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Bus Routes

Posted by Dawn Primarolo, MP for Bristol South, at 13:13, Tue 14 April 2009:

BUS ROUTES IN KNOWLE WEST AND THE NOVERS

On Tuesday evening, I met with local residents in Knowle West, who have teamed up to oppose First’s bus service cuts in the area. The 89 service along Leinster Avenue has been stopped, meaning that residents – including many older people – have to walk twice as far for the bus. I have repeatedly raised this issue with First over several months, but will now be approaching the Traffic Commissioner, who regulates bus services. Residents were also concerned about the lack of raised kerbs on some stops, and I will be urging the Council to make changes. I will be writing to residents in Knowle West and the Novers to ask for their views, but should you have any comments on our local buses, please get in touch.

FREE SWIMMING

Bristol City Council is offering free swimming for over 60s and under 16s as part of a £140 million government scheme. The Government want two million people to get more active by the time London hosts the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012. Swimming is a great way for people to do so, enabling young and old people to exercise at their own pace. It is accessible to all and is not physically demanding. Not only will free swimming encourage people to get more active and increase their health but £60m of the scheme is going to upgrade or build new swimming facilities. The free swimming scheme is a really positive one, helping senior citizens and young people – and, of course, mums and dads too! Free swimming in Bristol started on 1 April – you can find out more at www.bristol.gov.uk/freeswimming.

HENGROVE PLAY PARK

Children have been enjoying a new Government backed £140,000 play park in Hengrove. The new play garden covers approximately one acre and features high raised mounds with paths and bridges, new slides, climbing equipment and an amphitheatre for live performance. Its purpose is to encourage creative and challenging play within a natural setting, and I am sure children, young people and families will get a lot of enjoyment out of it. Not only is it free, but it also looks like great fun.

SEVEREN TIDAL POWER CONSULTATION

A consultation on the five different Severn tidal power options closes on 23rd April 2009. If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to have your say and want a chance to give your views on the design of the tidal power project then please visit www.decc.gov.uk/severntidalpowerconsultation. Further information about the different Severn tidal power options and the information gathered so far can also be found on the same website. The different options vary according to location, projected cost and the amount of energy that would be produced. Most of the options require some level of public funding, and all affect locations near the Bristol area so it is important that local people have their say. I welcome the government’s £500,000 research project to look into the potential of a variety of systems such as tidal reefs and tidal fences. All the schemes need to be assessed on their environmental impact, and their ability to produce renewable power. I will keep you updated on this important matter.

ECONOMY SURVEY

These are difficult economic times for people across the country and I know that residents in Bristol South are worried about the family finances. The government will continue to do everything possible to lessen the impact of the recession. I am in touch with Government Ministers, trade unions, businesses and voluntary organisations as we pull together to tackle the downturn. To inform these discussions, it’s absolutely vital that I hear from people all across Bristol South, to find out about their personal experiences, and priorities for where the government should step in. For this reason, I’d urge everyone to please take a few moments to complete a short survey on my website. The survey gives you the opportunity to have your say and comment on your personal experiences of the recession. The survey can be found at www.bristolsouthlabourparty.org.uk/economy-survey.

If you have been affected by the recent economic down-turn, there is also a range of fact-sheets with useful information and contact details for Bristol South residents on my website. These are available on www.bristolsouthlabourparty.org.uk/fact-sheets or you can call my office on 9090063 to ask for paper copies.

GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL REFURBISHMENT

The City Council has been successful in its bid for £12 million funding to renew and rebuild our primary schools. Part of a £46 million overall package of investment in Bristol primary schools over the next five years, the money will be used to fund major development projects at schools across the city. The plans for primary schools are to ensure they are fit for teaching and learning in the 21st century. They will also ensure school places will be available where they are needed and offer a solution to the current pressure on school places in some areas.

CRACKING DOWN ON BURGLARY

Domestic burglaries have more than halved since 1997, but it’s just as important as ever to remain vigilant, and take simple steps to keep your home secure. The Home Office has launched a free advice pack providing simple and practical advice on how to prevent burglary. The pack includes vouchers for discounts on home security products from B&Q and Focus. If you would like a free information pack, just call 0800 456 1213. The Home Secretary announced a range of other measures to tackle burglary, including intensified operations to turn the tables on repeat offenders. Extra funding is being directed to help local neighbourhood watch groups, and extra advice from insurance companies on the best steps to take to help keep your home safe, and your premium reasonable.

NEW RIGHTS FOR EMPLOYEES

I am pleased to note that the government is introducing three new working rights which come into effect this month. These rights build on previous government legislation to ensure workers a fair deal in the modern workplace. From 1st April 2009 statutory holiday entitlement will increase by 4 days to 5.6 weeks for full-time workers (28 days), pro rata for part-timers, benefiting 6 million people. From 6th April 2009, the right to request flexible working will be extended to parents of children aged 16 or under, benefiting an extra 4.5 million people. Also coming into force on April 6th is the Employment Act 2008. The purpose of this act is to ensure that the National Minimum Wage (now ten years old) is enforced. The limit on maximum fines for underpayment of the national minimum wage is to be removed and the most serious cases of non-compliance will be tried at Crown Court. A fairer way of dealing with national minimum wage arrears is also being introduced, so that they are calculated in a way that means workers do not lose out.

ANY QUESTIONS?

If you have any queries about these issues, or have a question you would like to ask about anything else, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Email me at primarolod@parliament.uk, phone 0117 909 0063 or write to me at PO Box 1002, Bristol, BS99 1WH.  Alternatively, for more information on what’s happening in and around Bristol South, you can visit www.bristolsouthlabourparty.org.uk.