08/03862/F

Received notification of the outcome of the planning committee meeting regarding the mashing up of the cycle path in Greenbank : It's got the go ahead, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement. "Section 106 agreements are drawn up when it is considered that a development will have negative impacts." (But the development's such a good earner for so many people with their finger in the pie that it's given the go ahead anyway, never mind the wildlife, green space, impact on the environment or the priority cycle route)

Parklife

Bung it here, nobody will mind.

Every little helps

£3 billion profit, but no sign of a better bike rack at Tesco's Eastville.

George, Bungle and Zippy

By now, property developer George Ferguson has made a name for himself in Bristol as the guy who wants to build on the Bristol - Bath cyclepath. Not content with building on the substantial site of the old chocolate factory in Greenbank, George and his partners at the council, Bungle and Zippy, think it would be a good idea for our newly designated Cycling City if they wrecked the hugely popular and important cycle route by building houses on the green strip of land outside the boundary of the old factory, destroying hedgerows, apple trees and a public bench, impeding the free flow of cycle traffic and setting a precedent for more development along the once tranquil cycle route.

Ok, so there's nothing unusual about a property developer obtaining land by dubious means and ramming in as many high density dwellings as possible to maximise profit with no regard for other land users. What is astonishing however, is that the very same George is lauded as the city's pre-eminent spokesperson for cycling, to whom we should all look for advice and guidance.

In a fine example of Greenwash, George is trying to push through the development on the cyclepath as a benefit to cyclists, when anyone with a gram of sanity knows that his plans will choke and strangle this important commuter and leisure route and increase the likelihood of the development of a diesel bus route in the years ahead.

bbc.co.uk/insideout

Cycle killer, qu'est-ce que c'est ?

Feeling pretty sick in my stomach about the ongoing proposals for the development on / next to the cyclepath in Greenbank. There's really just no need. It seems more than insensitive, stupid even, to spoil a green space and annoy cyclists and other users of this linear park, when there's more than enough scope for development within the existing boundary of the old chocolate factory. Besides taking every opportunity to voice my opposition and register objections through the permitted channels and getting friends to do the same, I can't see what else to do. It seems that the council only narrowly rejected, or put on ice, plans to develop the path as a bus route, so I fear that plans to build much needed houses will be approved, thereby setting a precedent for more development along the path and the eventual approval of the bus route proposals.

Despite the need for and value of a wildlife corridor, linear park and priority cycle route, I expect that the developer will convince the council of the higher value and need for housing and the role of the development in regeneration of the area. But can they really be persuaded that slowing and hindering cycling and the destruction of green space is an acceptable outcome ?



The loss of a view and the disturbance caused by a development are not permissable objections, which is not to say that they shouldn't be expressed, although to do so risks being labelled a NIMBY. Nevermind, I've got much worse labels for them, though name calling doesn't get anywhere. It's just that the chaos and noise around there when it all starts, together with the development of an athletics track and floodlights on the Packer's Field will make the area unbearable for months leaving horrible scars when it's finished.

vowles the green
the story of a hedge
bristol traffic
green bristol blog
railwaypath.org

Pork scratchings

"Fine, call the police then", I suggested to the VW Golf driver, who was moaning about a scratch on his arse. I'd been cycling past Lawrence Hill station when he'd overtaken, then swerved in front of me into a parking space which wasn't really there, leaving his back end jutting out into my path. Given the 'choice' of getting mown down by the traffic behind or clipping his boot, I chose the latter and somehow managed to avoid sprawling on the road under a bus.

Although I'm well aware that if you drive into the back of someone it's usually your fault, I doubted that the third umpire would have agreed, which is perhaps why I found myself hanging around to argue with my new acquaintance, who looked barely old enough to have a licence.

I'd bent a brake lever, my thumb was throbbing and I'd just survived another close call. All the petrolhead could care about was a tiny scratch to his chariot. Seeing that he didn't want to call the plod and the Hawkeye replay wasn't going to happen, I cycled off.

Dirty half dozen

These pathetic cycle parking facilities at Morrisons' supermarket in Fishponds are the best for miles around, just as long as it's not raining and no more than half a dozen cyclists want to shop at the same time. Given the paltry amount of shopping that it's possible to carry while cycling, it's against the best interests of supermarkets to encourage shoppers to make their journeys by bicycle. Far better then to provide a token space between the disabled parking bay and the cash point machines, where cars and 4x4s are constantly reversing, turning and parked. That'll learn them to shop properly.