Filton town council asked to donate land for free to expand road
Filton town council have been asked to donate an amount of land at Elm park to South Gloucestershire council for roundabout and road improvements.
In a letter to the council, Mark Shearman, principal engineer for transport services, says they want 317 square metres of extra land to widen the Filton A4174 ring road, as part of the Southmead 106 funding project, which it asks Filton council to donate free of charge. The move would see the amount of land taken from Elm Park playing fields, reducing the size removing trees, pathway and shrubbery in the process.
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The A4174 that South Gloucestershire council want to widen
Mr Shearman says in the letter "We are acutely aware of the impact to tree and shrubs and would endeavour to replace these with landscaping where possible" South Gloucestershire council offer no payment to Filton council for the land and say that budgets are limited but they want to carry out the improvement in time for the opening of the new Southmead hospital in 2014.
In addition to the road changes the council say they want to improve facilities for cyclists with pathways but they have a limited budget and are under a timescale pressure
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At a full meeting of Filton council last week councillors and residents reacted passionately about the request. Rikki Teml, Conservative councillor said he was elected to ensure Elm Park was protected for generations to enjoy and he was totally opposed to handing over land for free for such purposes. He went on to say that he would happily stand in front of anyone trying to bulldoze the fields. Chair of Finance, councillor Bill Moore echoed the sentiments of Mr Teml supporting his comments.
Filton councillors also commented that traffic congestion in Filton is already at breaking point, with badly planned lane markings causing near accidents. They were also of the opinion that the over saturation of bus lanes had brought nothing but traffic confestion due to the reduction in normal roads, hence forcing this request.
Residents were furious saying that after the threat of the dumping of thousands of tonnes of landfill soil on the fields in 2010 which was stopped and selling of land for flats, the last thing they want to do is handover land to be taken over by road expansion and bring more pollution.
A Filton independent party spokesperson commented "This is an utter disgrace that South Glos council have the ordasity to write to small parish council, pressuring them to hand over land that it protects for the enjoyment of residents and users. It smacks of big brother type tactics and Filton people are fed up with bad planning. They have clearly planned for the future badly. Just on the roundabout in question, a brand new development of flats is near completion which will also add to the the congestion".
Only last year South Glos council demolished a bridge situated at the roundabout in Filton and replaced pathways and fencing which they now want to dig up.
Councillor Bill Moore said he had spoken to the planning department suggesting a cycle path could cut through Elm Park field and was told this hadn't been considered as an option. Mr Moore is also currently involved in a project in creating a community garden near to the area in question.
Conservative councillor Keiran Hyde said he had studied the request and he felt that the road could include a filter lane without encroaching on Elm park fields because the pavements are so wide.
South Glos Filton councillor Roger Hutchinson, Labour spokesperson for
planning and transport, attended the meeting however did not comment on
the request from South Glos.
Filton council concluded that the request from South Glos council was ill thought out and they voted all but one to reject the request completely. They agreed to invite Mr Shearman to a future council meeting to discuss the request with residents and councillors present.
Comments
by sumsungs
Tuesday, March 06 2012, 10:32PM
“cheeky cow....expect free land on yer bike !!”
by TheSage
Tuesday, March 06 2012, 10:56AM
“That's a very old picture - the bridge hasn't been there for ages!
You would have thought they would send out a photographer - doing it on the cheap I suppose!!”
by FreeFilton
Tuesday, March 06 2012, 10:08AM
“Not one south glos councillor in Filton reported on this or makes any comment?
What is the point of employing these councillors to protect the interests of the voters? Get rid of them from office as they serve no purpose.
Councillor Hutchinson for Filton has greatly let residents down again as he didnt step in to either comment or promise to take residents wishes on board.
South Glos Labour are letting us down and people have lost confidence in their lack of action.”
by JRumpole
Tuesday, March 06 2012, 9:36AM
“S glos labour at work! they never so what they are supposed to do and keep letting people down. Too busy making unofficial branch statement to try and cover theyre tracks instead of doing the job!”
by Labourstitch
Monday, March 05 2012, 7:38PM
“I'm afraid all you will get from Lord Hutch of Filton town, is endoctored into the mystical boules or cycle speedway clan, who's mission it is to rip off filton taxpayers for all they're worth and laugh at residents.
He is more interested in propping up the bar at the holy ratepayers arms, than issues like this. What on earth does this south glos planning committee talk about????”
by bomberman
Monday, March 05 2012, 5:39PM
“by bernadette21 - Totally agree
"What is the point of having a Labour spokesperson for transport and planning"
These Labour councillors agree with everything that it is alien to us all as residents here in Filton.
Its about time residents had a "No confidence vote" in our Labour Councillors here in Filton !!”
by swrural
Monday, March 05 2012, 5:09PM
“The headline contains a tautology. A course in the use of English for BEP reporters is needed.”
by RayTPayer
Monday, March 05 2012, 3:38PM
“Town councillors are the custodians of Elm Park fields and rejecting the request was not only the right thing to do, but the only thing to do.
This request is astonishing in a time when park land is so vital to local communities.
It is highly unlikely that any of the S.Glos councillors in attendance at the Filton meeting to present their reports, we unaware. It is also totally unacceptable that they failed to comment, expecially when Mr Hutchinson is indeed Labours planning and transport spokesperson and sits on planning. The silence speaks volumes yet again.
Why is it, filton people have councillors happy to openly block charging for facilities they use, yet when such a potantial threat as this comes to light, they stick their heads in the sand?
Not good for local politics, not good for Labour and not good for residents who continually have to do the job of Filton S.Glos councillors.”
by EllieM2010
Monday, March 05 2012, 2:58PM
“what else do you expect from labour councillors? we're supposed to be "all in it together" but it seems they are just in it for themselves.....useless.”
by JohnDunkeld
Monday, March 05 2012, 2:42PM
“Berts right,
Come on south glos councillors pull your fingers out! Where are your voices!! everyday we hear that Cllr Hutchinson is pushing his cycle track hobby or boules court team, he is apparently captain of. He throws his weight behind those subjects, but as the person who's supposed to speak for Filton, he's also Labours leader on transport and planning for south glos!
This is a PR disaster for south glos councillors to have even allowed south glos to write to the parish council without objection, asking such an arrogant question. Dont tell me these councillors didnt know of this plan, Roger Hutchinson, is on the south glos planning, transport and strategic environment select committee for goodness sake!
At the council meeting he never uttered a word on this subject and never reported on it in his report. More interested in drinking with his buddies in the Ratepayers bar no doubt!
He is continually letting residents down and fails to represent on issues such as these. He must be voted out as he is not doing his job properly in my view.”