Clifton Down Greenvine
Local and Bristol-wide news from your Green Party Councillors,
Carla Denyer and Clive Stevens
July 2018
Contents
Local news
Useful info for residents
City-wide work
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Local news - Clifton Down
Blackboy Hill crossing
A pelican crossing on Whiteladies Road at the base of Blackboy Hill has been the subject of much lobbying, and we are now pleased to report some success.
The crossing previously favoured cars and made pedestrians wait a very long time, even outside of rush hour. This is despite the fact that there is a primary school near the junction which has buildings on both sides of the crossing, meaning that a lot of children cross it regularly. So Clive has worked with Highways officers to get the timing on this crossing adjusted so that, outside of rush hours, the lights change more quickly after the button is pressed.
Redland Library
The Mayor has recently announced a u-turn on his proposed library closures, stating that all libraries will be kept open until 2020. Councillors and campaigners are relieved by the news but are concerned that this is a ‘stay of execution’ until the next election rather than a permanent solution. We will continue to do all we can to support Friends of Redland Library and Save Redland Library.
Motorbike thefts
There has been a spate of thefts of motorbikes from our area. Avon & Somerset police are tackling it with ‘Operation Buell’, and they have published tips for keeping your motorbike safe – please share with any friends and neighbours who own motorbikes.
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Useful info for residents
How to order new bins and recycling boxes
Want to know when your bins will be collected? Need to order a new recycling box? Not sure which items go in which box? All this and more can be found on Bristol Waste's guide to your home waste collection service.
Have your say - 20mph consultation now open
The Council are currently reviewing how 20mph speed limits operate across the city and wants the views of residents. Make sure you have your say on this by feeding into the consultation.
Get specialist advice on citizen's rights and Brexit
On the 31st July there will be a free Q&A session with an EU Commission solicitor on post-Brexit citizen's rights in Hamilton House, organised by Bristol's Europe Direct Information Centre. Questions can be e-mailed in advance.
Come along to Cycle Sunday on 16th Sept
This year's Cycle Sunday is taking place on the Clifton and Durdham Downs. Come and enjoy traffic-free cycling for people of all ages and abilities.
Could you volunteer to read with children at your local school?
Would you be able to give an hour a week to help 5-7 year old children who have fallen behind with their reading? Bristol needs more volunteers to read with children to improve reading skills, confidence and encourage a love of reading. Apply with Cities of Service today.
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City-wide work
What Green Councillors have been up to across Bristol
Let's get on and build Bristol's Arena in the city centre
Green Councillors have led calls for Bristol's planned Arena to be built in the city centre as planned, not in an out-of-town site at Filton Airfield as recently proposed by the company YTL.
Green Councillors tabled a motion to Full Council in support of the city centre site behind Temple Meads, which is shovel-ready and would be owned by the council not a private company. This was successfully voted through by councillors and over 5000 people also signed a petition saying they feel the Arena should be built in the city centre as planned. The final decision will be made by the Labour Mayor in September, but so far there are worrying signs that despite calls from all sides, he is leaning towards the alternative Filton site described by Massive Attack as a 'big shed in a carpark'. More information on this work here.
Urgent help needed for communities suffering with dangerous parking
As councillors we receive reports of illegal and dangerous parking on a daily basis. Dangerous parking puts people's lives at risk by preventing emergency services from accessing homes and forcing people in wheelchairs and those pushing buggies into the road when they can't get past cars on the pavement.
Communities across the city are struggling to find solutions to parking issues, and desperately need the specialist support from the Council's highways agency to help them do so. Green councillor Fi Hance tabled a motion to Full Council calling on the Mayor to allocate more resources to help communities who are working to address parking problems in their area, and we will continue to push for this to be made a priority.
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We need a 'people's vote' on any Brexit deal
At July's Full Council Green Councillors voted in favour of a 'People's Vote' on the final Brexit deal, including an option for remaining in the EU. Democracy didn't end in June 2016. When we know the full terms of the Brexit deal we should have a democratic right to vote on the deal to decide whether we still think leaving the EU is in the best interests of the country.
Challenging Bristol airport's greenwash
Green Councillors are opposing the expansion of Bristol airport and Councillor Carla Denyer has challenged the airports 'greenwash' on its carbon targets. The airport publicly announced it hoped to be carbon neutral by 2030. However, it has emerged that the airport has no plan in place for delivering this rapid decarbonisation, and more shockingly, it does not include the emissions from flights in the calculation of its carbon footprint.
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