Transport investment millions get green light
Council to buy up land and improve A38 junctions
Millions of pounds of transport investment in South Gloucestershire have been given the green light today.
Councillors on South Gloucestershire Council’s Policy and Resources Committee have given the green light to buy up the remaining land not already under council ownership along the route of the flagship £102m North Fringe to Hengrove rapid transit scheme, including the Stoke Gifford Transport Link road (known locally as the ‘bypass’).
Councillors also agreed to spend £4m to make capacity improvements to the Gipsy Patch and Filton A38 junctions to improve commuter journey times.
Cllr Brian Allinson (Con, Stoke Gifford), Conservative Lead Member and Chairman of the Planning, Transport and Strategic Environment Committee said:
“This is major financial commitment for the council and once again demonstrates our ongoing commitment to do what we can to tackle traffic congestion, promote public transport and improve air quality and journey times in and around our communities.
South Gloucestershire continues to be a sought after location to live and do business and by providing the necessary transport infrastructure improvements, including at critical junctions, we can make sure that this growth is as sustainable as possible.
The more land we can buy up now from willing landowners along the rapid transit route, including along the Stoke Gifford Transport Link road, the sooner that we can be ready to start construction work because we can minimise the amount of land that will be subject to the lengthy Compulsory Purchase process.”