A site meeting arranged by the parish council was held last Saturday to consider proposals for major modifications to the Croft Bank/West Malvern Road/WestminsterBank/De Walden Road under the Government-initiated, County Council-administered Safer Routes to School initiative.

The £15,000 scheme would include a crossing with bollards and central refuge at the top of Croft Bank, a crossing over De Walden Road to connect with a new ramp leading to West Malvern Road, where there would be a another crossing, and pavement build-out to narrow the width of Westminster Bank. It would also involve the removal of the two trees in the narrow wedge of land at the junction of De Walden and West Malvern Roads where the proposed new ramp would be sited.

Those attending the meeting included representatives of both the village primary and St James's schools, county, district and parish councillors and officers of the county council, the Malvern Hills Highways Partnership and consultants Halcrow.

Following some extended discussion of the proposals and their possible impact on other related road safety and environmental issues, those represented at the meeting will now be sending their views on the scheme to the county council.

John Drinkwater was elected as new secretary of the West Malvern Allotment Association at a well attended AGM at The Lamb on Wednesday. He takes over from Annette Ralph, who, with her husband Andy, has reluctantly decided to give up their allotment due to pressure of work.

It was also agreed to set up a joint working parish council/allotment association working party to review all aspects of the running of the allotments.

Parish council representatives will be vice-chairman Coun Eric Hollands and Coun Karen Douglas and for the association, chairman Malcolm White and committee member Jim Nisbet.

Following a joint meeting on Monday of this week, the possibility of introducing a subsidised late-night bus service between Ledbury, Colwall, Malvern Wells, West Malvern and Great Malvern is still being pursued by representatives of the four parishes.

Don't forget the AGM of the Friends of St James's Parish Church to be held at 7.30pm this evening at the village hall, followed at 8pm by a talk by Cora Weaver on the wells and springs of the area.