Re the Henbury Ward Focus Bristol Evening Post Wednesday 21 May 2009.
SO WHO ARE THESE HENBURY WARD COUNCILLORS, COUNCILLOR MARK WESTON AND COUNCILLOR DEREK PICKUP?
Thank you Tom Morris for the Henbury Ward Focus, Evening Post Wednesday 21 May.
So who are these Ward Councillors? Surely Ward Councillors should either live in the Ward or close by, certainly Henbury Ward Councillors should live north of the River Avon. However all of Derek Pickup’s declared interests on the Bristol City Council website appear to be a long way from Henbury. He lives in York Road, Bedminster. So why is he a Ward Councillor in Henbury Ward? We need Councillors who live and take an interest in the area. Perhaps they don’t want him south of the river.
Derek Pickup’s election handout is all about Central Government and Bristol Council Executive policies, exactly what has he done personally?, apparently little worth reporting. He says, “I get my priorities from YOU……I have been quick to respond”.
However as a result of local developer Newland Homes Ltd’s failure to maintain a stone retaining wall and trees in Hallen Road, Henbury, which was the initial impetus for the Campaign to ban Aviation Fuel Tankers from North West Bristol suburban roads, Derek Pickup emailed on the 13 October 2008, “I will check out what is happening”. At the date of this post we are still waiting for him to tell us what he discovered.
By contrast Mark Weston has been a source of continuous support and inspiration since October 2008.
On the day following the Campaign’s presentation to the Bristol full Council meeting on the 28 April, the Deputy Chief Executive’s Ward visit was cancelled because, “Cllr Pickup’s car had broken down”. Why did he not use the bus? Perhaps he will attend the rearranged Ward visit when it occurs, assuming of course he knows where Henbury is and he can find it.
The former Executive of Bristol Council, represented by Cllr Helen Holland and Cllr Mark Bradshaw have done their utmost to frustrate, ignore and block the Campaign, including failing to question the actions of obviously incompetent Council officers.
At the Campaign’s presentation to the Bristol full Council meeting, Cllr Bradshaw subsequently responded to a supplementary question querying what action he had taken with regard to the tanker issue while an Executive member. His response was, “he had asked officers to investigate, thought they had said it was “South Gloucester's issue” and had left the issue with them”.
Derek Pickup has proved that he is not the slightest bit interested in the Campaign to ban Aviation Fuel Tankers from North West Bristol suburban roads. Next thing we know he will be claiming a second homes allowance.
Friday 29 May 2009
BRISTOL EVENING POST
For a report on the South Gloucestershire full Council submission on 20 May 2009 see Bristol Evening Post 23 May 2009 Page 6.
South Gloucestershire Council had three options for the replacement of the Hallen Road railway bridge,
1 - The option of removing the 7.5T weight restriction in Hallen and creating a new restriction at the railway bridge.
2 - The option of contributing £200,000 that does not allow for any changes to the highway and footway alignments.
3 - The option of contributing £300.000 which realigns the railway bridge and removes the pinch point.
The Network Rail drawings show the alignment of the new bridge and the pinch point to be identical to the old bridge. The second option. This was a deliberate decision by this 4 Star Council.
The photograph shows a fuel tanker travelling over the old bridge and down the hill towards the storage depot. The necessity to straddle the white line at the pinch point will be the same when the new bridge is finished.
SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL
Back again, everything moving on at a fast pace, so no time to update until now.
Submission and petition presented to South Gloucestershire full Council on 20 May 2009, text of statement below,
"This petition of 350 signatures, supports a campaign to ban Hallen Depot fuel tankers and HGV’s from North West Bristol roads.
I initially became involved with this campaign because of a stone wall at the rear of my property. Vibration from tankers and HGV’s cause stones in the wall to collapse across the footpath and roadway.
Hallen Depot is within South Gloucester adjoining the Bristol boundary, it serves the expanding Bristol and other airports.
Whilst Bristol Airport is not connected to the Government’s pipeline network, there are three network facilities closer to Bristol Airport than Hallen Depot.
The temporary weight limit on Severn Road, Hallen, imposed by Avon during construction of the Second Severn Crossing, can no longer be justified.
Before the permanent Order was confirmed in 1996, it was stated that, “Suitable alternative routes for heavy traffic are available using motorway or "A" class roads”. That statement was nonsense.
A survey of the old railway bridge was undertaken by Railtrack in 2000, and because of the poor condition of the bridge, Network Rail asked this Council, in 2001, in 2002 and again in 2003, to place a temporary weight restriction on the bridge until the works commenced. These requests were ignored.
A contribution of £200,000 pounds to the bridge replacement was approved by this Council in 2008. Item 12 of the Technical Briefing Report by the Highways Structures Team in 2007 does not allow for any changes to the highway and footway alignments.
The Network Rail drawings show the alignment of the new bridge and the pinch point to be identical to the old bridge. This was a deliberate decision by this 4 Star Council.
This Council is a member of the West of England Road Safety Partnership which aims to reduce the numbers of casualties from traffic accidents in the Partner’s districts.
However the current weight limit in Hallen is absurd in terms of multi-area traffic management, and makes a mockery of this Council’s membership of that Partnership.
Indeed for half of its length the limit on Severn Road, is within Bristol’s boundary. Therefore is your Order legal?
This petition was submitted to Bristol Council on the 28 April. It included creating a new 7.5T limit on Ison Hill and Hallen Road, to prevent a through route between Bristol, Avonmouth and Severn Beach.
The DFT have indicated that they are willing to attend a meeting to help both Council’s find a solution. This campaign has the support of the RHA and the tanker drivers.
Our case is simple, why should tankers from South Gloucester, travel into Bristol’s roads, when a northern route is a much safer option to the motorway network. Tankers, have a detrimental effect on roads and properties, pollute the environment, add to traffic congestion, and are a safety hazard.
New developments in Avonmouth and Severn Beach are causing a steady increase in traffic flow, year upon year.
The larger population of North West Bristol is at risk. There are no schools in Hallen, but there are four schools in Henbury alone.
Councillors, you cannot continue to condemn 1500+ Henbury school children, to risky journeys five days a week. You cannot continue to condemn tanker drivers to increasingly stressful journeys.
And finally. This Council receives the business rates, but Bristol taxpayers pick up the cost of maintaining roads carrying ever increasing heavy traffic. We, the residents of Bristol, object.
The closure of the railway bridge from the 5 May to mid August, is an opportunity for a multi-area reassessment of traffic management in North West Bristol".
If you have anything to add, have we missed anything?, please post your comments
Submission and petition presented to South Gloucestershire full Council on 20 May 2009, text of statement below,
"This petition of 350 signatures, supports a campaign to ban Hallen Depot fuel tankers and HGV’s from North West Bristol roads.
I initially became involved with this campaign because of a stone wall at the rear of my property. Vibration from tankers and HGV’s cause stones in the wall to collapse across the footpath and roadway.
Hallen Depot is within South Gloucester adjoining the Bristol boundary, it serves the expanding Bristol and other airports.
Whilst Bristol Airport is not connected to the Government’s pipeline network, there are three network facilities closer to Bristol Airport than Hallen Depot.
The temporary weight limit on Severn Road, Hallen, imposed by Avon during construction of the Second Severn Crossing, can no longer be justified.
Before the permanent Order was confirmed in 1996, it was stated that, “Suitable alternative routes for heavy traffic are available using motorway or "A" class roads”. That statement was nonsense.
A survey of the old railway bridge was undertaken by Railtrack in 2000, and because of the poor condition of the bridge, Network Rail asked this Council, in 2001, in 2002 and again in 2003, to place a temporary weight restriction on the bridge until the works commenced. These requests were ignored.
A contribution of £200,000 pounds to the bridge replacement was approved by this Council in 2008. Item 12 of the Technical Briefing Report by the Highways Structures Team in 2007 does not allow for any changes to the highway and footway alignments.
The Network Rail drawings show the alignment of the new bridge and the pinch point to be identical to the old bridge. This was a deliberate decision by this 4 Star Council.
This Council is a member of the West of England Road Safety Partnership which aims to reduce the numbers of casualties from traffic accidents in the Partner’s districts.
However the current weight limit in Hallen is absurd in terms of multi-area traffic management, and makes a mockery of this Council’s membership of that Partnership.
Indeed for half of its length the limit on Severn Road, is within Bristol’s boundary. Therefore is your Order legal?
This petition was submitted to Bristol Council on the 28 April. It included creating a new 7.5T limit on Ison Hill and Hallen Road, to prevent a through route between Bristol, Avonmouth and Severn Beach.
The DFT have indicated that they are willing to attend a meeting to help both Council’s find a solution. This campaign has the support of the RHA and the tanker drivers.
Our case is simple, why should tankers from South Gloucester, travel into Bristol’s roads, when a northern route is a much safer option to the motorway network. Tankers, have a detrimental effect on roads and properties, pollute the environment, add to traffic congestion, and are a safety hazard.
New developments in Avonmouth and Severn Beach are causing a steady increase in traffic flow, year upon year.
The larger population of North West Bristol is at risk. There are no schools in Hallen, but there are four schools in Henbury alone.
Councillors, you cannot continue to condemn 1500+ Henbury school children, to risky journeys five days a week. You cannot continue to condemn tanker drivers to increasingly stressful journeys.
And finally. This Council receives the business rates, but Bristol taxpayers pick up the cost of maintaining roads carrying ever increasing heavy traffic. We, the residents of Bristol, object.
The closure of the railway bridge from the 5 May to mid August, is an opportunity for a multi-area reassessment of traffic management in North West Bristol".
If you have anything to add, have we missed anything?, please post your comments
Thursday 14 May 2009
ROAD DAMAGE ON THE TANKER ROUTE
These two photos show examples of damage caused by tankers and other HGV's in Henbury.
The damage and back filling to the footpath causing a very uneven surface, at the width restriction at the Marissial Road/Windmill Lane junction with Hallen Road. This is a designated pedestrian crossing point.
The mini roundabout cycle hazard at the Station Road junction with Avonmouth Way.
Both of these defects have existed for many months. Have Bristol City Council made any attempt to repair these defects? No they have not.
The damage and back filling to the footpath causing a very uneven surface, at the width restriction at the Marissial Road/Windmill Lane junction with Hallen Road. This is a designated pedestrian crossing point.
The mini roundabout cycle hazard at the Station Road junction with Avonmouth Way.
Both of these defects have existed for many months. Have Bristol City Council made any attempt to repair these defects? No they have not.
Tuesday 12 May 2009
NEW ROAD SIGNS
It's happened, a week after Hallen Road was closed for the railway bridge reconstruction, some sensible advanced warning road signs have appeared in much more carefully considered locations.
It just shows that if Council Officer's consider what is to be done in a logical and sensible manner, rather than simply work rigidly within procedures, then something is actually achieved.
Monday 11 May 2009
THE RAILWAY BRIDGE
So the Ison Hill/Hallen Road, Henbury, railway bridge was removed yesterday, not too noisy.
Rumour has it the new main structure is being lifted into position during the next two weekends.
Be careful the road is closed about 50m south of the bridge and the warning signs are not too clever, also only minimal lighting at the barrier, be careful.
Friday 8 May 2009
BRISTOL EVENING POST
Did you read the Evening Post yesterday, page 7, explains what the campaign is all about.
This photo shows the last two tankers driving into Bristol 7.15am Tuesday 5 May, before the road was closed later that morning.
Lets hope they don't comback after
fourteen weeks, when the new
Tuesday 5 May 2009
THE LAST FUEL TANKERS INTO BRISTOL
So it's arrived, the Ison Hill/Hallen Road railway bridge is closed from today for fourteen weeks due to reconstruction. The Carillion notices have been at both ends of the bridge for weeks.
Was it shown on the Bristol City Council's road closures report this morning?, no it was not.
The closure of this bridge is an opportunity to reassess multi-area traffic management in North West Bristol and ensure that the aviation fuel tankers from Hallen depot do not return.
Lets hope we see some acction following our petition.
BAN TANKERS IN NORTH WEST BRISTOL
Off we go then, our first post.
Currently our petition to Bristol City Council is 350 signatures. This was presented to the Council Tuesday last the 28 April.
See the agenda papers and webcast of the full council meeting at www.bristol.gov.uk, and if you agree, please email your support to bantankers@bristol-link.net.
Watch this space.
Currently our petition to Bristol City Council is 350 signatures. This was presented to the Council Tuesday last the 28 April.
See the agenda papers and webcast of the full council meeting at www.bristol.gov.uk, and if you agree, please email your support to bantankers@bristol-link.net.
Watch this space.
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