The planned opening of the new play area on the King George V Playing Fields has been delayed because of technical problems with the trampoline equipment. It is now unlikely that it will be ready in time for the Easter holidays. The new equipment includes a zip wire replacement. As soon as we have any more news on its opening we will let you know.

National Grid will soon close Wrington Lane completely for up to six weeks for essential work to replace electricity cables. For residents of just under 200 homes the only way in and out will be the narrow stretch of the lane that leads up to Wrington Road and has no passing places.

Although National Grid will be providing radio control for traffic by banksmen at either end from 7am to 7pm during the week there will be no traffic control when they are not at work – evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays. 

Residents are concerned that this will put drivers at risk of collision or of multiple vehicles having to back up or down the narrow sunken lane. The lane is only one car wide, is without passing places and has blind turns at top and bottom.

“It’s a nightmarish thought,” said Susan Hibberd, one of the villagers who will be affected by the closure.

“There must be around 350 residents’ cars that would need to use the diversion, quite apart from delivery, service and emergency vehicles. 

“We have been begging North Somerset Council’s Highways Department to allow National Grid to install traffic lights. This happened some years ago when Wales and West Utilities closed the lane to replace the leaking gas mains and residents had to use the diversion. National Grid is willing to use traffic lights but cannot do so without permission from North Somerset,” she explained. 

Villagers say their fears are being ignored despite so many of them contacting ward councillor Phil Neve about their concerns. Mr Neve has tried tirelessly to convince North Somerset officers of the danger to residents, as has CRAG, the residents’ action group. 

 “Many of us are afraid of being trapped in our homes or facing unmanageable traffic problems,” said Mrs Hibberd. “We are sick with worry.”

The reasons given by North Somerset officers for refusing installation of traffic lights are that the lane is two-way, that motorists should “give and take” (though there’s no forward vision from top to bottom of the lane and the newly built footway reduces that even more), that lights would put pressure on Wrington Road and that they would be dangerous.   

“We don’t question the need for power cables to be replaced and we accept the considerable disruption this will entail. But we want to feel safe, able to continue our normal lives and leave home without dreading what may happen,” she said.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a two-vehicle collision in Congresbury on Sunday.

Avon and Somerset Police were called at around 2.15pm on Sunday 26 February following the incident on the A370 Weston Road, in Congresbury, which involved two cars, one of which left the road.

Five people were taken to hospital, with one person in critical condition.

Officers are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident and may have seen the collision or have dashcam footage.

They are especially keen to speak to the driver of a vehicle travelling towards Puxton who was seen at the area at the time of the collision.

The A370 remained closed between M5 Junction 21 and Congresbury and was reopened at around 1.45am on Monday.

Families living on Brinsea Road want a 20mph speed limit to help curb the speed of vehicles that frequently break the existing 30mph limit.

Christine Nuttall, who has lived on Brinsea Road for nine years, has launched a petition calling for further restrictions. The petition has the backing of Congresbury’s North Somerset councillor Phil Neve.

“Over the years I have lived here,  the speed of cars and HGVs going through our village has increased to the point it’s now becoming a danger to the residents young and old so I’ve decided it’s time to do something about it,” said Christine.

The petition can be signed at the Co-op, Cottage Loaf, Hodders Butchers and the Post Office. 

YACWAG’s call for volunteers to help start work to reveal the platforms at Congresbury’s long disused railway station (see details here) prompted Michael Greaves to contact us with this sketch and a note on the station.

“It was always my hope that when the platforms are restored the original Waiting Room could be rebuilt,” he writes. “I am attaching a copy of my thumbnail sketch of the original waiting room that was sadly demolished when the line was closed.

“The platforms are unique as the up line platform was built with carboniferous limestone from Henley Quarry on Cadbury Hill, but the down platform is the lovely stone quarried at Draycott in Somerset. It’s a Dolomitic Conglomerate stone which when polished is known as Draycott Marble. Perhaps the most famous use is the table top in the entrance of  Longleat House in Wiltshire. Both platforms are excellent examples of Victorian engineering and form an important part of Congresbury’s history.

CRAG, Congresbury Residents’ Action Group, has stopped its fight against the Wrington Lane footway scheme. Here, CRAG secretary Viv Tomkinson, explains why.

“After a long, increasingly frustrating and expensive fight, I have to tell you that CRAG has sadly had to decide to withdraw our challenge to the Wrington Lane footway scheme.

“We have been opposing this development for over 7 years. As most of you know, construction of the footway was necessary before the 50 houses could be built. CRAG has always maintained that the footway scheme could not be delivered without encroaching on private land.

“After years of trying to convince North Somerset Highways Department and the Planning Officers of the veracity of our claim, eventually even employing an ‘expert witness’ boundary surveyor and a specialist land and property disputes solicitor, but the NSC officers still obstinately claim that the footway can be delivered using only land that is part of the public highway and indeed they have again said this in their most recent response which we received in the last week.

“We believe they are wrong but we have decided, after deep thought and consideration, that we have to  face the reality that we cannot stop the development 

“We know that  it would now cost North Somerset Council a great deal of money to stop Vistry.

“In order to make a legal challenge against NSC we would have had to instruct a barrister to take court action and this would have incurred fees costing tens of thousands of pounds.

“It would also put an unacceptable strain on the residents because NSC have in their latest response stated that it is the residents who would need to be named in any court action.

“So, it is now a question of damage limitation. We need to be sure that the outcome for the residents most directly affected by the delivery of the footway suffer minimal damage to their land, hedges, walls and lawns. Some residents will be losing hedges and the ends of their driveways. Residents are now in discussion with the contractors about what exactly will be done, and how it will be made good afterwards. 

“CRAG owes a huge debt of gratitude to these residents, who have been under enormous pressure from the developers over recent years. 

 “We are also extremely grateful to all CRAG supporters who have submitted objections and supported our challenge to this development. And also for the donations from supporters and the support given by the Parish Council which helped us pay the legal costs and the costs of the boundary surveyor’s report to progress our challenge to NSC’s position.

“We do know that the impact will extend further than just the part of Wrington Lane required for the footway scheme and we understand the worries that all of you will have about how life will change in Wrington Lane after this development is completed.

“We also appreciate the upset caused to all those households affected by the developers’ frequent inconsiderate abuse of the conditions under which they were supposed to carry out the preparatory works on the site.

“CRAG blames North Somerset Council for the whole debacle. The previous administration should never have approved the planning application. Officers seem to have acted with no scrutiny from Councillors regarding our arguments, and have not enforced the site regulations about the construction process  in spite of frequent complaints from residents. We intend to have all these issues investigated and are engaging with our local Councillor about this. We will be submitting a complaint to NSC and we will escalate our complaint to a higher level if this is necessary.

“We hope you understand why we have taken this decision, but please be assured that CRAG will continue the fight against other inappropriate development within our community.”

With the price of energy set to rise this month, North Somerset Council and its partners in the North Somerset Together network are working together to develop a network of public
living rooms across the area to help people keep warm this winter. Public living rooms are safe, welcoming and non-judgemental spaces for people to come together to stay warm and perhaps enjoy a hot drink and a biscuit. These venues will also have information to help people who might be keen to learn more about the support available to tackle the cost of living crisis.
The sorts of venues that might be suitable for hosting public living rooms include community buildings, sports venues, places of worship,libraries and any organisation willing to make a space available for people to use.
Cllr Mike Bell, North Somerset Council’s deputy leader and chair of North Somerset’s cost of living working group said: “We are a council that cares about people and addressing the cost of living crisis is the top priority for every member of the council’s Executive. No-one should have to go cold this winter. We know already that some of our residents are worried they might have to choose between heating and eating, so to help we want to create a network of places across North Somerset where people can keep warm.
“Our goal is to create a directory of all the places available to our residents across the public, private, health and voluntary sectors and to ensure this information is clearly promoted so everyone who is feeling the cold knows where they can go to get warm, stay warm and enjoy a little company and some hot refreshments.”

To enable public living rooms to be set up or maintained, grants of up to £1,000 will be available to organisations in North Somerset. The grants are funded by North Somerset Council, supported by Alliance Homes, grant funding. Applications will be accepted from North Somerset agencies and community-led organisations delivering services for people in North
Somerset. More information about the scheme and grant application process is available on the council’s website at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/col
The North Somerset Together Network will promote the directory of public living rooms as soon as they begin to be established with the hope that more venues will become available as news of the initiative spreads across North Somerset.
Cllr Bell added: “Our ambition is that all communities across North Somerset that need a public living room have at least one that their local residents can use to help stay warm and well.”

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage following a collision on the A370 at Congresbury on Friday afternoon

Officers are investigating the circumstances around a collision between a motorcycle and a car, which happened at around 12.30pm near the Esso garage.

One person has been taken to hospital by air ambulance with injuries which are believed to be life-threatening. Their family are aware and being supported by specialist officers.

Police are asking any witnesses, or drivers with dashcam footage, to come forward and call us.

If you can help, please call 101 and give the call handler the reference number 5222212042, or complete our online appeals form.

A garage was broken into around 2am on Saturday (August 20th) in Duck Lane, Langford. Six male offenders, all wearing dark clothing, forced entry to the garage via the main door with bolt cutters and crow bars. Once inside they conducted an untidy search until an alarm was sounded, they then made off on foot. 

Any information please contact the Police on 101 quoting reference number: 5222200333 stating NHW release. Or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. 

A home in Cobthorn Way, Congresbury, was burgled on Saturday afternoon (August 20th) between 12:30pm and 4:30pm. The offender gained access by forcing a downstairs lounge window and once inside conducted a messy search of the upper level. A safe containing cash, jewellery and documents were stolen before the offender made off via the patio doors.

Any information please contact the Police on 101 quoting reference number: 5222200753 stating NHW release. Or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A car has been damaged overnight on Sunday while parked on Chestnut Close, Congresbury. The owner was notified of the damage by a neighbour and upon checking all four tyres had been cut through.
Any information please contact the olice on 101 quoting reference number: 5222183264 stating NHW release. Or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police are appealing for witnesses and information after a motorcyclist was injured in a collision with a car in Congresbury.

It happened just after 9.10am on Sunday 10 July on the A370 at Rhodyate Hill near the Star pub.

A man riding a black Honda motorcycle was involved in a collision with a black Volvo XC60 which was turning onto the road.

The motorcyclist went to hospital by ambulance for treatment to serious injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.

Police are keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the collision or who has any dashcam or other footage of that stretch of road at the time. Please get in touch if you can help.

If you can help, please call 101 and give the call handler the reference number 5222169655, or complete our online appeals form.

Congresbury CC is a thriving cricket club at the heart of the village and is a big part of the community.  With the expansion of junior, women’s, girls and senior men’s cricket the training facilities are of vital importance to the club. 

The club’s practice facilities/ nets are no longer fit for purpose, with one of the two original nets completely unusable. The current nets have been in place for well over a decade and they are dangerous to use and will be replaced with two brand new, state of the art bays. The club has worked hard over the last couple of years to secure various grants, including one from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

However, the club will need to raise £10,000 to reach its target. The impact of a new net facility will be felt throughout the club and hopefully within the community. It will provide a safe environment for the junior teams to train and will give individuals the opportunities to improve their cricket. The nets are also vital for senior and women’s cricket as they will provide somewhere for players to practice while other matches are going on. There will also be opportunities for members of the public to book and make use of the modern facilities. 

To help the club reach its target, please follow this link.