We were asked recently to list BWA’s top 10 sites for improvement. That is sites in Bristol where the pedestrian experience is poor (is not welcoming, safe, convenient and inclusive) and where changes to the infrastructure could improve things. In a recent ebulletin, we asked you to send in your suggestions. We are now publishing our current top 10 list.
These are all places where there are high volumes of people on foot. It is not a complete list: there are other places in neighbourhoods across Bristol that need improving. The list will change as improvements are made and other sites come into prominence. BWA will continue to campaign for improvements.
| Site for improvement | The pedestrian experience and what we know about plans for improvement |
|---|---|
| Unimproved | |
| 1) Queens Road at the Triangle, north side. | High pedestrian traffic with insufficient pavement width. In scope of A37/A4018 corridor scheme, but no improvement proposed. |
| 2) Bath Road bridge (and as far as Three Lamps) | High pedestrian and cycle traffic on shared pavement with inadequate width |
| 3) Gaol Ferry Bridge | High pedestrian and cycle traffic with inadequate width. Needs a new separate bridge. |
| 4) junction of Blackswarth Road/ Chalks Road/ Church Road in St George | High pedestrian traffic crossing Church Road, with long waits at traffic lights |
| 5) M32 Junction 3 and Lawrence Hill underpasses | These underpasses flood after heavy rain |
| Badly improved | |
| 6) the Centre, southern end by Cascade Steps and Anchor Road (and along to Baldwin Street) | High pedestrian traffic sharing space uneasily with cycle traffic |
| 7) Temple Meads, crossing Bath Road at the bottom of the ramp | Two-stage crossing forcing pedestrians to wait between streams of motor traffic. (The nearby single-pass crossing at Brunel Way is much better, and is convenient for the North station entrance.) |
| 8) Temple Meads, crossing Bath Road between Cattle Market Road and Clarence Road | Two or more crossing stages depending on your route, across streams of motor traffic. (There are plans for a new S station entrance, which will increase the use of this crossing.) |
| Due to be improved | |
| 9) Baldwin Street to Castle Park | Long wait times at lights. Junction to be improved in H1 2023, but not pedestrianised. Less motor traffic since bus gate introduced. |
| 10) East Street, Bedminster | Widely ignored ban on private motor traffic. The East Street Vision aims to address this but the implementation date is unknown. |
Temple Meads railway station used to be served by the number 1 bus (and others) at the bottom of its hill on the other side of Temple Way. This bus stop was in a layby so not an impediment to traffic. Now it has been removed and the nearest bus stop on that side of the road is a long way off. There is no bus stop nearby in the opposite direction towards Totterdown either.
I agree. It needs to be improved. There are a number of changes over relocation of bus stops in central Bristol in recent years that have had an adverse impact on pedestrian/public transport intersections. These should be given appropriate consideration in transport plans.