Buses in the Valley – Councillor raises concerns

It has been a long-held dream in some quarters to create a bus link across the valley from the western end of Chancellors Drive at UEA to the Norwich Research Park. The realisation of such a route has been brought a step closer, by its possible inclusion in a County Council bid for money from a “Transforming Cities” government fund. It is seen as a way of improving public transport by shortening journey times.

The EDP of 12 November reports on a recent Norfolk Bus Forum meeting, at which Judith Lubbock, Liberal Democrat Norwich city councillor for Eaton, voiced concern about the link:

“It’s a very special place, the Yare Valley, and we try very hard to protect it. I think, for the very small amount of journey time you’d save by going across the Yare Valley, I cannot see the saving would be worth the destruction.”

The EDP article can be found here.

No buses here please

 

The YVS supports Judith’s view, and will work with all those determined to keep the Yare Valley a Green Space for wildlife and informal recreation.

Greater Norwich Draft Local Plan delayed

You may have been wondering what has happened to the consultations on a new Greater Norwich Local Plan. Many of us put much effort in to responding to the earlier consultation on sites proposed for development. We were seriously concerned about the impact some of the proposed sites would have on wildlife and informal recreation in the Yare Valley. The completion and publication of a draft plan for submission to the next stage of public consultation was scheduled for September to October 2019.

It now seems that there are outstanding issues still to be resolved by the partner authorities: Norwich, Broadland, and South Norfolk district councils. The date now expected for the draft plan public consultation stage is now January – March 2020. You can find more information on the new Greater Norwich Plan here.