Cycle Ambition Fund: Bristol East West route

Linking the city centre to the the Bristol and Bath Railway Path from East to West.

The East West route links the city centre to the Bristol and Bath Railway Path. We will be upgrading three main parts of the route during the project.

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Now completed

All the Cycle Ambition Fund projects are now completed in Bristol. This page serves as an archive of the work done.

Baldwin Street

The eastern end of Baldwin St will have a package of improvements rolled out starting in May 2017, to be completed by October 2017.  This will include:

  • Enhancements to the footway and kerbing, with new slabs
  • Resurfacing the main carriageway
  • Refurbishing the signal equipment at the Baldwin St / Marsh St Junction
  • Installing new bus and taxi shelters
  • Completing the cycleway into the city centre.

The existing cycleway which extends roughly half way down Baldwin St will be extended right into the city centre in the same style.  This will connect into new cycle routes opening within the city centre in October 2017.


Bond Street South and Old Market

Starting July 2017, the eastern side of Bond St South will benefit from a package of improvement works:

  • Full demolition of the pedestrian bridge over Old Market roundabout and the adjoining escalator buildings
  • New tree planting
  • Electrical hook-ups for traders
  • Installing a new bus shelter and boarding platform
  • Renewing the footway surface
  • Installing a cycle route from Old Market roundabout towards Phoenix House, with a spur into Redcross St.

The cycle route provides a useful connection from Castle Park and Cabot Circus towards the Bristol and Bath Railway path via Redcross St and Bragg’s Lane.


Castle Park

Works on the cobbled section of Castle Park were completed in July 2016.  This section previously had an uneven surface, and did not provide enough space for pedestrians.

The area was heavily targeted by bombing in World War 2, and this cobbled section – also called Back Bridge Street – used to have adjacent terraced housing and shops which were cleared following the war.  The cobbled street remained, but was no longer suitable for current usage.

We lifted all 14,000 cobbles at this section and had them sawn in half to create a smooth flat surface on one side.  The cobbles were re-laid with the smooth side exposed to create a much more even surface for people cycling over it.  On the pedestrian side, additional pennant stone was sourced for the footway and used to provide more pedestrian space.  It was important to retain the existing heritage materials due to the unique history and character of the area.

Click here to read the Council news release on opening.