The Bradley Stoke Journal

Hundreds of metres of cable trenches are currently being dug around Bradley Stoke, to provide power to real-time information displays at bus stops on the ‘showcase’ 73 route.

The work began in April last year, when the stop opposite Bradley Stoke Surgery was first to be connected to the grid.

Money from central government is being used to provide the displays, through the Greater Bristol Bus Network (GBBN) project.

Electricity cables from the stops are being connected to street lamp bases but in many cases the lengthy trenches can be seen to pass several other lamps along the way.

A worker installing a cable to a stop on Brook Way, near Hawkins Crescent, where a street lamp stands directly behind the stop, told a Journal reporter that connections had to be made to lamps controlled by Western Power Distribution rather than South Gloucestershire Council (SGC). As the lamps on Brook Way belong to SGC, a 50+ metre trench has had to be constructed to reach the “right” sort of lamp in Hawkins Crescent (photo).

Dear Editor,

Tesco Willow Brook Centre has major designed-in parking problems, resulting in discord between Tesco and its customers as detailed in previous posts and countless pub, office and back fence whinging sessions.

1. The general car park design is terrible (there is never a trolley shed anywhere near your car and there is a garden right across where you need to push the trolley to your car and the rows are all diagonal so you either have to make a long deviation or go between the cars, risking scratching them). I imagine the excessive number of spaces for disabled people that are never used is forced on them by some guideline or rule but that does not absolve them of the need to fight this nationally – having 4 times more spaces than they need does disabled people no good at all but builds resentment (against the store and rule makers, not the disabled themselves I hope!) among those who are denied access to them for no good  reason.

Read on for more problems perceived by the author »

The driver of a bus heading for Bradley Stoke stopped his vehicle at Parkway Station and refused to continue his journey, according to a report in the Bristol Evening Post.

Ten passengers on the last number 73 bus from Bristol City Centre to Patchway (via Bradley Stoke) on Friday night were told to get off the bus and find their own way home.

A spokesman for bus operator First told the Evening Post:

“We are currently investigating the issues surrounding the events of the night of 8th April in relation to service 73 and apologise for any inconvenience and distress caused to our customers on the journey in question.”

Read more: Bristol bus driver refused to continue journey & told passengers to find other way home

Related link: Bus Services in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)

South Gloucestershire Council has begun work to create a new bus lane on a major commuter route between Bradley Stoke and Bristol city centre.

A new bus lane is being added to the southbound carriageway of Great Stoke Way, on the approach to the Abbey Wood roundabout.

The Council says the work should be finished by September and will be phased to avoid busy traffic periods, but adds that “some delays may be experienced”.

Read more:

• Work started to build a new bus lane in Stoke Gifford
• Bus lane proposed to speed journeys on route 73

South Gloucestershire Council has issued a series of statutory notices relating to the construction of a new bus lane of the A38 Gloucester Road between Little Stoke and the Aztec West Roundabout.

The consultation period runs until Thursday 4th February.

Read more: South Gloucestershire Council Consultation Diary