The Bradley Stoke Journal

Bradley Stoke is likely to represented by a Conservative MP after this year’s General Election if odds recently published by Ladbrokes prove accurate.

The bookmaker has installed the Conservative candidate for the new parliamentary constituency of Filton and Bradley Stoke as the 1/6 favourite.

The Liberal Democrats are second in the betting at 6/1, followed by Labour at 10/1.

Bradley Stoke is currently covered by the two parliamentary constituencies of Bristol North West, represented by Doug Naysmith (Labour Co-operative), and Northavon, represented by Steve Webb (Liberal Democrat).

Boundary changes which come into effect at the General Election put the whole of the town in the new constituency of Filton and Bradley Stoke, which also includes Almondsbury, Downend, Patchway, Pilning, Severn Beach, Staple Hill, Stoke Gifford and Winterbourne.

The prospective candidates of the three main parties are:

• Ian Boulton (Labour)
• Jack Lopresti (Conservative)
• Peter Tyzack (Liberal Democrat)

Related links:

• Filton and Bradley Stoke – General Election 2010 (The Journal)
• Constituency Betting Odds (Ladbrokes)

Discussion is open - be the first to comment - click here to respond.

A proposed rapid transit scheme that could see a high-speed bus service linking Bristol city centre with Bradley Stoke has had its scope extended to include Cribbs Causeway.

The move, endorsed at a meeting of the West of England Partnership’s (WoEP) Joint Transport Executive (JTE) Committee on Thursday, is said to be “in response to the views of the public expressed during consultation”.

The £197 million scheme was originally planned to run as far as the Aztec West Business Park, but will now continue on to The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, via Patchway.

A report submitted to the JTE Committee states that:

“… the route [to Cribbs Causeway] adds benefits to the package and the cost of this additional section can be incorporated into the funding available.”

The report also states that the service between Bristol and Cribbs Causeways, nominally numbered X90, will operate with a 10 minute frequency.

The scheme is part of the larger North Fringe to Hengrove Package, which also incorporates a new Stoke Gifford by-pass and a park and ride facility beside the M32 at Stapleton.

If implemented, the scheme will see special ‘bendy buses’ running on dedicated lanes along the full length of Bradley Stoke Way.

The latest plans foresee four stops in the town: Bradley Stoke South (Baileys Court), The Willow Brook Centre, Patchway Brook Roundabout (Aldi) and Woodlands Lane.

The proposals must now be approved by the Cabinets of South Gloucestershire Council (meeting on 1st March) and Bristol City Council (25th March) before a bid is submitted to the government’s Department of Transport.

The Journal Comments

This scheme has a long way to go before it gets the green light from central government. It is already a large project and the extension to Cribbs Causeway adds yet more complexity.

This factor, combined with the expected pressure on government expenditure over the next few years, leaves the project vulnerable to cancellation or curtailment.

The latest report from the WoEP describes the route between UWE and Bristol city centre as being the “core section” of the scheme. So does that mean that anything beyond this might be sacrificed when budgets come under pressure?

MPs and Councillors representing Bradley Stoke need to be active in stressing the importance of the Stoke Gifford by-pass and the need for a high-speed, reliable, bus service for our town.

More information and related links:

• Report to the WoEP JTE Committee, 4th Feb 2010 [PDF, 735KB]
• North Fringe Rapid Transit (The Journal)

Discussion is open - 1 comment (view) - click here to respond.

Fashion retailer Peacocks has submitted a planning application for the construction of a mezzanine floor in its anticipated new store in Bradley Stoke.

Plans submitted with the application show that the addition of a second level will increase the internal floor space of the shop by 33%.

The application also reveals that the store will be located in unit 3 of the ‘retail terrace’, placing it between the existing Brantano and Pets at Home outlets.

The Willow Brook Centre is yet to officially confirm Peacocks as a new tenant, but Manager Scott Lahive has said that the store could open “just after Easter”.

Peacocks are currently recruiting for staff – more details on our Bradley Stoke Jobs page.

Discussion is open - be the first to comment - click here to respond.

Enrolment for Radio Workshops is now open – all ages welcome

Bradley Stoke Community Radio Association (BSCRA), under the guidance of Southern Brooks Community Partnership (SBCP), has announced that it has been successful in securing grant funding to provide radio workshops for the residents of Bradley Stoke.

The workshops are seen as the first step towards establishing a community radio station in Bradley Stoke, along the lines of the highly successful Gloss FM (formerly Thornbury FM).

Winsome Barrett-Muir of SBCP explains:

These workshops are suitable for all ages – you need only attend one. They will introduce you to a radio studio and the use of the recording equipment, how to put a programme together, how to conduct an interview and what is involved in setting up and managing a community radio station.

The workshops will be fun and enjoyable with plenty of opportunities for you to have a go in the studio. We’re expecting the workshops to be popular so please contact us at Southern Brooks Community Partnership to book a place.

The workshop dates are:

• Friday 26th February 2010, 9.30am – 3pm
• Saturday 27th February 2010, 10am – 3pm
• Monday 1st March 2010, 6pm – 9pm

All workshops will be held at Bradley Stoke Community School. Lunch and a crèche will be provided for those who require it.

To book a place, please email Winsome Barrett-Muir (winsomebmuir@sbcommunitypartnership.org.uk) or call the SBCP office on 01454 868570/1.

Ofcom defines community radio stations as “a new type of not-for-profit radio service, designed to operate on a small-scale and to deliver community benefits (‘social gain’) to one or more communities”.

To date, 214 such stations have been awarded licences, of which 159 are currently broadcasting.

More information and related links:

• Bradley Stoke Community Radio Workshops – Poster [PDF]
• Community Media Association
• Community Radio Toolkit

Discussion is open - be the first to comment - click here to respond.

A local businessman has claimed that customers of the Tesco petrol filling station in Bradley Stoke are being charged a premium compared to other Tesco garages in the Bristol area.

The man, who does not wish to be named, claims that prices at the Tesco garage in Staple Hill are consistently up to to 3p a litre cheaper than Bradley Stoke, which can add almost £2 to the price of a full tank.

The facts are that Tesco are selling fuel at up to 3p per litre cheaper at other stations of theirs, when this fuel all comes from Avonmouth at the same cost.

How can this be justified? Or is it that they feel the residents of Bradley Stoke can afford it?

He added that staff at the Bradley Stoke garage have told him that Tesco no longer operates a price comparision policy on fuel but maintain that their petrol and diesel remain “competitively priced”.

When The Journal checked prices today, the cheapest five sources within five miles of Bradley Stoke were all offering unleaded at 108.9p per litre, 2p cheaper than the 110.9p asked at Bradley Stoke.

We weren’t able to check the price at Tesco Staple Hill, but Tesco Eastville prices were 1p lower than Bradley Stoke when we checked on Sunday.

Related links:

• Cheap petrol & diesel (MoneySavingExpert.com)
• Find the lowest petrol prices in your area (PetrolPrices.com)

Discussion is open - 1 comment (view) - click here to respond.