The Bristol City Centre Transport Changes consultation ran from 12 August to 30 September 2024 so everyone could find out more about the proposals and give their views.
More than 2,000 people filled in the survey and 21 stakeholder groups submitted formal responses, giving their views on changes to the transport network across five areas, including:
The plans include pedestrianising The Horsefair and Penn Street in Broadmead in readiness for thousands more people calling it home, changing bus routes and infrastructure, and enhancing pedestrian and cycling routes.
These changes would promote walking, wheeling, and cycling, make bus journeys quicker and more reliable, and support the long-term goal to create a segregated rapid transit route from the southwest to the northeast of the city.
A report has now been published that details the responses received through this consultation. Analysis of the feedback found support for all five areas of the scheme, with each question getting an approval rating of between 50 and 63 per cent.
These proposals are a vital part of a wider vision to adapt to changing shopping and leisure habits and prepare for major housing developments in Broadmead, which is set out in the Bristol City Centre Development and Delivery Plan.
Councillor Ed Plowden, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee
I am really pleased the plans have been welcomed and are generally supported. The feedback has been really useful and means we can refine our designs, so they work better for everyone. I am especially pleased that we’ve looked again at the location of disabled parking spaces and are planning ahead to make sure numbers are maintained throughout the construction phases.
We are committed to making sure that the city centre remains vibrant and welcoming for all, and I would like to thank everyone who got involved in the consultation and gave us their invaluable insights.
Of the main changes proposed:
The report highlights that Disabled people were less likely to agree with the proposals. The council is working with WECIL – an organisation led by and for Disabled people that supports independent living – to further understand possible issues and solutions.
The council is updating the designs based on the feedback, including improving access for all by adding more disabled parking spaces around Broadmead, adding more crossing points that are level with pavements, and differentiating between cycleways and pedestrian areas with different surfaces to make routes clearer and safer.
Along with many more improvements, the plans have been changed to reinstate the right turn at the Bay Horse out of Lower Maudlin Street for buses, in line with feedback from First Bus and North Somerset Council.
The council has split the five areas of Broadmead, Bedminster Bridges, Redcliffe Roundabout, Temple Way and Bond Street into separate projects, to bring forward the projects that have more advanced plans and start building them.
There will be further informal engagement on some of the designs followed by statutory consultations, which is part of the traffic regulation orders process. These are needed to legally make the proposed changes to the highway.
The council will continue to engage with key stakeholders about plans for the Broadmead area, including WECIL and Design West, and continue conversations with the 515 businesses that will be impacted by the plans, and meet with local groups such as Bristol Walking Alliance.
The Bristol City Centre Transport Changes project is being funded by the UK government through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, secured by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. This funding is to help tackle congestion, reduce carbon emissions, and improve the environment, as well as support the growth of the local economy by connecting people to education and jobs. It cannot be used for ongoing maintenance of local roads or on other council services, such as housing or waste collections.
Download the full report from the Bristol City Centre Transport Changes consultation site.
Original press release by Bristol City Council
Residents in Temple Cloud are being asked to share their views on proposals to reduce the speed of traffic through the village and encourage active travel.
North Somerset Council is inviting everyone who lives, works, or studies in, or regularly visits the area to take part in a new Transport and Travel Survey this summer.
Helen Godwin, the new Mayor of the West of England, has today joined a coalition of eleven of England’s regional Mayors to sign up to an ambitious joint statement pledging to create a new national walking, wheeling and cycling network, enabling millions more happy, healthy and green journeys.
Bath & North East Somerset Council is proposing to make permanent a through traffic restriction in Sydney Road, Bath following a six-month experimental trial.
Construction work, to prevent flooding and improve walking and cycling routes on a stretch of Whiteladies Road between its junctions with Tyndalls Park Road/St Pauls Road and Queens Road, will start on Monday 14 July 2025.
