Janet was a guest and congratulations and was Fridays from 12.30pm to Gloucestershire and Dame new Staple Hill Community is standing on the left, next quick to say there are lots of 2.30pm. Find out more at Janet is the Queen’s Hub which evolved from to Shirley. Now 82, Shirley other people working hard http://www.fbcbristol.org. representative. Shirley has the Our Place Community is a former teacher and for the community in Staple uk/foodbank.htm been a Labour councillor for Flat and aims to tackle deputy head at Merrywood Hill. The Week in • Wednesday 13th June 2018 5 Fishponds Woman’s face burnt in liquid attack A man has been arrested following a public appeal for witnesses to a robbery in Fishponds.