Thursday 24th December 2009 M5 Bridge to be demolished on Christmas Day
The M5 will be closed on Christmas Day between junction 17 and 18 to
allow demolition of a bridge. The concrete bridge was built in the
early 1970s and is said to be at the end of its safe working life. The
replacement for the pedestrian bridge is already open and in use, and
is an improvement on the old bridge as it also allows for traffic on
horseback.

Diversion are in place during the closure:

Northbound traffic will be diverted off the M5 at J18 (Avonmouth) on
to the M49 to join the M4 at J22 then head east and rejoin the M5 at
J20 (Almondsbury Interchange). Bristol

Wednesday 2nd December 2009 Bristol airport is a joke
People flying in or out of Bristol International Airport will be faced
by comedian Justin Lee Collins warning them of potential hazards on their way
through the facility. A recording of the comedian has Mr Collins
speaking through a traffic cone saying “Welcome to Bristol Airport,
please mind the stairs”. The television presenter’s message will be
played to passengers coming through the airport’s international
arrivals passport control area.

The message was recorded by Lee Collins at the airport on 28 November
and replaces messages previously recorded by members of the airport
staff. Bristol

Tuesday 24th November 2009 Bristol to build 1,000mph car
The port of Bristol has been chosen as the place to build the car that
will attempt to shatter the World Land Speed Record and the 1,000mph
barrier. Design for the jet-powered supercar have been finalised and
the car, to be called Bloodhound, is expected to attempt the record at
Hakskeen Pan, Northern Cape Province, SOuth Africa in 2011.

A special facility in Bristol’s docklands will host the building of
the car situated right next to Brunel’s own masterpiece of speed and
technology, the iron built SS Great Britain. The car will use an EJ200
jet engine to propel it along the dried up river bed in South Africa.
Hakskeen Pan has been chosen for what driver Wing Commander Andy Green
described as its “perfect surface” for the record attempt. Bristol

Thursday 12th November 2009 Bristol’s Timbuktu road sign to be removed
Bristol City Council plan to remove a spoof road sign that has
appeared on a busy commuter route in the Bristol area. The sign shows
drivers that they are only 2,384 miles from Timbuktu in Mali, Africa.
The council have said they are going to remove the spoof sign which
they say is illegal. A council spokesperson insisted they weren’t
being killjoys but felt that the sign didn’t add to road safety.

A BBC reporter who works in the Bristol area said: “"I was only on my
way to Bedminster but it was good to know I was getting nearer to
Timbuktu as well." Bristol

Monday 19th October 2009 Zoo in circus animal link
Noah’s Ark Zoo near Bristol has been forced to admit links with a
controversial circus. It has been revealed that the zoo has been
breeding tigers and camels for the Great British Circus, the only one
in the UK still using tigers in their acts.

After receiving a tip off the animal welfare campaign group Captive
Animals Protection Society (CAPS) secretly filmed the tigers at Noah’s
Ark. CAPS also revealed that the zoo had buried a tiger carcass on
their land instead of complying with the law and sending it off for
incineration. Anthony Bush, the owner of Noah's Ark, said he has since
corrected his mistake - by digging the tiger’s body up and sending it
off as required by law. Bristol

Monday 3rd August 2009 £15,000 needed to finish rescue boathouse
The Gloucester-based charity, The Severn Area Rescue Association (Sara) is trying to raise £15,000 to finish its new boathouse and facilities at Sharpness. The rescue charity provides in-shore rescue boat and land search services for the Severn Estuary and part of the Severn River.

The organisation is often mistakenly thought to be funded by the government or to be part of the RNLI when neither are in fact the case. replacement equipment and work to finish the boathouse is still needed ahead of its planned opening later this year. The charity is the second largest of its type in the UK, behind only the RNLI, operates eight boats and is staffed by as many as 150 volunteers. Bristol