The local Mayor writes for Nub News

As the sun makes a welcome appearance this week end, it is good to see that many of the shops are functioning again. Not so good, perhaps that the traffic is building up on the arterial routes.

Transport has been a bit of a preoccupation with me during the last few months. On the one hand my group, the North Somerset Railway has made a compelling case to the DfT for linking the Somer Valley with the National Rail network. Faster and more efficient trains mean that the disadvantages of an indirect route to Bath and Bristol are largely eliminated.

On the other hand the pressure group dedicated to bringing back tramways to the Greater Bristol area is suggesting that since the largest feeder of traffic into Bath is from Radstock, the tramway along the A367 route should continue past Odd Down Park and Ride to Peasedown and into the Somer Valley. There is a lot of sense in this idea; hitherto Peasedown, situated on a hill, has never enjoyed access to rail. With the population well in excess of 6500 it would be a prime candidate for alternative public transport.

Whatever the outcome, I sense that Radstock is heading for a period of prosperity and if it is to be the rail hub of the Somer Valley, will require shops and businesses to cater for the influx of visitors. As the population continues to expand, it is likely that both tram and rail will be needed.

Rupert Bevan