Residents to stage rally in bid to stop road being closed to traffic
A TOWN councillor has declared "Patchway is not an island" as residents make one last ditch attempt to stop a dual carriageway being closed to traffic.
A new £6-million link road has been built between Cribbs Causeway and the A38 to replace Highwood Road, which is due to close to general traffic – though not buses or bicycles – next month.
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Patchway residents and town councillors are urging South Gloucestershire Council to reverse a decision to close dual carriageway Highwood Road to general traffic
But town councillors and residents, who recently launched a petition as a last-ditch attempt to stop the move, are trying to get 500 more signatures so the issue will be debated by South Gloucestershire Council.
They will hold a demonstration on Saturday at the road and want as many residents as possible to join them.
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The group wants non-commercial traffic to be allowed to join buses and bicycles on Highwood Road, which is being changed from dual to single carriageway.
Protesters previously gathered to show their support for the petition, entitled Keep Highwood Road Open.
Town councillor Dave Tiley told the Post: "As part of our final push towards the 2,500 signatures needed to trigger a debate at South Gloucestershire Council there will be a demonstration held on Saturday in Highwood Road at the junction with Sycamore Close.
"To all those residents resigned to it being a done deal, we say don't accept that – come along and express your views and let South Gloucestershire Council know how you feel – Patchway is not an island!"
A South Gloucestershire Council spokesman said: "The long-standing proposal to close Highwood Road to general traffic is essential to ensure the integration of the existing and new communities in the Patchway area and to significantly enhance the visual amenity of the immediate area whilst ensuring the maximum benefit to the local community from the new Linear Park.
"If Highwood Road remains open to general traffic, it will continue to be a very busy road which will inhibit local people using the park and create a physical barrier to movement across the two communities.
"The council is working with local members to address issues being raised by the local community as a direct result of the works being undertaken and will continue to monitor the impact of the changes."
The petition can be found at many shops in Rodway Road, Patchway Autoparts and the newsagents in Chelford Grove, Stoke Lodge or online at http://bit.ly/keep-highwood-road- open.
Comments
by Chipnum
Monday, April 30 2012, 9:28PM
“If you look at the BRT plans you will see that Highwood Road is going to be part of the North Fringe - Hengrove route (page 8 on link below).
http://tinyurl.com/7327z6r
To save money the busway between Bradley Stoke and the Mall was dropped in favour of on-street running. In order for BRT to operate effectively any on-street sections will need bus priorities to mitigate against traffic congestion, hence Highwood Road becomes bus-only.
This is normal practise in European (and some American) cities. Take Zurich for example. A far richer city than Bristol, yet in the city centre LESS THAN HALF the available road space is available for private vehicles. In the central area there are only trams and trolleybuses. In the suburbs there are extensive priority lanes to favour public transport over cars. In Zurich there's no need for real-time information at bus and tram stops, the printed timetable is all that is required, services run exactly according to the timetable.
Bristol has to compete with cities in the UK and Europe to attract big employers. Cities that invest in quality public transport attract more jobs than those that don't - it's a quality of life thing. Bristol has a lot to do to catch up with the best in the UK, let alone Europe. A rapid transit system is an important step in addressing that shortfall.
Some background reading:
http://tinyurl.com/7zgh5u9”
by dtiley
Saturday, April 28 2012, 1:56PM
“We thought we met you this morning Lorraine, it sounded like you anyway, there's no other meeting tonight.
I thought you and David ***do7 were the same person as he appeared suddenly on the same the day you disappeared for a while and he wrote and spoke exactly like you and had the same surname, if he's not you, or a relation then its a strange co-incidence I guess!
Right, 'demo' over, signatures still rising well above the total needed, could have had more there, but happy with 3,000 names for now, I've had enough now and will have some me time. Cheers to our supporters. It doesn't end here.”
by lolly60
Saturday, April 28 2012, 10:47AM
“Can anyone let me know where and when the meeting is tonight please.”
by lolly60
Saturday, April 28 2012, 10:45AM
“@bert
yes there our two roads to the mall at present but the big lorries have kept away from going onto Hayes way they have started to use the motorway its better for them and the resident around.
And as for the councillors in SGC well thats another matter.”
by lolly60
Saturday, April 28 2012, 10:37AM
“I will be there as Loraine myself ,Lolly60 is just a a nick name ,the others are nothing to do with me”
by Bert_Hindle
Saturday, April 28 2012, 10:09AM
“@lolly60: "...and as for Hayes way being busy it might get like that some times but the traffic never gets to a stand still like it use to with Highwood road"
Well, yes. That's because there's now two roads to relieve the congestion east of the Mall. If Highwood Road closes, Hayes Way will surely be as bad as Highwood Road was before it opened, and that's before all the new houses are built which will clog up those roundabouts!
Patchway currently has a decent solution to its previous congestion problems. The obvious solution would be to stick with what is there now - two roads between Cribbs and the A38! But SGC don't do the obvious from experience.”
by dtiley
Friday, April 27 2012, 11:40PM
“I will never know what **** was as they blocked it out for some reason! Bit pointless the three of us going on, we have 2,600 signatures and rising in support, 83 facebook likes, high in my knowledge of these counts, 18 comments and 4 recommendations, and it ain't over till the fat bloke sings! Hallelujah!
If you are there as Lorraine or David Johnson, Lolly60 or ***do7 tomorrow then feel free to introduce yourself as you attend our meetings!
Thank you and goodnight!”
by lolly60
Friday, April 27 2012, 11:00PM
“@chrismillsptc
im just saying there will be a school built on Charlton Hayes that many of the children from around the area could go to that is a bit closer than Callicroft School they will have to walk to school like many others do now ,and i havent even said anything about a School at Catbrain lane ???”
by chrismillsptc
Friday, April 27 2012, 10:52PM
“They may be building a school on Charlton Hayes but I said Catbrain Lane and they are not building a school there please get your facts right before you start decrying the efforts of others”
by lolly60
Friday, April 27 2012, 10:34PM
“They are building a School on the land with all the new houses are”