Sent on behalf of Thornbury Town and District Residents Association
www.thornburyresidents.org
26th November 2021
South Gloucestershire Council
Chief Executive & Corporate Resources Department
Customer Relations
PO Box 1953
Bristol
BS37 0DB
Sent by Royal Mail and email to freedomofinformation@southglos.gov.uk
Freedom of Information and Environmental Information Requests
Thornbury Town Centre
Dear Sirs,
Please provide the following information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Environmental Regulations (EIRS) within 20 days of this request
1. Traffic Movements
Provide the total number of traffic movements recorded between 1st September and 31st October 2019
- High Street
- Rock Street
Provide the total number of traffic movements recorded between 1st September and 31st October 2021
- High Street
- Rock Street
2. Traffic Incidents
Provide the number of traffic incidents (accidents) on and around the diversion route of The Plain, Rock Street & Midland Way since start of the High Street closure on 7th June 2021
3. Policy 3 – Joint Local Transport Plan
- Reduce carbon emissions
Provide all of the calculations used to prove a reduction in carbon emissions between the periods before the covid emergency in the Spring of 2020 and that following anticipated completion of all of the alterations to the High Street and the Diversion route (Midland Way/Rock Street/The Plain & adjoining roads) in the Summer of 2022
- Support economic growth
Provide all of the calculations used to demonstrate economic growth in the High Street
The figures should be specific for Thornbury High Street and not generic
- Promote accessibility
Provide the calculations used to demonstrate increased accessibility for each category
Able bodied pedestrians
Bus passengers
Drivers or passengers with blue badges
Cyclists traveling to the Town Centre
Others
- Contribute to better safety, security and health
Provide all information relating to this key transport goal
- Improve quality of life and a healthy natural environment
Provide all information relating to this key transport goal
Provide calculations to show the mitigation that is required to offset the increased CO2 emissions and pollutions along the Rock Street diversion route
4. Scoring System/Chart
Provide weighting or scoring system used to assess the engagement process for the five TROs in order for Nigel Riglar, Director of Environment and Community Services to make an informed and balanced decision
5. Responses given by SGC from engagement sessions held at Turnberries
The calculations for Objections, Comments in Support and Other Comments would appear to be incorrect to quite an astonishing degree
Even so the responses overwhelmingly object to four of the proposals
Please confirm that the adjusted figures are correct
Responses to the Prohibition and Restriction of Waiting advert received are as follows: ∙ 20 objections ∙ 5 comments in support ∙ 16 other comments. The responses are summarised in Appendix A.
Comment 8 is an objection. Comment 19 is essentially an objection. Comment 21 is essentially an objection. Comment 30 is an objection. Comment 31 appears to be a list of amendments coming from TTC. Comment 32 is essentially an objection. Comment 33 is essentially an objection. Comment 36 is essentially an objection. Comment 38 is essentially an objection.
Viewed in total, there are 28 objections and/or adverse responses, as against 5 comments in support
That is 85% against and not 80%
- Responses to the Designated Disabled Persons’ Parking Place advert received are as follows: ∙ 12 objections ∙ 1 comment in support ∙ 17 other comments. The responses are summarised in Appendix B.
Comment 2 is essentially an objection. Comment 7 is essentially an objection. Comment 10 is an objection. Comment 11 is an objection. Comment 12 is essentially an objection. Comment 15 is essentially an objection. Comment 17 is partly an objection. Comment 19 is an objection. Comment 20 is an objection.
Viewed in total, there are 21 objections and/or adverse responses, as against 1 comment in support
That is 95% against and not 90%
- Responses to the Proposed Designated Loading Place advert received are as follows: ∙ 11 objections ∙ 2 comments in support ∙ 14 other comments. The responses are summarised in Appendix C.
Comment 9 is an objection. Comment 11 is essentially an objection. Comment 17 is shown as supporting but is actually an objection. Comment 19 is essentially an objection. Comment 26 is essentially an objection.
Viewed in total, there are 16 objections and/or adverse comments (including one shown as supportive), as against 2 comments in support
That is 94% against and not 85%
- Responses to the Proposed Prohibition of Driving (Except For Access) advert received are as follows: ∙ 32 objections, ∙ 6 comments in support ∙ 21 other comments. The responses are summarised in Appendix D
Comment 3 is essentially an objection. Comment 6 is an objection. Comment 23 is essentially an objection. Comment 25 is essentially an objection. Comment 37 is actually an objection but shown as supportive. Comment 48 is essentially an objection. Comment 55 is an objection. Comment 56 is an objection
Viewed in total, there are 40 objections and/or adverse comments (including one shown as supportive), as against 5 comments in support
That is 89% against and not 84%
- Responses to the Proposed 20 Mph Speed Limit advert received are as follows: ∙ 4 objections ∙ 14 comments in support ∙ 10 other comments. The responses are summarised in Appendix E.
We have no comment on this 20mph proposal
6. Community Groups
Which Community Groups did SGC consult or engage with and when?
7. Thornbury Town Council
Thornbury Town Council (TTC) made a request for information to representatives of SGC at their meeting on 21st September
SGC had still not provided a response at the TTC meeting on 18th November and you were unable to say when this would be done
We find it amazing that SGC should be so blasé about dealing with the Town Council in such an offhand manner
Please confirm when a full response will be made to TTC
Copy us in with your response to TTC
- Questions raised by Thornbury Town Council
- What evidence is there that these plans will improve retail figures?
- How will the enforcement work for the drop off/collection bays?
- Are the bays for everybody’s use?
- Why are charity shops and coffee shops considered a problem?
- Prezzo have already stopped using their outdoor space, what happens if outdoor seating areas are abandoned?
- Is there money to invest once this scheme is implemented and finished? • Is it safe for cyclists to be going at speed, against the traffic flow?
- What is the speed limit going to be?
- At the recent Town Meeting, it was universally called for to allow buses back up the High Street, can this happen?
- Could it be allowed for smaller, local buses to be allowed up the High Street, even if not the T1 & T2?
- Has it been acknowledged that charity shops have reduced donations as people are nervous about driving up the High Street to make drop offs, due to confrontation from the public who don’t understand the current restrictions?
- Has it been fed back already that there are not enough drop off/collection bays?
- When does enforcement start?
- Why do we need crossing places when the whole road is pedestrianised?
- Are South Glos coming to the next Town Meeting in October?
- Could the speed be reduced to 10mph, not 20mph?
- Could additional signage be put in to restrict cyclists to 10mph also?
- How can buses come back if bus shelters are not allowed – people want them?
- What is being done to address that loading bays are not big enough for large delivery lorries?
- How secure is the WECA funding for this project?
- To increase biodiversity and aesthetics, are we having trees as well as planters?
- What is being done to sort out the clumsy design by The Malthouse pub?
- What is being done to sort out the issue for people using the disabled parking spaces having to reverse into The Close to get out?
- Why have we not got a Master Plan for Thornbury like the one done for Yate?
- Why is the traffic not being looked at more holistically?
- Is the funding time limited – is that why these plans are being rushed through?
8. Plans/Layouts/Drawings/Sketches
Please provide the copies of the latest Plans/Layouts/Drawings/Sketches of the High Street and the Diversion route for traffic around the Eastern fringe of the centre (Midland Way/Rock Street/The Plain),
Please provide copies of previous Plans/Layouts/Drawings/Sketches as they have developed from June 2020, together with dates issued