Oldfield Park Growing Together

Quite often there has been bad press arising regarding the relationship between students and permanent residents in Oldfield Park. In order to help remedy this and improve the relationship between permanent residents and students in this area, the charity V Inspired, the Council, University of Bath and Bath Spa University’s Students’ Unions have created a project that aims to do just that.

The project, run by a core volunteer group of 4 students, seeks to match underutilised student household gardens with permanent residents who wish to grow their own food (responding to a local lack of allotments). The proposal is for a research project that will lead to a pilot scheme, designed and delivered by the volunteer group working in and with the community.

Currently being carried out is research into the market by distributing questionnaires, and semi structured interviews to determine the likely supply of gardens and also estimated demand for growing space in the community. The group are also attending local community meetings and collaborating with similar schemes that already exist such as the Bath Area Garden Share (part of Transition Bath) and Bath Organic Group, and taking inspiration from existing garden share schemes such as the one in Totnes, Devon.

The aim of this part of the project is to find out if it is feasible within the Oldfield Park area. If it is found to be feasible, by the middle of April it is hoped that two gardens will be being piloted with members of the local community using student gardens to plant their vegetables in, just in time for the recommended planting season!

If you feel your garden has a good space that someone could grow their veggies in please contact us!! If you are interested in getting involved or would like more information please email: op.growers@googlemail.com

Temp closure of Moorland Road (near the Triangle)

The Council has advised of the temporary closure to vehicles that length of Moorland Road which extends from its junction with Triangle East to its junction with Triangle North.

This notice is required because works are being proposed from the 16th February for a maximum period of five days. However, the restriction may not be effected for the whole of the period but it is anticipated that the road will be closed as and when traffic signs are in position and only for so long as is necessary to execute the works which it is anticipated will be for FOUR DAYS.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTE – Moorland Road (unaffected part), Herbert Road, Cynthia Road, West Avenue, Triangle North.

Public Consultation on the Future of Newton Park Campus of Bath Spa University

Bath Spa University is consulting on their initial proposals for the future development and combining enhancement of the Newton Park campus.

The University would like to hear your views on the emerging Newton Park master-plan exhibited here, which will provide the basis for planning applications coming forward in the future.

We both believe that it is important local residents of Oldfield Park have their say about the need for the University (actually both universities) to build and house more students in Halls of Residents on their campus and take some of the pressure off the local housing in our community.

Both Will and Shaun have already attended the exhibtion and have spoken informally with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Frank Morgan, about the plans. We will be also adding our formal comments to the online consultation exercise.

The University has stated that local residents comments and views are important to them in helping to shape their proposals. Feedback from the exhibition and future consultation will be carefully considered as part of the ongoing design work.

The consultation documents are also availble as a large (6MB pdf) doc.

Please do respond to this consultation exercise and encourage your friends and neighbours to also respond.

Time Running Out for Two Tunnels Decision

The Council’s Cabinet member responsible for transport has been accused of putting the Two Tunnels shared path project at risk by delaying a decision on the Council’s support package, including £396,000 in capital funding.

Cllr Paul Crossley (Southdown), Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, has written to the Cabinet member responsible for this decision to urge him to approve the funding. Cllr Crossley said:

This is an amazing project and it is right that the Council should support it. The Lib Dems want to see the tunnels brought back to life as a new cycle way into and out of the city. The delay in approving the Council package of involvement for the project is putting the whole scheme at risk. It’s time for the dithering to stop.

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Passenger number rise at Oldfield Park Station

The Progress Report (January 2010) from the Sevenside Community Rail Partnership reports that average passenger numbers on weekdays have risen from 841 in 2007 to 974 in 2009.

The Partnership was formed in the summer 2004 to identify and implement measures to encourage the use of local train routes in our area. The Partnership covers the area bounded by Gloucester, Bath / Freshford, W-M-S, Taunton and the Severn Estuary.

Our Council finally supports the partnership along with other local Councils, FGW, Business West and English Partnerships. This last year as seen the Government’s announcement of the planned electrification of the London – Bristol route by 2017, which should bring benefits to Oldfield Park station.

Last year artwork prepared by Oldfield Park Infant School was installed at Oldfield Park Station. Thanks to the hard work of June Player and the ‘On-board’ – the Oldfield Park station group – further landscaping was carried out. ‘On-board’ are always looking out for further members, so please to contact us to find out more details.

Pines Way cycling scheme

Finally the Council has announced that is to install a new shared use path footway on the east side of the Pine Ways to enable cyclists to travel safely between Oldfield Park and the city centre. The proposal is for cyclists to link to the pelican crossing on the Lower Bristol Road on the east side of Pines Way and join a shared use path footway on the east side of Pines Way so cyclists do not have to travel around Pines Ways. This proposal has already been consulted upon and will be installed in the next few months.

Cuts to the Saturday bus service

Cuts are being made to Saturday bus services in Oldfield Park and across the city after a fall-off in demand. According to First, general travel patterns have changed over the past 12 months with fewer people travelling on Saturdays, but more on Sundays. Changes to a variety of buses serving Bath and surrounding areas are being made accordingly and will come into force from Sunday.

The 10 will run every 12 minutes, instead of every 10, the 6 and 7 will run every 30 minutes on both routes instead of every 20, and the X39 will run every 15 minutes between 10am and 5pm.

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Bristol Airport “Tracker” System to go live

The long awaited ‘Tracker’ system at Bristol Airport is to go live on Monday (1st February), allowing Airport staff to keep tabs on the exact route and height of all aircraft.

The system has been called for by Bath MP Don Foster following numerous complaints from Bath residents that aircraft are flying too low over the city. Now, with a call to the Airport noise management service, staff will be able to produce a graphic record of any flight which may have caused concern. Bath MP Don said,

This system is really going to help us deal with the issue of low flying aircraft. Now all complaints to the noise management service can be dealt with more effectively and information passed on to airlines if needed. I would urge all residents to report what they believe to be low flying aircraft to the Bristol Airport noise management service. As this system beds in I hope we will be able to significantly reduce the problem of low flying planes over Bath.

Please click here for the Bristol International Airport noise management service

Lobbying the Goverment over local rail issues

All four local Councils have written to Lord Adonis regarding our joint concerns over the lack of clarity on the provision of sufficient rolling stock to cater for passengers using train services in the West of England. A copy of the letter was also sent to Mark Hopwood, Managing Director of First Great Western.

The full text of the letter can be seen below:
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Bristol Airport Expansion decision should be called in – Foster

Bath MP Don Foster has written to Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government John Denham, asking him to call-in the planning decision to expand Bristol International Airport. In his letter, Don says that,

the expansion of the airport would have significant effects beyond its immediate locality, and has generated a large amount of regional controversy.

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