Over £4 million in funding from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority has been confirmed to help people get around by walking, wheeling (using a mobility scooter, wheelchair or pushchair), or cycling in South Gloucestershire.
Numerous schools in Thornbury and Yate, plus a wide choice of shops and leisure facilities, are within a short walk, wheel or cycle ride. The Getting About inYate and GettingAbout in Thornbury projects are intended to make it easier to takethose local everyday journeys to school or the shops. Regular walking or cycling can also improve physical fitness and mental wellbeing, as well as saving money.
Following previous consultations where resident’s views have shaped the designs and plans, a range of improvements have been finalised. These will be funded by the Mayoral Combined Authority, with South Gloucestershire Council now planning to begin constructionlater this year.
Yate improvements include:
- Installing new crossing points on Cranleigh Court Road and Tyndale Avenue near to Tyndale Primary School and Cranleigh Court Children’s Centre, with a raised area at the junction between the two roads to slow traffic.
- Reducing speed limits on St Briavels Drive and Church Road, adding a new zebra crossing and widening the pavement outside St Mary’s School, with new ‘School keep clear’ markings.
- Installing new crossing points on Sundridge Park, with improvements to side road junctions for pedestrian safety. This will create safer access to Woodlands Primary and Nursery School, St Paul’s Catholic Primary School and Yate Academy.
- Improving pedestrian greenway paths across Yate to make them more accessible. Adding new benches and removing pinch points for wheelchairs, pushchairs, and bikes.
Thornbury improvements include:
- Making it easier to walk, wheel and cycle along the busy Gloucester Road, by creating new shared walking, wheeling and cycling paths. Existing traffic islands will be replaced with new pedestrian crossings and side road junctions will be made easier to cross.Bus stops will be made more accessible.
- Creating a safer route to schools along Park Road, including Castle School, Manorbrook Primary School and St Mary’s Primary School. This includes new zebra crossings, safer crossings at junctions and new ‘Schoolkeep clear’ markings. Speed bumps will reduce vehicle speeds, and entry to Tilting Road will be restricted.
- Widening and resurfacing of Streamside Walk, for safer walking and wheeling away from traffic. Direction signs will also be installed across Thornbury to help people connect with local destinations using walking, wheeling and cycling routes.
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:
“Active travel improvements are an important part of getting the West moving, with tens of millions of pounds of regional investment planned to create new and improved routes across our region.
“These new projects in Yate and Thornbury will help more people to safely walk, wheel, and cycle in their local area and encourage greener travel to school, which is better for our health and for our planet.
“With a record £752 million of further transport funding from the government, we’re working on even bigger plans to better connect our towns and cities in the future – including better buses, more trains, and mass transit.”
Councillor Chris Willmore, cabinet member for planning, regeneration and infrastructure at South Gloucestershire Council, said:
“This represents significant investment in Yate and Thornbury and will help make it safer and easier for people of all ages and abilities to choose walking, wheeling and cycling for everyday journeys. Whether it’s getting to school, the shops, work or localleisure facilities, these improvements will create better connections across our communities and help people to travel more confidently and independently.
“Our plans have been shaped by feedback from local people, and I’m pleased we can now progress with delivering practical improvements such as safer crossings, wider paths, lower traffic speeds and better access to schools and the town centres. As well asimproving road safety and accessibility, these projects will additionally support healthier lifestyles, reduce congestion and contribute to our wider environmental ambitions.”
Over half a billion pounds was awarded to the Westof England through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) from the UK Government, to improve sustainable travel across the region. A further three-quarters of a billion pounds of nationaltransport funding was secured by the combined authority last year, to be invested from 2027. A new TransportVision for the region, which set out the direction of travel for a better-connected West of England in support of the 10-year Growth Strategy, was published in February.
New nationaltargets announced by the Department for Transport in June aim for 55% of short trips to be made by walking or cycling by 2035, with over £4.5 billion to deliver 5,000 new routes and 10,000 safer crossings over the next five years.
