ALMONDSBURY PARISH COUNCIL

Look what I discovered this weekend.

In the report from Almondsbury Parish Council in the free magazine “Our Community In View”, June 2009, Issue 166, Cllr Sheila Cook says “Hallen also faces major disruption to the village this coming year so that much needed works to the rail bridge can be undertaken”.

By contrast Henbury and North West Bristol suburban roads have suffered from aviation fuel tankers from Hallen petrol strorage depot and other HGV’s every day since the temporary weight restriction in Hallen village, imposed in 1992 during the construction of the Second Severn Crossing, was made permanent by South Gloucestershire Council in 1996.

That is major disruption for seventeen years, Cllr Cook is concerned about fourteen weeks. Fourteen weeks when the school children of Henbury can safely travel to school without fear.

Cllr Cook who has recently resigned as Chair of Almondsbury Parish Council, but remains South Gloucestershire Executive Member for Children and Young People, shows little concern for the children and young people of Henbury and North West Bristol.

In her report she refers to the “much needed works to the rail bridge”. However Almondsbury Parish Council and South Gloucestershire Council ignored warnings from Network Rail in 2001, in 2002, and again in 2003, following a Railtrack bridge safety survey in 2000, to place a temporary weight restriction on the bridge until the new bridge works commenced. Why did they ignore these warnings for a period of nine years before work commenced?

South Gloucestershire Council should be embarrassed to call itself a member of the West of England Road Safety Partnership. The actions of both Councils make a mockery of this membership.