Bristol’s most ambitious improvements to walking and cycling in a generation

Major changes to walking and cycling infrastructure could be implemented within weeks as part of plans set to help build a “more inclusive, sustainable” future.

Bristol’s share of a promised funding pot from central government – anticipated to be around £4m for the region – will be used to accelerate a raft of measures expected to radically alter how we travel around the city, including the introduction of new cycle lanes and widening of pavements in busy shopping areas.

Mayor Marvin Rees says long-awaited plans to pedestrianise much of the Old City and close Baldwin Street and Bristol Bridge to through-traffic could be implemented by late this summer, while other improvements are set to be in place “in a matter of weeks”.

The radical changes, exclusively revealed by Bristol24/7, are a direct response to the coronavirus pandemic and the continued need for social-distancing.

They have been welcomed by environmental and active travel campaigners across the political spectrum, who have been lobbying city leaders to follow in the footsteps of places such as Oxford in implementing such measures and say they cannot come soon enough.

But concerns have been raised about the impact the reduction in traffic and parking spaces will have on businesses. At a press briefing on Wednesday, BBC Radio Bristol politics reporter Pete Simson reported that one Baldwin Street business owner had already described the plans as the “final nail in the coffin”.

………………………………..

Read more: Exclusive: Baldwin Street to be closed to through-traffic among major council plans

………………………………..

Responding, Rees said his team have done a lot of thinking about unintended consequences, adding that claims such changes can be implemented easily are “quite naïve”.

Experimental traffic orders will be used to implement the alterations to roads and pavements across the city. These will remain in place for periods of six months to two years, and feedback from stakeholders will be taken into account before the changes become permanent.

Rees has said this is an opportunity for Bristol to emerge from this crisis “in a more inclusive and sustainable way” by improving access to public transport and safety around cycling and walking.

Underpinning this, he says, is the ambitious vision to build a mass transit system for the city – something his administration and partners are putting forward as one of the major infrastructure projects the government should be accelerating to stimulate green economic regeneration.

“Action we take now will contribute to reducing air pollution, improving people movement for all Bristolians and encouraging alternative sustainable ways to travel,” said Rees.

“The current situation is challenging our usual travel habits and behaviour in a way that we’ve never seen before.

“Many of us have already embraced more walking and cycling journeys and, whilst it is understandable bus usage has dropped, we want to protect the long-term viability of our public transport services because of their intrinsic value to communities across the city.”

How the road network around the Old City is set to change. Map courtesy of Bristol City Council

Under the new proposals, a bus priority route will be introduced over Bristol Bridge and at the entrance to Baldwin Street and the route will be closed to general through-traffic.

There will be walking and cycling upgrades in areas including Marlborough Street, Park Row, Victoria Street, Lewins Mead, Stokes Croft, the Clifton Triangle and Counterslip, while pavements will be widened in shopping districts such Bedminster Parade, Stapleton Road, St Mark’s Road, North Street and Clifton Village to enable people to maintain social distancing.

The mayor said bollards to prevent motor vehicles from passing will be water-filled as a greener alternative to concrete.

Bristol’s Green councillors have led calls for more priority for walkers and cyclists in the city.

Welcoming the new measures, group leader Eleanor Combley said: “As cars begin to return to the streets and public transport faces restrictions, it will be crucial to start work on these as soon as possible to save lives – and we will need to keep a close eye on timescales and delivery to make sure this actually happens.

“And, of course, more action will be needed to provide Bristolians all around the city with safer streets and breathable air and make up for the inaction of the last four years.

“But for now, this is a significant first step worth celebrating for all of us who have campaigned on this issue, the organisations and the many Bristol residents who have been contacting their councillors.”

North Street is just one of the roads across Bristol that will see improvements made to both walking and cycling – photo by Martin Booth

Over the next couple of weeks, Bristol City Council is expected to announce further timescales for delivering the changes.

Kye Dudd, the cabinet member for transport, added:“These are far-reaching proposals for Bristol’s future transport network, which is something we’ve been building towards for some time.

“We recognise that this will require adjustment and behaviour change and we’ll remove through the city centre. We firmly believe the long-term benefits for everyone in Bristol outweighs the inconvenience while we make this transition.”

The city council will also be working with bus providers to ensure social distancing can be maintained and issuing new guidelines to taxis and private vehicles.

Read more: Old City pedestrianisation plans move step closer