Work to make Temple Way more accessible to start in December
A project, to make buses more reliable and routes safer and more accessible for pedestrians and cyclists along Temple Way, is starting on Monday 1 December 2025.
Temple Way is one of the five schemes that fall under the wider City Centre project to make bus travel more reliable, create a safer and more pleasant environment for pedestrians and cyclists, and improve public spaces.
Work on Temple Way is expected to take around one-year, and includes:
- Adding sections of bus lanes on both sides of the road
- Changing the layout of the southbound slip road from Old Market Roundabout
- Moving and upgrading some bus stops along the route
- Building a two-way separated cycle path on the east side of Temple Way
- Installing new pedestrian and cycle crossings and upgrading others
- Raising the level of pavement and cycle path to avoid damaging tree roots
- Planting trees and plants
- Narrowing the central reservation
Councillor Ed Plowden, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee, said: “This marks an important step in our long-term plan to reshape Bristol’s transport network for a cleaner, greener future.
“The Temple Way works are part of a wider programme to make our city centre more accessible, inclusive and resilient, supporting more reliable bus services, safer walking, wheeling and cycling routes, and better public spaces.
“As Bristol grows, we need to make sure our transport system grows with it, offering more sustainable choices and reducing congestion and pollution for everyone.”
The first phase of work will start on the southbound side of the road close to where Temple Way meets Friary. It will then progress in phases up to Old Market Roundabout.
Temple Way will remain open to traffic for most of the construction period, although there will be lane closures next to the areas being worked on to provide a safe working environment. There will also be some overnight road closures in early 2026, to remove pedestrian refuge islands and traffic signal and street lighting columns from the middle of the road. Additional overnight closures are needed towards the end of the year-long project for resurfacing works. Signposted diversion routes will be put in place.
Access for pedestrians and cyclists will be maintained throughout, although it may be necessary to follow signposted routes and temporary crossings. There will also be some changes to bus stops.
The Temple Way scheme is expected to cost around £4.9 million and is being funded by the UK government through the Department for Transport’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, secured by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: “Getting the basics right by fixing our region’s roads and bridges, and improving public transport and walking and cycling options, will lay the foundations for a better transport system overall for the West of England.
“Our regional authority is working with the council to consider how best to phase other upcoming highways projects in Bristol city centre – with additional flexibility on how to deliver government investment beyond the original March 2027 deadline, following representations from us and local councils.
“In the longer term, thanks to the record £752 million that we secured in the summer’s Spending Review for future transport investment, we can move the West out of the slow lane and start to catch up with other city-regions, with better buses, more trains, and mass transit plans.”
Find out more about the Temple Way works, including the construction programme and updates, on the Bristol on the Move website.
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