Bath and North East Somerset Council's new Sustainable Transport Chief has visited Peasedown St John.

Cllr Hal MacFie has taken on the Local Authority's new mantel of championing sustainable transport in North East Somerset – the towns and villages outside of the city of Bath.

Cllr MacFie was given a walkabout tour of the community last week by Cllr Karen Walker (Independent, Peasedown) to discuss local issues and some innovative ideas for green transport.

Cllr Karen Walker said: "More and more people are walking and cycling much more frequently, and using local shops too, which is great. In Peasedown St John, lots of residents have been sharing ideas with Cllr Sarah Bevan and me over the last few months on what changes they'd like to see to the public realm, enabling them to have the choice of an alternative, sustainable transport option to get to work."

Suggestions discussed last week during Cllr MacFie's visit included:

- New signage around the Greenlands Road junction advising motorists of children walking/cycling to and from school

- Creating a Park & Ride on the Bath Business Park, enabling Somer Valley residents to leave their cars locally and bus into Bath.

Cllr Sarah Bevan (Independent, Peasedown) added: "The government's Climate Change Act of 2008 sets out emissions reduction targets, that the UK must comply with legally. If Peasedown can play a small part in reducing the effects of climate change by introducing some of these changes that would be hugely beneficial.

Cllr Walker and I are also keen to see financial commitments as well from the Council, Government and the West of England Combined Authority. With 7,000 residents, Peasedown St John is the biggest village in the south of England and is certainly entitled to its share of the financial cake."

In 2021, the Peasedown Community Trust will be sending an environment survey to every home in the village, keen to gauge residents' views on issues such as sustainable transport, recycling and wind turbines.