Give your views on proposals to make Concorde Way on Dovercourt Road safer
This summer, Bristol City Council is asking for feedback on proposals to make the section of Concorde Way walking and cycling route that travels along Dovercourt Road a safer and more pleasant environment for everyone.
This follows on from an earlier round of engagement in 2022 when the council asked for suggestions on how to improve Concorde Way through Lockleaze.
Many people who responded said that Dovercourt Road was too busy with traffic and that there was not enough room for pedestrians and cyclists. Subsequent traffic counts showed that over 2,000 vehicles travel on the road on most days, which is considered high for an on-road cycling route.
Having discounted a possible off-road route, the council is now asking for views on proposals for:
- A traffic filter on Dovercourt Road using bollards in the road to prevent through traffic while allowing access to pedestrians and cyclists.
- Four raised crossing points – three on Dovercourt Road and one on Petherbridge Way
- Planting street trees which would mean reducing on-street parking
- A zebra crossing and speed cushions on Constable Road
- Shared use pavements and double yellow lines on Constable Road and Petherbridge Way
To reduce pressure on our road network, encourage healthy exercise, and prepare for more people living and working in the city, we need more of our residents to embrace active travel. We know routes like Concorde Way are popular as people can walk, wheel and cycle from the city centre all the way to Cribbs Causeway, and many places in between, in a mostly traffic free environment.
Councillor Ed Plowden, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee
In an ideal world, the whole of Concorde Way would be off-road. We’ve looked at taking the route off-road through Lockleaze along the railway track. However, we’ve ruled this option out because it would mean removing dozens of trees, and the majority of residents who responded to our engagement exercise were against this idea. There are also landownership issues to consider and the cost of building a new bridge over the railway, which would be needed to link up the route.
That’s why we are now looking at how we can improve the route along Dovercourt Road. The proposals we’re consulting on would make the road quieter and safer by reducing the amount of traffic, adding a zebra crossing nearby, and slowing down vehicles with speed cushions and raised crossing points. We also have the wonderful opportunity to create a green corridor in the area with new trees and planting.
These are big changes, especially for anyone who lives along Dovercourt Road, so I hope plenty of people get involved and give their views on the proposals by filling in the survey.
The survey is running from Monday 7 July to Monday 1 September 2025 and is available online at bristol.gov.uk/dovercourt-road-2025.
This project is being funded by the UK Government as part of 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 road maintenance or on other council services, such as housing or waste collections
About Concorde Way
Concorde Way is a seven-mile walking and cycling route from Bristol city centre to Cribbs Causeway that travels through St Pauls, St Werburghs, Ashley Down, Lockleaze and Stoke Gifford.
It is a priority corridor in the region’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan and is a popular route, offering a mostly traffic-free path that connects the north of the city to the centre, often following railway lines and green corridors.
The route is on-street for cyclists along Dovercourt Road.
2022 Concorde Way engagement exercise results
The council carried out an exercise in 2022 that focused on the route through Lockleaze. It found that:
- 469 people said a route that would mean losing trees was a poor or very poor idea. In contrast 177 people responded by saying it was a very good, good or fair idea.
- 205 people said Dovercourt Road was too busy with traffic, while 91 people disagreed.
- 149 people said there was not enough room on Dovercourt Road for pedestrians and cyclists, while 100 people disagreed.
