UPDATED JULY 2022:
As residents are aware the high number of visitors coming to Saltford over the past couple of years has caused issues that are of concern to residents, especially those visiting Saltford’s old village, river side areas and nearby green spaces during periods of good weather.
Saltford Parish Council has again approached B&NES Council, Avon Fire & Rescue, and the Keynsham Beat Team for support ahead of the busy summer months.
As in previous years, residents are encouraged to continue raise issues as appropriate to B&NES Council and the police. Please refer to SPC’s Report It page which details how residents can report to the correct authority. For resident information, noise nuisance can be reported to B&NES Council’s Environmental Protection Team, please see information on the B&NES website under ‘Noise Nuisance – Contact Us’ and there is more general information on the B&NES Council ‘Noise Nuisance’ page here.
Please note that Parish Councils are not permitted to act in areas that are the responsibility of other authorities, however residents are welcome to copy in any emails to Saltford Parish Council for Parish Councillor’s awareness.
A key issue is traffic flow and concerns of gridlock in the old village area. In autumn 2021 SPC requested double yellow lines to prevent parking at the High Street / Homefield Road junction. Parking opposite the Homefield Road junction is against the Highway Code and leads to traffic management issues along the High Street and Norman Road. B&NES Council have held a public consultation on double yellow lines at this junction, and it is hoped that these will be approved and installed later in 2022.
SPC has also contacted the B&NES Council Parking Enforcement Team to request more regular visits to Saltford during peak visitor times, and to request that Mead Lane and The Shallows are priority areas for visits. Parking enforcement officers have been visiting regularly. The new double yellow lines on Mead Lane and The Shallows helped ensure traffic flow and better safety particularly for cyclists and pedestrians when installed last year.
SPC hopes requests to B&NES Council to improve traffic management will enable the police to focus on tackling any crime offences, rather than gridlock issues as seen in previous years. The Keynsham Beat Team are aware of the issues Saltford has faced and are keen to respond to residents when other concerns (further to road safety) are raised. Residents are encouraged to contact the police as appropriate when incidents occur, as this also helps the police build up a picture of areas to focus resource.
SPC has also been in touch with B&NES Council’s waste management team. SPC is grateful to the team at B&NES Council for putting two large bins near the river at SPC’s request to help assist with the volume of waste often seen in the summer months at this location. B&NES Council’s Waste Management team have also said that they will visit the area more regularly to empty the usual bins following periods of good weather.
SPC understands anti-social behaviour associated with high visitor numbers can be a concern. To raise awareness of concerns with the police, please contact the Keynsham Beat Team. If you have experienced anti-social behaviour or felt unsafe in Saltford you can now report to the police via StreetSafe https://www.police.uk/pu/notices/streetsafe/street-safe/ This is a pilot service for anyone to anonymously tell the police about public places where you have felt or feel unsafe because of some behaviours, eg being verbally abused. More information about Streetsafe can be found on SPC’s website at https://www.saltfordparishcouncil.gov.uk/tell-as-police-where-you-dont-feel-safe-with-the-streetsafe-tool/ . SPC has been in regular contact with the Keynsham Beat Team over the summer. The team have assured the Parish Council that they are carrying out regular patrols, especially during periods of good weather. SPC is grateful to the police for their regular visits to Saltford’s old village area.
Saltford Parish Council has been in touch with the Hicks Gate Team and the wider team at Avon Fire & Rescue. The Hicks Gate team have confirmed that they will be visiting Saltford’s river side areas to engage with users and visitors about water safety. The Hicks Gate team will also have a stall at the opening of the Saltford Festival at Saltford Hall on Saturday 2nd July if residents wish to discuss concerns with them then. SPC and Avon Fire & Rescue are looking at working on a water safety communications campaign, specifically for the Saltford area, to raise awareness of to visitors.
SPC requests village’s inclusion in the B&NES Community Safety Plan review
The B&NES Community Safety Partnership is currently reviewing their Community Safety Plan. Issues and priorities that should be focussed upon in the new plan were discussed at SPC’s March meeting. Saltford Parish Council has since raised the issue of anti-social and illegal behaviour in and around the old village and river side areas, especially during periods of hot weather. Saltford Parish Council resolved to make the following requests to be included in the updated Community Safety Plan for Saltford:
• Improving residents’ ability to make reports including local beat surgeries in Saltford during the summer months (c.May – September)
• Prevention of antisocial behaviour – frequent police patrols targeting hotspot locations
• Prosecution – use of antisocial behaviour powers / community protection orders
• Reassurance of the public – police attendance at SPC meetings following receipt of reports of anti-social and illegal behaviours, attendance of officers as well as PCSOs at SPC ‘Meet Your Community Police Officers’ annual event, regular communications to SPC from the police during busy periods etc
• Multi-agency enforcement visits to licensed premises, including supermarkets, to ensure their sales do not create nuisance.
SPC will update on any response regarding this.