PLANS to introduce safety and anti-congestion improvements across South Gloucestershire, including the area's first park and ride facility at Parkway Station, have taken a step forward.

The district council's planning and transport select committee has backed proposals by the ruling Conservative group which would also see the introduction of traffic lights at three accident blackspot roundabouts on the congested southern section of the Avon Ring Road.

Also included in the package are pedestrian safety improvements on the Parkway railway bridge and work to progress other park and ride sites in the district.

But the measures could come at the expense of delays to a £2.4million park and ride facility at Nibley on the edge of Yate. The scheme was heavily backed by the Liberal Democrat group and £600,000 has already been spent on a bus lane on the Badminton Road to serve the park and ride.

The committee resolved to support deferring the scheme following an independent professional report which said it would require heavily subsidised fares and additional services costing hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Cllr Brian Allinson, planning and transport executive member on the council's minority Conservative administration, welcomed the select committee's backing for the Tory proposals.

"The ring road roundabouts have a diabolical safety record, with 42 personal injury accidents in the last three years, and we would be failing in our duty if we just ignored the safety of our residents.

"There is no other way of funding these improvements except in the way we have proposed and had we been defeated it would mean waiting years to signalise them. More people would suffer injury as a result.

"It is also great news that after years South Gloucestershire is going to get its first park and ride serving our major rail station, encouraging more people to use public transport.

"This is likely to be a major success and under our plans it won't require council taxpayers to pour in money to make it work."

He said the Nibley park and ride would not work effectively without heavy council subsidies, draining resources for other important services such as bus routes and denying funding for crucial safety improvements.

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