Innovative transport designs

Local Lib Dems Gail Coleshill, Cllr Neil Butters and Tim Bray went on a fact finding visit to Stourbridge where there is a very successful light rail link between the station and the town.

The light rail car, or Parry’s People Mover, runs along rails on a 2 litre LPG diesel engine with a flywheel attachment to provide kinetic energy which saves fuel and carbon emissions.
Gail Coleshill was impressed by the possibilities of using such a low energy solution in Bath and North East Somerset.

She said “I can see the possibilities in a number of situations where the track beds of old railways still exist. It could be used in Bath along the old track instead of buses which use the same congested road space as cars. There are also the two tunnels track, the Radstock to Frome track, and maybe a branch line to Swindon.

Parry’s People Mover was first developed for use in the developing world but has been designed in Stourbridge to specifications from Network Rail.

The car which carries 60 people makes journeys every ten minutes along a disused branch line but the design of its body means that it can be extended to travel along tracks in or beside the road.

Gail was particularly impressed by its affordability. She added:

“LPG fuel makes it really cheap to run and the fuel is carried in a large tank within the vehicle. The car is light weight and the flywheel which stores up energy is what makes this such an innovative solution. I believe this could be a useful way to make a link between Bristol and Radstock along the old railway track which still exists most of the way.

Local resident and rail enthusiast Tim Bray thought there were practical applications within the Radstock area.

“I know there are public transport shortages between Farrington and Midsomer Norton and there is a track bed which is going to be an extension to the Greenway. I think this would be an ideal place to try out a pilot scheme for an ultra light railway.”

Lib Dems plea to Council “Leave the mobile library service alone”

News that the mobile library service is proposed for cuts in the very rural areas has caused consternation to villagers who rely on the library van’s regular visits.

Gail Coleshill, Parliamentary spokesperson, representing views from villages like Combe Hay, Priston and Wellow, said:

“I cannot believe that the Council is proposing to take away the mobile library from villages where it is already difficult to explain what they get for their council tax.

Surely rather than a consultation on cuts to the service we should be consulting on how to get more residents interested in using the mobile service and what they want and need from such a service.”

Local Lib Dem Louise Bray is very concerned that it will be young mums and the elderly who will suffer. She said:

“However short, the visit from the library in villages like Combe Hay and Priston is very important for people with young children and the elderly who cannot easily get to places like Timsbury or the main libraries.”

Cllr Neil Butters, Bathavon South ward, is annoyed that this is a cut too far.

He said:

“I am trying hard to get better transport for villages in my ward to save trips by car and then the Council Cabinet seems to do nothing but make it more and more necessary to make car journeys.

Villagers in places like Wellow are fed up with being sidelined by the Council. Creating sustainable communities will increasingly mean getting services to people and communities and not asking them to make lots of individual journeys to centralised locations.”

Gail and Louise will be attending the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Stronger Communities), at the Guildhall on Thursday 23at 10am to represent the views of people who want to keep the mobile library service. Cllr Neil Butters would be pleased to hear views from any residents.