South Gloucestershire Council have now started an online consultation where residents can have their say on whether an underpass should be closed in the near future.

The consultation on whether the underpass by Lidl next to Yate Shopping Centre should be closed was started after ongoing anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

South Gloucestershire Cllr John Gawn held a meeting with the shopping centre and residents last month to discuss the issues.

He has previously said: “The problem we have is that groups are going down there because it is quiet and they are drinking and doing all sorts of things.

“They are smashing glass and leaving rubbish everywhere and there is a lot of graffiti as well.

“It is really dangerous down there, there is so much glass.”

On the consultation online, the council described the area as ‘unpleasant and potentially dangerous’.

“The Council is proposing to make a Public Spaces Protection Order restricting access to the underpass crossing Kennedy Way, Yate from near Sundridge Park to South Parade at Yate Shopping Centre,” it reads online.

“The underpass attracts anti-social behaviour, resulting in it being littered with broken glass and drug related litter. This makes it unpleasant, and potentially dangerous for people to use.

“There are two controlled surface crossings in close proximity to the underpass for pedestrians and cyclists to cross Kennedy Way.”

“A pedestrian count has been carried out indicating that usage of the underpass is low, and the majority of people use the surface crossing rather than the underpass.”

The consultation is open for comments by residents until December 4, on the South Gloucestershire Council website.