John Penrose
Campaigns - Transport
New development is increasing the strain on our existing infrastructure. Over 20,000 residents commute outside the constituency to work every day. We need more jobs in Weston to reduce commuting to Bristol, with better rail and bus links as an alternative to the M5.
John is calling for major developments at Worle and Weston train stations to cope with increasing passenger demands. He has made a detailed submission to the Strategic Rail Authority to improve local rail services under the Greater Western Rail Franchise. The proposals include the development of Worle station, a fast link to Bristol, with longer platforms and improved facilities at the station. Car parking at the station should be expanded and made free of charge.
John wants a minimum half hourly service to Bristol throughout the day. Bristol trains should continue through Temple Meads (to include additional stops) right through to Bristol Parkway. This would allow access to the multiple employment districts in Bristol. He also argues for an increase in ‘through’ London trains to and from Weston-super-Mare.
In his submission, John calls for the existing single track line into Weston railway station to be made two way to improve reliability and increase capacity to match the town’s growth.
In addition, he is campaigning for the development of rail freight services to limit the passage of long distance HGVs through local villages like Banwell and Congresbury.
The constituency desperately need new measures to take the strain off our roads. John is submitting detailed proposals for better road, rail and bus links through the joint local transport plan and the greater Bristol strategic transport study.
Updates
MP wins his train campaignTories reject 'blanket ban' on expansion of airportsCongestion charges take a step nearerMP urges action to end train crowdingMP urges ministers to act over crowded trainsSpare us from train congestion hell, says MPSomething fishy, Mr penrose?Airport jobs to goProfessor hits out at airline cuts to flightsWeight restriction plan to solve road problemPlan for HGV restrictionsKeep it down and extend bus service, says MPCommuters to benefit from railway revampPlans for improvement work at Worle Parkway train station have been welcomed by Weston-super- Mare MP John PenroseAirport expansion plans should include noise checks, says MPStation gets high-speed train boostHigh Speed Train DelightProgress in airport talksRail works to hit servicesExtra M5 Lanes ‘Are Cutting Jams’Village Will Not Get BypassStudy Kills Off Village Bypass HopeMP demands Government action in bid to ground noisy aircraftRow Over Delay In Forcing HGV's Off RoadRow Over Delay In Banning HGV's From Country RoadsRow In Bid To Curb LorriesDismay At HGV Decision DelayMP Takes Up Plane NoiseMissing Link On The Way?Right Road Towards Airport Link?West beware! It's Britain's biggest road contraflowCameras To Enforce Life In The Slow LaneCentre Of The WorleCut Lorries On Beauty Spot RouteMP Calls For Truck BanMP Calls For Ban On LorriesImprove Rail Link Urges MPPut Transport First, Says MPWe Must Expand Station Before Gridlock Sets InNo Hope For M5 JunctionMP Slams Agency Over M5 InactionCommuters Snubbed By CommitteeAgency Of ObstructionRailway Consultation Is A Farce, Says Tory MP
MP wins his train campaign
5 October 2007 Bristol Evening Post
A Weston MP is claiming victory for a two-year campaign to improve train services in Worle after First Great Western announced its new timetable.
John Penrose, above, has been driving for the last two years to improve fast-track commuter train services between Weston, Worle and Bristol.
This week First Great Western announced the new Weston-Worle-Bristol High Speed Trains (HST) rush hour commuter link, along with a new evening pattern of hourly HSTs from Paddington and Bristol, calling at both Weston and Worle stations.
The changes will come into effect on December 9.
Mr Penrose said: "This is great news.
"Car drivers will have a real alternative to battling queues on to the M5."
Andrew Griffiths, First Great Western Regional Manager, said:
Thanks to the £110 million upgrade of our HST fleet and an £11 million upgrade of our local trains fleet, our customers will be seeing a much improved rail service in the region."
Tories reject 'blanket ban' on expansion of airports
2 October 2007 Bristol Evening Post
David Cameron has abandoned controversial Tory proposals to block the expansion of Bristol Airport.
Turning his back on a "blanket ban" on expansion recommended by advisors, the Conservative leader has insisted that all airport developments should "go through the planning system in the proper way".
The party will now restrict its plans to curb air travel to taxing aircraft, rather than passengers through air passenger duty.
The Tories were widely criticised last month when a policy review - which is expected to form part of their election manifesto - called for a moratorium on airport development.
Bristol Airport chief executive Paul Kehoe branded it a "ticket to misery" for the region.
Mr Cameron revealed his decision to abandon the policy review recommendation at the Tory conference in Blackpool.
This means under a Tory government, the masterplan drawn up for Bristol International Airport, which envisages a doubling of passenger numbers to nine million by 2015, would initially have to go through the regional planning process.
The move was welcomed by Conservative politician John Penrose. He said it ensured any decisions about the development would be taken at a local level.
The Weston-super-Mare MP said the expansion plans had left residents in villages under the flight path, such as Yatton and Congresbury, particularly concerned about noise pollution and traffic congestion.
He told the Evening Post: "I'm glad to see David Cameron recognises that the impact of aircraft noise on local residents and airport traffic congestion on local villages is something that must be dealt with by North Somerset Council.
"(Woodspring MP) Liam Fox and I have both written to North Somerset Council saying we believe that Bristol Airport needs to do more to deal with these problems before their plans can be approved.
"David Cameron is also right to say that the bigger issues of carbon emissions and global warming caused by air travel is something which needs to be dealt with at a national and international level, rather than expecting Bristol International Airport's expansion plans to solve the problems on their own."
Congestion charges take a step nearer
22 May 2007 Bristol Evening Post
Bristol motorists face being among the first in the country to be forced to pay as they drive under Government plans unveiled today.
The Department for Transport plans to offer cash and control over bus services to tempt councils into agreeing to test the controversial scheme.
With local frustrations over the high cost of fares it means Bristol is ripe for becoming a pilot.
The city council would be given powers to cap ticket prices, increase frequency and set routes under the draft transport bill published this morning.
Weston MP Conservative John Penrose rounded on the plans for penalising workers in Bristol.
He said: "Over 20,000 local people commute daily out of Weston constituency.
The majority work in and around Bristol. They would be heavily penalised by the introduction of such tough measures.
"What options do our commuters really have? They are never going to find that number of extra jobs closer to home. As Weston expands, people are going to have to travel out of the constituency to work in ever-increasing numbers."
Road pricing will be tested in at least one big city within five years but Manchester or Birmingham are the favourites to lead the way.
The Government is offering a share of a £200 million a year pot for local authorities that agree to introduce charging schemes.
Satellite tracking or electronic tags are expected to be used to monitor how far drivers travel and then bill them per mile.
The cities will submit bids to become the first pilot in July and the winner will be chosen by the end of the year. The first trial would then start in around 2012.
Bristol has already investigated running such a scheme but ultimately it would be up to the council to decide if it wants to go ahead with a trial.
Under the draft bill all money raised would have to be used to "benefit the local area".
Motorists using the busiest roads face paying out up to £1.30 a mile under the national scheme.
Earlier this year the Downing Street website was brought to a grinding halt when almost two million people signed an online petition calling on Tony Blair to abandon the policy.
But business leaders in the Bristol have backed the plans, fearing congestion problems will cost the city millions.
Average traffic waiting times - per person per mile for bus and car passengers - are predicted to rise by 14 per cent in the city by 2010/2011, according to the Government.
Over the next five years the city council is expected to put more than £50 million in to transforming the public transport, with transport firm First spending £20 million on state-of-the-art buses.
The improved infrastructure includes 10 new major bus transport corridors, known as "showcase" bus routes.
Lib Dem Stephen Williams, MP for Bristol West, said: "On the question of great regulatory powers over public transport, I would welcome that.
"It would do the damage caused by the abolition of Avon County Council in 1996.
"But on congestion charging we will need to see what support is on offer to support such a radical move.
"Bristol, unlike London, has to compete with out of town office and shopping developments. We need to make sure people are not discouraged from travelling in to the city."
MP urges action to end train crowding
14 June 2007 Bristol Evening Post
Overcrowded trains are still causing a problem for commuters travelling out of Weston-super-Mare, according to the town's MP.
John Penrose , who is a regular train user, said he had been forced to raise the issue with First Great Western after more complaints.
He had a meeting with the firm where he talked about the problems commuters in North Somerset faced and discussed new survey results.
Passenger Focus, the independent national rail consumer watchdog, published its latest survey last week containing views of 25,334 rail users. It found that overall passenger satisfaction with First Great Western services had slumped.
Mr Penrose said: "I've been getting a lot of complaints from fellow travellers, particularly about overcrowding. The passenger survey shows a significant seven per cent decline in passenger satisfaction on 'sufficient room for standing/sitting'.
"That's the worst decline in customer satisfaction about overcrowded trains in the entire country."
"I will be encouraging First Great Western to address these concerns in their new timetable."
No one from First was available for comment before the Post went to press
MP urges ministers to act over crowded trains
20 June 2007 Bristol Evening Post
Weston Mp John Penrose has called for the Government to take action over "severe" train overcrowding and congestion in North Somerset.
During question time in the Commons yesterday he demanded Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander make a commitment to improving local services.
He told MPs that drivers in the region faced congestion on the roads and local train services were packed to capacity.
The Conservative MP, a regular train user, said: "Does the Secretary of State agree that, in places such as my constituency, where junction 21 of the M5 is badly congested at peak hours, it is essential to have a high-quality commuter rail scheme and that, for stations such as Worle, where there is bad overcrowding, we are moving in the wrong direction, with reduced rather than increased services?
"Will he make a commitment to people who wait for trains at Worle station and elsewhere in North Somerset that some of the resources that he mentioned will be targeted at the severe rail congestion there?"
Passenger Focus, the independent national rail consumer watchdog, published a survey earlier this month containing views of 25,334 rail users.
It found that overall passenger satisfaction with First Great Western services had slumped.
Mr Alexander insisted there had been sustained investment in services but the Government was still trying to put right years of under-investment by the Conservatives.
He said: "I doubt whether he would expect me to pre-announce such specific elements from the high-level output specification, which will be before the House in only a few weeks.
"Transport ministers used to claim that we had the most efficient railway in Europe. I regret that, all too often, that was code for the fact that money was not spent on maintenance or capacity, and we are therefore trying to catch up."
Spare us from train congestion hell, says MP
21 June 2007 Weston & Worle News
Weston mp John Penrose will question First Great Western on the problems of overcrowding on trains at a private meeting this week.
Mr Penrose said: "I have been getting a lot of complaints from fellow travellers about overcrowding.
"The good news for the environment is that local rail passenger numbers have grown by roughly six per cent.
"But we need to encourage more passengers off the roads and on to public transport. That's why it's doubly important to provide enough safe, clean trains to meet the demand - otherwise we'll be facing congestion hell.
"I will be encouraging First Great Western to address these concerns in its new timetable, which is due for consultation.
"We need more capacity, particularly at peak times, especially on the Bristol to Weston routes."
Something fishy, Mr penrose?
28 June 2007 Weston & Worle News
There was something fishy about a meeting between Weston MP John Penrose and a rail campaigner last week.
But that is exactly what you would expect when the campaigner in question is a giant sardine.
Sardine Man visited Mr Penrose to talk about the region's problems with overcrowding on trains, where he says passengers are packed in like sardines.
Mr Penrose said: "If we are to meet our international obligations on climate change we need to put rail at the heart of a green transport strategy.
"This Government is failing to tackle overcrowding on the railways. Instead of empty words and promises, it needs to make decisions on capacity-enhancing projects quickly to avoid people turning away from the railways."
Airport jobs to go
8 March 2007 Weston Mercury
BOSSES at Bristol International Airport say they are 'saddened' and 'disappointed' at an airline's decision to cut services in and out of the site, which will mean the loss of jobs.
Following the sale of British Airways Connect, which operates nine routes in and out of BIA, new owner Flybe has announced it will not continue to run current flights from Bristol to Milan, Zurich and Munich after March 25. The announcement could mean the loss of over 60 jobs.
The sale to the low-cost operator was prompted by BA Connect's £6million loss in the first half of the 2006-07 financial year.
Tony Hallwood, aviation development director at BIA said: "We are disappointed at Flybe's announcement to terminate BA Connect's operations at the airport from March 25, following its acquisition of the airline. We understand this decision has not been made due to a lack of demand on the routes served by BA Connect, but is rather a decision resulting from the merger of its services.
"We are saddened that this news will now result in a loss of a number of BA Connect jobs at the airport and the withdrawal of some scheduled service destinations.
"We are confident we will be in a position to announce positive news on a number of the routes affected by Flybe's decision in the near future.
"We can confirm that the BA service to Tenerife and the Flybe service to Jersey will remain unaffected.
"Bristol International will be making further announcements regarding replacement services and the ongoing development of our domestic and international route network in the near future."
Weston MP, John Penrose, is asking for an urgent briefing on redundancy plans following the announcement by Flybe. He said: "I am very concerned about the impact of this decision on Weston.
"The routes will be gone before the end of the month and the most important thing now is to keep any potential job losses to an absolute minimum.
"I will be contacting Flybe for a briefing on the impact of redundancies on the local community. As I understand it, there will be over 60 ground services posts lost, on top of the redeployment of pilots, engineers and cabin crew to other locations.
"This is bad news for our regional aviation industry."
Professor hits out at airline cuts to flights
8 March 2007 Bristol Evening Post
A Professor who flies between Bristol and Milan every week is outraged that the route is being cancelled by airline Flybe.
Professor Gordon McVie, right, the former chief executive of the charity Cancer Research UK, makes the weekly visits to the European Institute of Oncology in Milan where he is a research director.
This week, operator Flybe announced that it would no longer be running flights from Bristol International Airport from March 25, following a takeover of BA Connect services.
This includes flights to Milan, Zurich and Munich that were previously run by BA Connect as well as routes to Paris, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Professor McVie, 62, said he will now have to travel to Heathrow to get the weekly flights.
He said: "I am a regular flyer with BA Connect and have collected 400,000 air miles with them.
"I think they have treated their customers and staff very shoddily."
Mike Rutter, chief commercial officer at Flybe, said: "My team and I took a long hard look at BA Connect's operations out of Bristol and regretfully could not make an economic case for their retention.
"We will be offering all affected staff relocation opportunities and affected customers alternative flights or full refunds."
Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose has called for an urgent briefing on redundancy plans for the 193 staff who are affected. He said: "Coming hard on the Filton Airbus decision, this is bad news for our regional aviation industry."
Weight restriction plan to solve road problem
25 January 2007 Cheddar Valley Gazette
A ban is being proposed on long distance lorries using the A368 from Churchill to West Harptree.
An experimental weight restriction order has been proposed for the road, which has been the source of complaint for years from residents.
North Somerset Council is in discussions with Bath and North East Somerset District Council (BANES) over the proposals which could see more trucks using the A371 through the Axbridge, Cheddar and Draycott.
North Somerset Executive member for strategic planning and transport, John Crockford-Hawley, is to invite his opposite number in neighbouring BANES, Cllr Sir Elgar Jenkins, to agree to the implementation of a joint experimental weight restriction order on a cross-boundary section of the A368 between Churchill crossroads and West Harptree.
Cllr Crockford-Hawley said: "To a certain extent the officially designated HGV routes help keep most heavy vehicles on particular roads, even though many of these are themselves inadequate, such as the main A371 through Cheddar.
"Other roads which are not so designated are also open to HGV traffic unless weight restrictions have been put in place. Currently the A368 Churchill - Blagdon - eastwards and the B3134 Burrington Combe and across the Mendip Hills have no weight restrictions.
"The main road through Banwell, the A368, is part of the Primary Route Network deemed suitable, though probably not seen as ideal by the Department for Transport as a legitimate route for heavy vehicles."
Trucks operating locally would still be able to use the A368.
Cllr Crockford-Hawley said that official surveys had established that more than 80 per cent of the lorries would retain the right to travel on these roads despite the imposition of any weight limit.
The police have said they would consider enforcement to be a very low priority.
Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose said: "These traffic problems have been getting steadily worse for years. Unless we take action locally, there's little immediate prospect of improving the lives of people living in these rural villages. A weight restriction isn't a complete solution, but it's a sensible and positive first step."
Plan for HGV restrictions
25 January 2007 Weston & Worle News
Heavy goods vehicles could be banned from a stretch of the A368 near Banwell if proposals by a leading district councillor are accepted by his counterpart from Bath and North East Somerset Council.
In a letter to Cllr Sir Elgar Jenkins, BANES executive member for strategic planning and transport, Cllr John Crockford-Hawley invites him to agree to the implementation of an experimental weight restriction order on a cross-boundary section of the road between Churchill Cross Road and West Harptree.
The proposals, aimed at stopping HGV vehicles using the route as a shortcut, would offer suitable places at either end of the restricted stretch of road for heavy vehicles to take designated detours.
Cllr Crockford-Hawley said: "We all agree that many of the roads are inadequate for the passage of heavy goods vehicles and that to a certain extent the officially designated routes help keep most heavy vehicles on particular roads.
"However, the problem arises because all vehicles which are deemed 'local' retain the right to travel on roads with weight restrictions.
"Our surveys recognise that more than 80 per cent of the lorries would retain the right to travel on these roads despite the imposition of any weight restriction order, thereby rendering the whole exercise questionable.
"Also, the police have said they would consider enforcement of the restrictions to be a very low priority.
"Such a move as proposed in my letter would cover a sufficiently long stretch of road to allow genuine local businesses the right to continue using the roads.
"I am not going to raise public expectation of a solution just because we are approaching election time, but if we are able to reach a compromise with BANES, then we might have found a way forward.
"In the meantime I will be asking the council's strategic planning and economic development scrutiny panel to scrutinise the work we have done so far and to advise me of any other workable options.
"I will also continue holding regular meetings with the freight industry in order to encourage best practice."
Weston MP John Penrose has backed the proposals, which he believes would relieve some of the traffic pressure on Banwell, Sandford and Churchill and on Stock Lane through Congresbury and Langford.
He said: "I have been campaigning for an HGV ban through the villages for several years.
"These traffic problems have been getting steadily worse for a long time.
"Residents have been waiting long enough. Unless we take action locally, there's little immediate prospect of improving the lives of people living in these villages.
"A weight restriction isn't a complete solution to the traffic problems in these villages, but it's a sensible and positive first step."
Keep it down and extend bus service, says MP
18 January 2007 Weston & Worle News
North Somerset Council should introduce day-time noise level restrictions on Bristol International Airport, says Weston MP John Penrose.
Mr Penrose made his suggestions in an open letter to the planning and regulatory committee chairman Peter Burden.
He also asked for an extension to the Airport Flyer bus service from one of Weston's railway stations.
The Flyer bus runs only between Bristol Temple Meads and the airport.
Commuters to benefit from railway revamp
18 January 2007 Weston & Worle News
Network Rail is to improve services on the main line between Taunton and Bristol.
Weston MP John Penrose said the rail company had confirmed it was planning to replace the single junction at Worle with a double junction, and it would also re-double one mile of track from the junction towards Weston's town centre station.
Mr Penrose said: "If we are going to beat gridlock and take some of the strain off our local roads and village communities, then the rail network needs to perform.
"This is the first phase of a multi-stage scheme.
"Network Rail has confirmed to me that this first phase is now fully funded, and is due to be completed next year.
"However, once phase one is up and running, it will facilitate and significantly reduce the cost of achieving the as yet unfunded phases two and three of the scheme.
"There are already more than 20,000 local people working outside the constituency every day.
"The rail service must give all travellers, particularly Weston's many daily commuters, a viable alternative to the car."
North Somerset councillor John Crockford-Hawley, in charge of transport in the area, described the news as 'advantageous to local travellers.'
He said: "We have been working closely with Network Rail since it was first revealed that expensive track maintenance would be taking place at Worle Junction.
"These plans will create increased capacity, both on the loop line and the faster main line.
"I am pleased Mr Penrose has supported the council's position and perhaps he will now exert pressure in Whitehall for a properly funded rail transport programme without which we cannot hope to see the first-rate public transport system needed in a modern society."
Train station work to help cut delays gets backing from MP.
Plans for improvement work at Worle Parkway train station have been welcomed by Weston-super- Mare MP John Penrose
17 January 2007 Bristol Evening Post
The scheme will see a single junction, and a mile of track between Weston and Worle doubled in size.
This will allow trains to stand clear of the main line, reducing the number of delays between Bristol and Taunton. The line will revert to a single track to the east of Weston Milton station as major improvements would be needed at this station to enable a double track here as well.
Mr Penrose said: "If we are going to beat gridlock and take some of the strain off our local roads and village communities then the rail network needs to perform. This is the first phase of a multi-stage scheme. It is due to be completed next year.
"The rail service must give all travellers, particularly Weston's many daily commuters, a viable alternative to the car."
John Crockford-Hawley, North Somerset Council executive member for transport, said: "I am pleased that our local MP has supported the council's position.
"Perhaps he will now exert pressure in Whitehall for a properly funded rail transport programme without which we cannot hope to see the first-rate public transport system needed."
Airport expansion plans should include noise checks, says MP
15 December 2006
Bristol Evening Post
Bristol International Airport's controversial £100 million expansion plans should include strict conditions to minimise aircraft noise, Weston MP John Penrose has urged.
The Tory MP is calling for the restrictions before the plan gets its first public examination next week.
Airport bosses will be giving a presentation to North Somerset Council's strategic planning and economic development scrutiny panel at Weston Town Hall on Wednesday.
But Mr Penrose has written to the authority asking it to consider planning restrictions on the expansion plans to minimise aircraft noise.
He said: "The council has already imposed noise quotas on night flights, but I am concerned that the airport's planned expansion will mean more noise from large jets throughout the day.
"I have asked North Somerset to consider extending the noise quotas so they apply throughout the day, and so that flights which stray off the official flight paths can be identified and penalised for the extra noise they cause.
"We all like to fly on business or for a holiday, but the convenience and freedom which Bristol Airport offers comes at a price.
"We have to balance the needs of local businesses and holidaymakers with protecting the environment from global warming and excessive aircraft noise.
"If people know there is a quota system in place to control aircraft noise, they are more likely to feel confident that their voices will be listened to and accept the expansion plans."
The scheme is expected to increase the number of passengers flying from the Lulsgate complex from six million this year to nine million in 2015.
The scrutiny panel's chairman Councillor Elfan Ap Rees said he wanted both the local and much broader ramifications of the airport to be considered before a final decision is made.
The master plan will also go before the council's North and Central area committees on January 11, the West area committee on January 15 and South area on January 17.
A final decision will then be made by members of its planning and regulatory committee at Weston Town Hall at 2.30pm, on January 18."
Station gets high-speed train boost
30 November 2006
Weston & Worle News
High-speed trains will be stopping at Worle Station from December next year, according to Weston MP John Penrose.
The announcement that First Great Western will introduce the stop was made during a private meeting between Mr Penrose and the regional manager of First Severn & Solent, Andrew Griffiths.
The length of the trains means only certain carriages will have doors opening on to the platform.
It follows last month's announcement by Network Rail that a new platform at Worle will form part of a £750 million regional investment plan in the next few years.
Mr Penrose said: "This is a very welcome movement.
"The platform at Worle isn't long enough for high speed trains, but it's no worse than stations like Nailsea and Yatton, where they manage fine.
"At the moment, commuters at Worle have to put up with a very limited service while trains sweep past with plenty of empty seats.
"Although this development has been on the cards at Worle for a while, I was delighted to get it finally confirmed.
"It's frustrating that we have to wait another year but it will certainly improve things when it finally arrives."
Mr Penrose warned that the development of Worle as a local transport hub must not be used as an excuse to cut services into the town's main station and should go some way to serving the 20,000 people who commute from the area every day.
North Somerset Council executive member for strategic planning and transport Cllr John Crockford-Hawley also welcomed the news.
He said: "The expansion and upgrading of Worle into a proper parkway station has been the aim for some time and we are delighted to see further acknowledgement of this development.
"But, despite these improvements, we need to keep the pressure on the rail industry to improve rolling stock and timetabling.
"We now have a ridiculous situation where more people are travelling by train and yet the capacity of rolling stock is seriously depleted.
"Combined pressure for improvements to our rail network, from councillors and MPs of all parties and the travelling public, is to be welcomed."
High Speed Train Delight
30th November 2006
Weston Mercury
HIGH speed trains will be able to stop at Worle Parkway railway station for the first time in December 2007.
First Great Western confirmed it will be introducing 'partial door opening' this time next year which will allow the faster trains to pick up and drop off passenger.
High speed trains have been stopping at Nailsea and Yatton for years and Weston MP John Penrose has been
campaigning for a fast link to Bristol for the 2,000-plus commuters working outside the town.
Mr Penrose said: "At the moment, commuters at Worle have to put up with a very limited service while high speed trains sweep past with plenty of empty seats.
"Although this development has been on the cards at Worle for a while, I am delighted to get it finally confirmed."
The decision by First follows last month's announcement by Network Rail to build a new platform at Worle station as part of a £750million regional investment plan."
RAIL WORKS TO HIT SERVICES
Weston & Worle News 9th November 2006
Rail commuters face three weeks of delays due to £10 million engineering works starting later this month.
More than six miles of new track and sleepers is being laid between Highbridge and Taunton from Saturday, November 18 to Friday, December 8.
This will have a knock-on effect on services throughout North Somerset.
No rail services will operate between Weston, Yatton, Nailsea and Backwell and Bristol at weekends for the duration of the works.
And the Virgin Cross Country trains which normally stop at Weston en route from Penzance to Edinburgh are being diverted to Bath Spa between Taunton and Bristol.
This will cut the number of services through North Somerset during the week and put pressure on other services.
Passengers wishing to travel to the south west will have to use bus replacement services between Weston and Taunton, via Highbridge and Bridgwater.
This will add up to an hour to journey times.
Network Rail is spending £750 million on improving tracks in the south west and this project is among the first to get off the ground.
The company says renewing the track will improve train performance and reliabilty and will make up for 25 years of under-investment.
Robbie Burns, Network Rail's western route director, said: "A large percentage of the rail track between London Paddington and the West Country dates from the 1960s and 1970s.
"This must be renewed if we are to deliver the best possible service for passengers.
"We know that disruption is always unwelcome, but this huge investment will improve the performance of the railway in the area."
Worle Station is to gain another platform in 2008, as part of the on-going improvements.
Work will be carried out at the junction to make it easier for trains to cross the busy mainline to enter the Weston loop, which is hoped will cut journey times.
The scheme was welcomed by Weston MP John Penrose who said it was a 'first step in the right direction'.
He said: "It will help develop Worle station as a local transport hub.
"I have been calling for a number of elements to be introduced at Worle - including a fast link to Bristol, with longer platforms and better passenger services at the station.
"Last year I made a detailed submission to the Strategic Rail Authority and First Group.
"Earlier this year I lobbied the Department of Transport over proposals for the cross country rail franchise.
"Whilst that has been going on, I have been working behind the scenes with Network Rail, the service providers and the Government to try to get more investment into our local rail system.
"There are already 20,000-plus local people working outside the constituency every day.
"The rail service must give all travellers, particularly Weston's many daily commuters, a viable alternative to the car.
"I still want clarification on rolling stock improvements and the investment in additional car and cycle parking spaces."
EXTRA M5 LANES ‘ARE CUTTING JAMS’
31st August 2006
New crawler lanes on the M5 in North Somerset reduced bank holiday jams, the Highways Agency claims.
The lanes, which took eight months to build, came in for their first big test on Monday during the homeward rush.
Highways officials said there was less disruption to traffic than usual as vehicles, including heavy Lorries and cars towing caravans, used the wider motorway.
Local observers agreed that the jams were shorter, but said there were still some problems.
Highways Agency spokesman Wailim Wong said: “The motorway widening does seem to have worked very well. We are very pleased about it. Motorists are used to the overtaking lanes and the heavy vehicles are pretty much obeying the signs. This gives people a bit more room to overtake.”
Alan Cotton, a North Somerset councillor in Clevedon, said: “The thing does flow better and the big delays in Portbury have been tending not to happen. However, I do not think the signage is as good as it could be to use in the inside lane.”
Mr Cotton said traffic had been congregating in the second, third and fourth lanes.
“This is defeating the whole object. It needs more signage to encourage people to use it [the crawler lane] and to use it properly. There needs to be signs on Avonmouth Bridge.”
John Penrose, MP for Weston-super-Mare, said the lane widening “has clearly improved the traffic flow and has made life better for the 26,000 who commute from Weston to Bristol every day.”
But he added: “The biggest bottleneck, though, is still the Weston exit at junction 21. We have tailbacks and 20-minute delays every day. The lane widening is a welcome improvement but there is still a long way to go.”
A 1.6-mile climber lane is on Naish Hill, southbound from junction 19, and a 1.5-mile lane is on Tickenham Hill, northbound from the Clevedon junction.
VILLAGE WILL NOT GET A BY-PASS
29th June 2006
After two years of consultations the final report of the Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study (GBSTS) was released on Tuesday.
Short-term projects include linking the A370 with the A38 near Barrow Gurney to form part of a South Bristol Ring Road, which traffic campaigners are hoping might alleviate congestion in Banwell because HGVs would use it as an alternative route to driving through their village.
The report also looks at the merits of two roads linking South Bristol with the M5, one running from the Clevedon junction, which would bypass Nailsea and Wraxall, and one going from Weston, via Bristol International Airport.
No detailed route is revealed at this stage.
The consultants say that although the Weston option is more expensive, £129 million compared to £98 million, it would bring more economic benefit.
It also looks at re-siting junction 21 of the M5 at Weston, with one option being to move it southwards to a position south of Wolvershill Road, approximately a mile from Banwell.
Former Banwell parish councillor Graham Found, who resigned from the council to set up the Five Villages Campaign, said: "It is no surprise that there will be no bypass - we discounted that some time ago.
"It is now a question of protecting ourselves from oncoming traffic problems in Weston.
"We are not happy with the idea of moving junction 21 south."
North Somerset Council executive member for strategic planning and transport, John Crockford-Hawley, said: "The proposal for a link road to the A38 will serve as a bypass because the highways agency is more interested in strategic links between main roads than bypasses.
"But the proposals are so far in the future that it might develop into another bypass scenario which we will be talking about for the next 30 years with nothing happening.
"Parts of the study are unachievable because the cash will not be forthcoming.
"But it does highlight major access problems in Weston and the need for massive capital investment in the traffic infrastructure."
Weston MP John Penrose, who lived in Banwell before moving to Winscombe, said: "People in and around Weston have been suffering with traffic jams getting steadily worse for years.
"The GBSTS has a couple of positive points, particularly proposals to expand and improve junction 21, which should relieve the dreadful queues at rush hour every morning.
"But it still leaves the people of Banwell without a long-term solution to their problem.
"That will make measures like a long distance HGV ban east of Churchill lights even more important.
"I am concerned about the precise route for the planned new link road between the M5 and the A38 which needs to be sensitive to the environment and take into the account people's views in villages like Congresbury, Langford, Hewish and Puxton."
STUDY KILLS OFF VILLAGE BYPASS HOPE
22nd June 2006
Traffic-blighted Banwell will not get a bypass, according to a report by consultants handed to the Government this week.
After two years of consultations the final report of the Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study was released on Tuesday.
Short term projects include linking the A370 with the A38 near Barrow Gurney to form part of a South Bristol Ring Road, which traffic campaigners are hoping might alleviate congestion in Banwell because HGVs would use it as an alternative route to driving through their village.
The report also looks at the merits of two roads linking South Bristol with the M5, one running from the Clevedon junction, which would bypass Nailsea and Wraxall, and one going from Weston, via Bristol International Airport.
No detailed route is revealed at this stage.
The consultants say that although the Weston option is more expensive, £129 million compared to £98 million, it would bring more economic benefit.
It also looks at re-siting junction 21 of the M5 at Weston with one option being moving it southwards to a position south of Wolvershill Road, approximately a mile from Banwell.
Former Banwell parish councillor Graham Found, who resigned from the council to set up the Five Villages Campaign, said: "It is no surprise that there will be no bypass - we discounted that some time ago.
"It is now a question of protecting ourselves from oncoming traffic problems in Weston.
"We are not happy with the idea of moving junction 21 south."
North Somerset Council executive member for strategic planning and transport John Crockford-Hawley said: "The proposal for a link road to the A38 will serve as a bypass because the highways agency is more interested in strategic links between main roads than bypasses.
"But the proposals are so far in the future that it might develop into another bypass scenario which we will be talking about for the next 30 years and nothing happens.
"Parts of the study are unachievable because the cash will not be forthcoming.
"But it does highlight major access problems in Weston and the need for massive capital investment in the traffic infrastructure."
Weston MP John Penrose, who lived in Banwell before moving to Winscombe, said: "People in and around Weston have been suffering with traffic jams getting steadily worse for years.
"The GBSTS has a couple of positive points, particularly proposals to expand and improve junction 21, which should relieve the dreadful queues at rush hour every morning.
"But it still leaves the people of Banwell without a long term solution to their problem.
"That will make measures like a long distance HGV ban east of Churchill lights even more important.
"I am concerned about the precise route for the planned new link road between the M5 and the A38 which needs to be sensitive to the environment and take into the account peoples views in villages like Congresbury, Langford, Hewish and Puxton."
MP demands Government action in bid to ground noisy aircraft
18th May 2006
PROBLEMS with noisy aircraft disturbing villagers living around Bristol International Airport have been highlighted in parliament.
Weston MP John Penrose wants to see new limits set for the amount of noise aircraft can make whilst flying over North Somerset.
He quizzed MP Derek Twigg, parliamentary undersecretary for transport, on whether limits are in place for maximum aircraft noise at airports other than the three major London ones.
Mr Twigg said it was not Government practice to put maximum noise limits on airports other than Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.
Mr Penrose wants the Government to create a limit for the maximum amount of noise which can be made at all airports. Currently, only average noise levels are monitored.
The MP asked Mr Twigg whether there are plans to introduce such a measure.
Mr Twigg said: "We will consider exercising similar powers at other airports if there is evidence a major noise problem is not being dealt with adequately through local controls.
"Otherwise, such limits are the responsibility of the airport operator."
Speaking outside parliament, Mr Penrose said: "Earlier this year I received details from the airport in Bristol on noise levels in nearby residential areas. I was concerned to see aircraft noise at Congresbury from January 2004 to January 2005 averaged 59.6 decibels - and that's just the official measurements.
"Government figures take an average, which means the actual level of noise when an aircraft is directly overhead could be much higher and the effect on local people much worse.
"As part of its development proposals, the airport has guaranteed there will be no increase in night flights and it will introduce penalties on airlines which use older and noisier aircraft.
"I'm worried that, even if there's less noise per flight, there will be more flights from bigger aircraft which will tilt the balance back the other way.
Row over delay in forcing HGV's off roads
Weston Mercury 20th April 2006
A decision to delay putting a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) weight restriction on roads in Banwell and Burrington Coombe has been criticised by councillors and Weston's MP.
North Somerset Council has been looking at ways to reduce the environmental effects of HGVs on the A368 through Banwell and the B3134 at Burrington Combe.
The authority says it will not make any decisions until the end of July but Councillors Ann Harley, Tony Lake, Hugh Parsons and Liz Wells issued a joint statement criticising the delay, saying the weight limit should be imposed immediately.
The statement said: "We are very disappointed at the delay in implementing an HGV limit for Burrington Combe.
"The only outstanding issue is the extent of the area covered by the weight restriction because the wider the area, the less the impact on local businesses.
"Burrington Combe must have the same protection as that given to Cheddar Gorge by Somerset County Council. After all the survey work carried out over recent years it is surprising that there is a need for more evidence.
"The broken edges and damaged banks in Burrington Combe are evidence enough of the need for action rather than procrastination."
Weston MP John Penrose said: "I am surprised to see the decision has been deferred. There is very strong support from people in Banwell, Sandford, Langford and Churchill who want fewer juggernauts thundering through their villages. I hope their wishes won't be dashed at the eleventh hour.
"If this delay is simply to give the council more time to improve the details of the scheme I think residents will understand. It might give the council the opportunity to extend the protection to villages like Blagdon.
"But if this is a smokescreen to delay the scheme indefinitely, or even cancel it altogether, then residents will be very angry."
However North Somerset says it needs to gather more information from businesses, local interest groups and organisations to be able to make 'an informed decision'.
It said it understood issues raised by residents and parish councils about the damage caused by lorries on roads but said it had a duty to consider the effect a weight restriction would have on businesses in the area.
Councillor John Crockford-Hawley said: "Consideration is being given to the impact of HGV restrictions on sections of the A368 to the west of the Churchill crossing.
"We're carrying out consultations to see the feasibility of imposing a 7.5 tonne weight restriction on that section of the road.
"But we don't want to solve the problems in Banwell only to create a problem in other villages."
Cllr Crockford-Hawley added: "The member of parliament has been kept fully informed of the highway authority's proposals regarding HGV movements in the Burrington and Banwell area. To resolve some of the traffic problems in the villages the council must ensure any decision made is based on reliable evidence.
Row over delay in banning HGVs from country roads
Weston Mercury 14th April 2006
A decision to delay putting a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) weight restriction on rural roads has been criticised by councillors and Weston’s MP.
North Somerset Council has been looking at ways to reduce the environmental effects of HGVs on rural roads including the A368 in Banwell.
The authority says it will not make any decisions until the end of July but Councillors Ann Harley, Tony Lake, Hugh Parsons and Liz wells issued a joint statement criticising the delay saying the weight limit should ne imposed immediately.
Weston MP John Penrose also criticised the delay and hopes it was not a smokescreen to put back the plans indefinitely.
However, the council says it need to gather more information from businesses, local interest groups and organisations to be able to make ‘an informed decision’.
ROW IN BID TO CURB LORRIES
Weston & Worle News 13th April 2006
A political row has broken out over a scheme to reduce the damage done by Heavy Goods Vehicles that travel through the villages around Weston.
North Somerset Council has been looking at measures to reduce the adverse environmental impact on the A368 through Banwell and the B3134 at Burrington Combe.
The council has been discussing the issue with local interest groups and organisations, neighbouring authorities and the freight industry.
But Conservative councillors and the Weston MP John Penrose have hit out at what they claim is a delay in implementing an HGV limit for Burrington Combe.
A group of councillors, Ann Harley, Tony Lake and Hugh Parsons for Banwell and Winscombe, and Liz Wells for Blagdon and Churchill, have expressed their disappointment.
In a joint statement they said: "The only outstanding issue is the extent of the area covered by the weight restriction.
"Paradoxically, the wider the area, the less the impact on local businesses. Burrington Combe must have the same protection as that given to Cheddar Gorge by Somerset County Council.
"After all the survey work carried out over recent years, it is surprising that there is a need for more evidence. The broken edges and damaged banks in Burrington Combe are evidence enough of the need for action rather than procrastination."
Mr Penrose, who helped propose the ban last October, has joined his Tory colleagues in criticising the decision.
He said: "At this late stage, I am surprised to see that the decision has been deferred.
"It begs the question - how long is this actually going to take?
"After all this time and all the existing surveys, is it really necessary to conduct yet more reviews at yet more expense to the local taxpayer?
Liberal Democrat Cllr John Crockford-Hawley, executive member for strategic planning and transport, said: "Consideration is being given to the impact of HGV restrictions on sections of the A368 to the west of the Churchill crossing.
"Along with our partners we have undertaken a review of existing traffic data, and a further survey of HGV movements during the current road closure in the centre of Banwell has also taken place. This will help us understand which routes HGVs have been taking during the closure and the impact on other routes and villages.
"The results of this work will be shared with all interested parties in forthcoming weeks."
Research is expected to continue until July, and a formal decision will follow.
DISMAY AT HGV DECISION DELAY
Cheddar Valley Gazette 13th April 2006
Criticism and dismay has greeted a decision to delay restrictions that would keep long-distance lorries from travelling through small Cheddar Valley villages.
North Somerset Council has been looking at measures to reduce the adverse environmental impact of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) using the A368 and B3134 from Churchill lights to Burrington Combe.
The proposals were made in October last year by Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose in conjunction with councillors for Churchill, Winscombe, Sandford and Banwell, and a final decision on the plans was expected to be made on Monday.
But the council chose to defer the decision so it can "gather additional information", and many councillors have reacted with surprise and disappointment to this.
Mr Penrose said he sincerely hoped that the delay did not mean the council was having second thoughts about the issue.
"At this late stage I am surprised to see that the decision has been deferred," he said.
"It begs the question - how long is this actually going to take?
"After all this time and all the existing surveys, is it really necessary to conduct yet more reviews at yet more expense to the local taxpayer?
"Burrington Combe deserves the same protection from North Somerset Council that Cheddar Gorge gets from Somerset County Council.
"There is very strong support from people who want fewer juggernauts thundering through their villages, and I hope they're not going to see their hopes dashed at the eleventh hour.
"If this delay is simply to give the council a little more time to improve the details of the scheme, then I think residents will understand.
"But if this is a smokescreen to delay the scheme indefinitely, or even cancel it altogether, then local residents are going to be seriously angry."
In a joint response, North Somerset councillors Ann Harley, Tony Lake, Hugh Parsons and Liz Wells shared Mr Penrose's concerns.
"We are very disappointed at the delay," they said.
"The only outstanding issue is the extent of the area covered by the weight restriction - and, paradoxically, the wider the area the less the impact on local businesses.
"After all the survey work carried out during recent years, it is surprising that there is a need for more evidence.
"The broken edges and damaged banks in Burrington Combe are evidence enough of the need for action rather than procrastination."
Cllr John Crockford-Hawley, North Somerset Council's executive member for strategic planning and transport, said the council was working closely with local interest groups and organisations, neighbouring authorities and the freight industry to consider the issue of HGVs on these roads.
He also said that they needed to safeguard the interests of local businesses using these vehicles.
"Along with our partners we have undertaken a review of existing traffic data and a further survey of HGV movements," he said.
"This will help us understand which routes HGVs have been taking during the road closure at Banwell, and the impact on other routes and villages.
"We understand the issues raised by residents and organisations such as parish councils and the Campaign to Protect Rural England, but we also have a duty to consider the negative impact on local businesses caused by further HGV restrictions.
"To ensure that all the information is gathered before any decision is made, we will continue working with neighbouring highway authorities to gather additional information on the environmental and economic impact of options to restrict HGVs on the A368 and B3134.
"It is anticipated that this will be completed by the end of July, enabling an informed decision to be made."
"On the validation of claims, identifying the amount is the first step, but I recognise that it is the cheque that really matters.
"Far more cheques are being issued, and that work will continue.
"As I have said, our top priority is a system that at least involves substantial partial payments."
The Single Farm Payment scheme, introduced in January 2005, means farmers get one annual sum rather than a series of payments.
The system works out what subsidy each farm should get according to past receipts and its land area.
The Government will face hefty EU fines if the payments were not made by the end of June.
Ms Beckett said there are "continuing problems" in making the payments because of a large number of recent requests for new land to be registered with the RPA or changes to existing registrations.
MP Takes Up Plane Noise
Weston Mercury 30th March 2006
PROBLEMS with noisy aircraft disturbing villages surrounding Bristol International Airport have been highlighted in parliament.
Weston MP John Penrose wants to see new limits set for the amount of noise aircraft can make in the area.
He has quizzed MP Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, about the problems caused by peak time noise levels.
Mr Penrose wants the Government to create a limit for the maximum amount of noise instead of just for the average noise levels.
He said: "Earlier this year I received details from the airport on noise levels in nearby residential areas.
"I was concerned to see aircraft noise at Congresbury from January 2004 to January 2005 averaged 59.6 decibels.
"And that's just the official measurements. Government figures are averages, which means the actual level of noise when an aircraft is directly overhead could be much higher and the effect on local people would be much worse.
"As part of its development proposals, the airport has guaranteed there will be no increase in night flights and it will introduce penalties on airlines which use older and noisier aircraft.
"I'm worried that, even if there's less noise per flight, there will be more flights from bigger aircraft which will tilt the balance back the other way.
Missing Link On The Way?
Weston Mercury 3rd Feb 2006
A major new road through the heart of North Somerset which could relieve traffic problems in many villages appears to have taken a step closer to reality.
Residents living in Banwell, Churchill, Langford, Winscombe and Sandford have been fighting for a road to be built linking junction 21 of the M5 and Bristol International Airport.
It appears their pleas will be answered when the final draft of the Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study is published, which is expected to be later this month.
Villagers were infuriated when the road was not included in the initial findings of the study in September. But the link road is rumoured to be included in the study's final form.
Weston MP John Penrose has also called for the link road to be built to accommodate the extra traffic expected to be generated by the airport's expansion plans. The study is being put together by transport consultant Atkins.
Right Road Towards Airport Link?
Weston Mercury 27th Jan 2006
A major new road through the heart of North Somerset which could relieve traffic problems in many villages appears to have moved a step closer to reality.
Residents living in Banwell, Churchill, Langford, Winscombe and Sandford have been fighting for a road to be built linking junction 21 of the M5 and Bristol International Airport.
It appears their pleas will be answered when the final draft of the Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study is revealed, which is expected to be next month.
Villagers were infuriated when the road was not included in the initial findings of the study, which were published in September.
However, the link road is rumoured to be included in the final version of the study. Transport consultancy firm Atkins, which is producing the study, says the document will strongly influence where roads are built in future.
Villagers believe the new road will stop motorists driving through the narrow country roads to the airport and motorway.
North Somerset Councillor Elfan Ap Rees, who has been involved in the study's consultation process, said: "The new road has certainly been the preferred option that has been put
forward and I expect that will be the way it will pan out.
"The road would take traffic to Bristol International Airport from around junction 21 of the motorway.
"I don't think it will be a huge dual carriageway though, more of a single lane road. Obviously there will be big environmental concerns."
Weston MP John Penrose has also called for the link road to be built. He wants something to be done to accommodate the extra traffic expected to be generated by the airport's expansion plans.
He said: "If the airport expands the amount of traffic to and from it will go up. It says this in the airport's own figures. About 30 per cent of all local traffic is expected to be airport traffic by 2015. Clearly these figures show something needs to be done.
"The link road would be one alternative. Finding the right route for it will be difficult though because of the environmental concerns involved."
West beware! It's Britain's biggest road contraflow
Western Daily Press 1st November 2005
Delays and queues are nothing new for the West's drivers, but today they are gearing up for a new endurance test - Britain's biggest contraflow. The nine-mile diversion on the M5 is so big that, although workers began assembling the system yesterday, it will not be complete for another two weeks.
Eventually it will stretch in both directions from junction 19, for Gordano, to junction 20, for Clevedon, with a 40mph speed limit along much of its length.
Motorists will run the gauntlet of narrow lanes and carriageway switches - overseen by six speed cameras - until work to install crawler lanes in each direction is finished in June.
Highways chiefs yesterday said they believe the pain of short-term driving delays will be outweighed by the advantage of a wider motorway, which will cut jams at peak holiday times.
But they confirmed that, for the time being, North Somerset will have the longest contraflow in the country, stealing the dubious honour from the M25 roadworks at the new Heathrow Airport terminal junction.
The M5 contraflow is also thought to be the most complicated ever built in the UK, because the motorway is on a split level for much of the roadworks' length.
This means the roadworks are longer than they would otherwise need to be, and special arrangements - including a fifth lane squeezed onto the southbound motorway - have had to be made for 999 workers.
Robin Miller, spokesman for the Highways Agency, said yesterday the project has been on the drawing board for six months and has been a mammoth undertaking.
"It certainly will be the longest contraflow in Britain at the moment, " he said, declining to comment about whether it would also be the most complex. "Anyone travelling from today onwards will start to see differences, such as the new speed limits.
"Lanes, especially on the southbound carriageway, will be considerably narrower than on a normal motorway.
"Therefore it is very important that people obey the 40mph and 50mph speed limits for their own safety, the safety of other road users and also to protect road workers." Among the most affected will be many who commute each day from Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon to Bristol.
John Penrose, MP for Weston-super-Mare, said of Britain's biggest contraflow "this was not a competition that the people of Weston particularly wanted to win".
"We will all benefit from the crawler lanes when they are finally built, but in the meantime it is going to be a nightmare for those who commute from Weston to Bristol along the M5 every day, " he said.
Alan Cotton, a north Somerset councillor in Clevedon, said the contraflow will be "difficult" but he hopes the eventual outcome will be worthwhile.
"If we want our crawler lanes we will have to grin and bear it, " he said.
The climber lanes are being built on Naish Hill, southbound from junction 19, and Tickenham Hill, which runs northbound from the Clevedon junction, and a contraflow in each direction will switch over near the top of Naish Hill.
Cameras To Enforce Life In The Slow Lane
Western Daily Press 5th October 2005
Motorists were yesterday told that they face seven months of "monstrous" delays as a £28million project to build two new climbing lanes begins on the M5. Six temporary safety cameras will be installed to restrict traffic to just 40mph on both the north and south carriageways of a nine-mile stretch between junction 19 at Gordano and junction 20 at Clevedon.
The work - which begins on Thursday and will see traffic moving in both direction crammed into just three lanes - is designed to reduce congestion caused by slow-moving traffic But while motoring organisations agreed the new lanes were necessary in the long term, they criticised the number of cameras being used to enforce the speed limit.
In a similar scheme on the M4 near Bath, two temporary speed cameras clocked up more than £1.2million fines in two Mark McArthur-Christie, a spokesman for the Association of British Drivers, said: "Six speed cameras is completely excessive and to move people's attention from the road to that extent is downright dangerous.
"There is no doubt that there will be monstrous tailbacks, but at least they have planned it so it won't hit the summer." But Robin Miller, a spokesman for the Highways Agency, said cameras are necessary to save lives.
He said: "We are talking about risking not just the lives of drivers, but also road workers.
"On the southbound carriageway in particular the lanes will be narrowed, making it very important that people keep to the speed limit." The two climbing lanes will be built at Naish Hill, just south of junction 19, and at Tickenham Hill, north of junction 20.
Due to the different levels of the carriageways, a continuous contraflow will be put in place in both directions.
Motorists heading southbound will be restricted to 40mph for the whole route, while those heading north will have 40mph limits next to road works and 50mph in between.
Initial work will be on the hard shoulder and lane one, while the first speed cameras will be introduced by the end of October.
The contraflow will be in place by mid-November, and work is scheduled to finish in June next year.
John Penrose, the Conservative MP for Westonsuper-Mare, said that he sympathised with drivers who are set to be hit by delays, but welcomed the implications of move for the long term.
He said: "The long-term benefits of making the crawler lane up those steep hills is wonderful news for anyone who has regularly driven from Weston-super-Mare to Bristol. However, it seems as if it will be a pretty painful process for motorists to get us there."
Centre Of The Worle
Weston & Worle News 29th Sept 2005
Worle station could be transformed into a massive regional transport hub under major new plans unveiled this week.
The station is at the centre of key proposals in the greater Bristol Transport Study released for consultation by the Government Office South West.
Another huge change would be the moving of junction 21 on the M5 to a new site further south.
Weston MP John Penrose has given a cautious welcome to the proposals but branded some as ‘anti-car’.
Mr Penrose said: “Many of these proposals are broadly right for Weston
“I’m particularly pleased to see proposals to expand Worle Parkway Station, improve links with local and intercity bus services, upgrade parking spaces and cycle facilities, extend the Bristol International Airport Flyer express bus into Weston and Worle and to increase the capacity of junction 21.
“But I’m concerned that commuters from Weston to Bristol could lose out if the GBSTS is used to justify the introduction of anti-car measures before alternative transport schemes are in place.”
Cut Lorries On Beauty Spot Route
Bristol Evening Post 29th Sept 2005
Action is being planned to cut the number of lorries using the road through the Mendip beauty spot of Burrington Combe and other country routes in the area.
It follows calls from local North Somerset councillors for a 7.5 tonne weight restriction on the B3134 through the combe, and the stretch of A368 between Churchill lights on the A38 and the district’s boundary east of Blagdon.
The group of councillors raised the issue at a full council meeting on Tuesday.
They said the weight limit was essential to preserve the rural nature of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and to protect the recently refurbished road through Burrington Combe itself.
Councillor Peter Burden, executive member for strategic planning, said: “I agree that urgent action needs to be taken with regards to freight transport.”
He revealed that he would be promoting a scheme for the area and would be meeting local members to discuss it.
But Mr Burden would not give any details of his proposals at this stage.
Councillor Tony Lake (Con, Banwell & Winscombe) said there was “dismay” about the area’s existing traffic problems.
A report on the matter will be going to the council’s executive meeting next Tuesday.
A ban on non-local lorries from using North Somerset’s country roads as short cuts to the M5 is being supported by Weston-super-Mare’s Mp John Penrose. He claims this would ease some of the traffic pressure on the bottleneck village of Banwell and the neighbouring communities of Sandford, Churchill, Congresbury and Langford.
MP Calls For Truck Ban
CHEDDAR VALLEY GAZETTE 29TH SEPT 2005
A call has gone out for weight restrictions to be introduced on a main traffic route that skirts the north of the Cheddar Valley.
Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose is calling on North Somerset District Council to introduce a weight restriction on long distance HGVs using the A368 and B3134 from Churchill lights to Burrington Coombe.
Mr Penrose believes the ban would relieve some of the traffic pressure on Banwell, Sandford and Churchill and on Stock Lane through Congresbury and Langford.
Mr Penrose has been campaigning for an HGV ban through the villages for several years.
He is now backing a proposal from local councillors for Churchill, Winscombe, Sandford and Banwell, who asked Councillor Peter Burden, Cabinet Deputy for Strategic Planning, to commit North Somerset District Council to a ban at Tuesday's full council meeting.
In his letter, Mr Penrose writes: "These traffic problems have been getting steadily worse for years and local residents have been waiting long enough.
"Unless we take action locally, there's little immediate prospect of improving the lives of people living in these rural villages."
"I appreciate a weight restriction isn't a complete solution to the traffic problems in these villages, but since there were no explicit commitments to other potential solutions (such as a relief road between Junction 21 of the M5 and Bristol Airport) in last week's Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study, it seems that we're facing a long and difficult campaign to convince the Government's various departments to take the problem seriously."
The team of councillors echoed the theme in their question, saying: non locally-delivering HGVs are unnecessarily using environmentally sensitive roads over the Mendip Hills AONB, and in particular Burrington Coombe and the villages within the AONB including Blagdon.
Cllr Burden agreed that the issue required urgent action and said that he was to organise an urgent meeting with all parties involved to progress it.
MP Calls For Ban On Lorries
Bristol Evening Post 27th September 2005
Lorries should be banned from country roads in an area of North Somerset, says Weston-super-Mare's MP John Penrose. He is calling on North Somerset Council to introduce a weight limit on vehicles using the A368 and B3134 from Churchill traffic lights on the A38 to Burrington Coombe.
Mr Penrose believes this would ease traffic pressure caused by lorries using Banwell, Sandford and Churchill and in Stock Lane through Congresbury and Langford.
He is backing district councillors who will ask Peter Burden, North Somerset's executive member for strategic planning, to bring in a ban at tonight's council meeting.
Improve Rail Link Urges MP
Weston and Worle News 11th August 2005
Weston MP John Penrose has called for major developments to Worle and Weston train stations, to cope with increasing demand.
Mr Penrose has submitted a detailed request to the Strategic Rail Authority on the proposed Greater Western rail franchise.
He argues that the local rail network should be improved to relieve growing congestion and reduce traffic bottlenecks.
The proposals include the development of Worle station, including a fast link to Bristol, with longer platforms and a larger, free parking area.
Mr Penrose wants a minimum half-hourly service from Bristol Parkway to Weston throughout the day with the potential to extend to Yate and an increase in through London trains to and from Weston.
He has suggested the development of the rail freight services to limit the passage of long-distance heavy good vehicles through villages such as Banwell and Congresbury, and the dualling of the line at Weston to improve reliability and increase capacity to match the town’s growth.
Mr Penrose said; “Weston has seen a huge increase in housing development and, if unchecked, the problem will only get worse.
“If we are going to beat gridlock and take some of the strain off our local roads - then the rail network needs to perform.”
Put Transport First, Says MP
Bristol Evening Post 10th August 2005
The long-term future of Weston-super-Mare was high on the agenda when the resort’s Tory MP, John Penrose, met senior members and officers of North Somerset Council.
He had the chance to discuss matters concerning his constituency with council leader Alan Hockridge, executive member for strategic planning Councillor Peter Burden, development and environment director David Turner and his deputy Karuna Tharmananthar.
Mr Penrose said: ““This was a constructive and useful meeting. There are huge challenges facing our constituency over the next few years, particularly as the Government presses for massive new growth around the outskirts of Weston Super Mare.
“Our challenge must be to tie together the Government’s pressure for more residential development with our need for more jobs, better transport links and improved community facilities.
“I raised a number of issues that I believe need early attention.”
Mr Penrose is keen to put` new employment opportunities and better transport links before more residential growth
He says Weston needs economic regeneration of Weston and the development of the Tropicana, Knightstone and Birnbeck Pier being key issues. Mr Penrose is also concerned about the need for more GP premises in the town and tighter regulation of drug rehab centres.
Outside Weston he wants the introduction of clear freight travel plans and a ban on long distance lorries driving through surrounding villages.
He believes there should also be better road links to South Bristol and improved public transport generally
Mr Penrose said: “I am determined that we put politics to one side and work together in the best interests of our constituency. This was the first of what will now be regular meetings and we all went away with plenty to work on.”
We Must Expand Station Before Gridlock Sets In
Bristol Evening Post 4th August 2005
A call has been made for the expansion of a station on the edge of Weston-super-Mare to cope with the increasing demands of the fast growing resort.
More than 20,000 workers now compute daily from Weston and around 10,000 new houses are being built on the Locking castle and Weston village development.
Today, Weston-super-Mare’s Tory MP John Penrose has called for the development of Worle station, including a fast link to Bristol, with longer platforms and improved facilities at the station.
He has made a detailed submission to the Strategic Rail Authority to improve local rail services under the proposed Greater Western Rail franchise.
He make the case for the rail network to play a bigger role in relieving the resort’s growing commuter congestion and reduce traffic bottlenecks.
Mr Penrose said: “Weston has seen a huge increase in housing development and, if unchecked, the problem will only get worse. If we are going to beat gridlock and take some of the strain off our local roads - then the rail network needs to perform.According to the Office for National Statistics, there are already 20,000+ local people working outside the constituency every day.
“The new rail service must give all travellers, particularly Weston’s many daily commuters, a viable alternative to the car.”
Mr Penrose wants car parking at the station to be expanded and made free of charge. He says there should be a minimum half hourly service from Bristol Parkway to Weston throughout the day with the potential to extend to Yate and an increase in ‘through’ London trains to and from Weston.
Rail freight services should be developed to limit the passage of long distance HGVs through local villages like Banwell and Congresbury he said.
The MP would like to see the single-track loop line into Weston railway station made two-way to improve reliability and increase capacity to match the town’s growth. Mr penrose also says Bristol trains should continue through Temple Meads to Bristol Parkway to allow access to employment districts in Bristol. In addition he wants improved links with the bus network, better passenger safety, security and reliable journey times. A reduction in 20 minute maximum standing and improved bicycle access and storage.
The new "super-franchise", coming in April 2006, will unite services now run by First Great Western and Wessex Trains. The franchise will run for seven years with a possible three year extension.
No Hope For M5 Junction
Weston Mercury 29th July 2005
A government agency is said to have dismissed calls to improve Weston's M5 junction on the grounds that it is not there to help driv
rs on their way to work.
A Highways Agency official is reported as saying its job was "not to make life easier for the commuter" at a recent transport symposium.
The meeting, at Leigh Court Business Centre in Abbots Leigh, heard Highways Agency regional manager David Wright refuse to consider improvements for vehicles joining the northbound M5.
The organisation is an agency for the Department of Transport and looks after motorways and trunk roads in England.
Those at the meeting were told improvements to the motorway junction, , would affect the "functionality" of northbound traffic on the motorway.
The comment has been criticised by Weston MP John Penrose who was at the meeting. He said: "This is a bitterly disappointing reaction.
"It would seem the Highways Agency is happy for traffic to tailback miles into Weston and jam up our villages rather than risk a possible queue on the motorway.
"This is a snub for the thousands of people who commute to work via junction 21 and the A370.
"The problem is only going to get worse with unchecked residential development of the town."
A Highways Agency spokesman said: "We are working closely with North Somerset Council to reduce congestion at junction 21.
"However, the prime purpose of a motorway is to serve long distance traffic and the Highways Agency must always keep this in mind."
MP Slams Agency Over M5 Inaction
Weston and Worle News 28th July 2005
Weston MP John Penrose has criticised the Highways Agency for refusing to make improvements to junction 21 on the M5.
The comments came during a Transport Symposium organised by the North Somerset Partnership.
Delegates of Weston & District Chamber of Trade and local businesses were at the meeting.
Representatives of the Highways Agency said it was not prepared to consider junction improvements for vehicles joining northbound onto the M5.
Questioners were told that improvements to the junction would affect the “functionality” of northbound traffic on the motorway.
Mr Penrose said: “This is a bitterly disappointing reaction. It would seem that the Highways Agency is happy for traffic to tailback miles into Weston and jam up our villages rather than risk a possible queue on the Motorway.
“This is a snub for the thousands of local people who commute to work via junction 21 and the A370. The problem is only going to get worse with unchecked residential development of the town.”
Commuters Snubbed By Committee
Bristol Evening Post 25th July 2005
Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose has criticised the Highways Agency for saying that it is not prepared to improve access at junction 21 of the M5
The comments came during a Transport Symposium organised by the North Somerset Partnership with representatives of the Weston & District Chamber of Trade and local businesses.
During the meeting, the Highway Agency said that its job was not to make life easier for commuters using junction 21 of the M5.
The meeting also heard that the HA also heard that the agency was not prepared to consider junction improvements for vehicles joining northbound onto the M5. Questioners were told that improvements to the junction would affect the functionality of northbound traffic on the motorway.
Mr Penrose said: “This is a bitterly disappointing reaction.
“It would seem that the Highways Agency is happy for traffic to tailback miles into Weston and jam up our villages rather than risk a possible queue on the Motorway.
“This is a snub for the thousands of local people who commute to work via junction 21 and the A370. The problem is only going to get worse with unchecked residential development of the town.
“In the light of the Highways Agency’s stubbornness, we desperately need more measures to take the strain off our commuters.
“I am going to be submitting detailed proposals in response to the joint local transport plan and Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study.
“We shouldn’t forget that the Government’s plans for road-user and congestion charging are coming up fast.
“That places even more responsibility on the joint local transport plan to deliver practical solutions.”
Agency Of Obstruction
Western Daily Press 20th July 2005
Road bosses have admitted their job is "not to make life easier for the commuter", it emerged yesterday. The comment from the Highways Agency came during a discussion about junction 21 on the M5 at Weston-super-Mare. It is notoriously overloaded with traffic at rush hour.
Weston MP John Penrose said the agency's reaction was bitterly disappointing. "It would seem the Highways Agency is happy for traffic to tail back miles in Weston and jam up our villages rather than risk a possible queue on the motorway, " he said.
Railway Consultation Is A Farce, Says Tory MP
Bristol Evening Post 7th July 2005
Rail users in Weston-super-Mare and North Somerset are being denied a say on the future of the area’s train services, it is claimed.
John Penrose, the new Tory MP for Weston, says a new consultation document on the future of train services is only available on the internet. And he is prepared to go down to the town’s railway station himself to let passengers know what is going on.
Mr Penrose expressed his concern as the Strategic Rail Authority passed the midway point in a 60-day public consultation on the new franchise for the Greater Western train service.
He said “The new franchise could have a serious impact on local rail commuters and on the Weston Vision for our Mainline and Worle Parkway stations.
There are some welcome moves towards increasing the frequency of through services from Filton Abbey Wood, but a proposed reduction in the number of terminations at Bristol Temple Meads. However, a month into the consultation period and no paper copies of the document are generally available. It is only available electronically from the SRA website.
“More than 40% of Weston’s households do not have internet access at home. Do their views not matter to the SRA?
Even with internet access, it seems there is a problem getting the SRA system to work.
“I contacted the SRA directly. They admitted that there is an ongoing difficulty with their server.
They have had complaints from the public who have been unable to download the file.
“Members of the public have the right to know what’s being planned for their train service. They should have the right to comment in support of the proposals or to express their concerns.
“I will be doing what I can to make commuters aware of what is being planned – even if that means handing out information at Weston train station.”
SRA spokeswoman Justine Hawkins said: “In the interests of cost control, the SRA undertook a web-based launch for the consultation on the specification for the Greater Western Franchise.
“We will download, print off and send a paper copy to interested parties upon request.”
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