News / Whiteladies Road
Council U-turn as Whiteladies Road cycle lanes likely to be retained
Controversial plans to remove cycle lanes from Whiteladies Road are set to be scrapped after fierce opposition from cycling campaigners.
Initial proposals from the city council were to remove the cycle lanes entirely.
The reason given were to provide new drainage and a “safe and flat footpath for all users” along Whiteladies Road between Tyndall’s Park Road and the Queen’s Road junction.
is needed now More than ever
But the council have now appeared to have made a U-turn on these plans, with the cycle lanes on both sides of the road due to be retained and also made safer.
The new designs show that the cycle lanes are part of the excess water solution, with the kerbs used to separate cyclists from motor vehicles incorporating drainage channels to alleviate the flooding issue.
Writing on Twitter, Bristol Cycling Campaign said that they “delighted” to see the latest draft plans include the retention of dedicated cycle lanes on both sides of Whiteladies Road.
“At the meeting were also local councillors @carla_denyer, @Tom_jam & reps for @AllianceWalking. @BristolDon explained that there was still a lengthy process & many stages to go through to deliver the final plan.
“Our thanks to @BristolDon & @BristolCouncil for maintaining a constructive dialogue on Whiteladies Road Flood Alleviation & Footpath Scheme. Also ? to our supporters for their response to process.”
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Read more: Outrage at plans to scrap ‘key’ cycle lane
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@BristolDon is the Twitter handle of cabinet member for transport, Don Alexander, the Labour councillor for Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston.
Alexander has come in for recent criticism after calling the newly remodelled junction between Cheltenham Road and Ashley Road – which saw the removal of a cycle lane – an “excellent” scheme”.
Bristol24/7 were told in August that Alexander was not available for a face to face interview and has been waiting for his responses to our written questions about transport issues in the city since then.
In a statement, a Bristol City Council spokesperson said: “We’d like to thank everyone for giving us their feedback on the Whiteladies Road flood alleviation and footway scheme consultation.
“We have been exploring other options that would allow us to keep cycle lanes along this stretch of road. This could see us raising the height of the footways and installing a stepped cycle track that includes a new drainage system.
“For this to get the go-ahead it does depend on a number of factors and land not in our ownership and we are at the early stages of exploring these options.”
The existing cycle lane is well used but tree roots make conditions tricky in places – photo: Martin Booth
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read next:
- New cycle lane is an ‘unsafe bodge’
- Bristol needs a ‘comprehensive’ network of protected cycle lanes
- Hundreds of people very politely demand safer cycling
- The multi-million-pound plans designed to improve cycling and walking in Bristol
- Bristol’s pedal-powered plumber
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