Proposals to create a bus gate on a busy road in Bristol sparked a strong reaction among Bristol Live readers. The section of the road could be closed to cars to prioritise public transport and improve air quality.
A consultation has now been launched by the council to install a bus gate on Cumberland Road. The proposed bus gate - which would provide access for buses, taxis, motorcycles, and cycles - would be installed to the east of Gas Ferry Road and affect inbound traffic only.
The council says the measure would help them meet legal air quality targets while improving walking, cycling and bus journeys. BristolLive's story about the plans to install a bus gate received more than 50 comments.
Read more: Bus gate could see section of Cumberland Road closed to cars
TechnologyGuy said: "This is crazy, Coronation Road is gridlocked 24/7 because Cumberland Road is closed and the centre is closed. My company services homes around Bristol, we have no alternative to drive in our technical installation vehicle, but it is getting impossible to cross the city efficiently."
Charliemead said: "Why just close ALL roads in and out of Bristol - closed for any business?
"Greta will be pleased, hundreds of miles away. Off to Cribbs, and Bath we go! No business and shops in Bristol will mean more opportunity for flats and developers pockets, et al."
Table for Two said: "Have you seen the pollution assessments for this part of the city. There is a lot wrong with it. I agree the proposals are poorly thought through, but something has to happen."
Onlooker2 wrote: "More pain for local businesses thanks to BCC"
"Great, they are doing their best to cut the whole of South Bristol off," said Dottertown.
Bristol Bjorn wrote: "The age of private non-commercial automobile anarchy is nearing the end of its last lap. It's been inevitable for some time. Embrace the change and enjoy breathing clean air for a longer and far happier life expectancy."
Bemmieboii said: "Does anyone believe that the effective closure of the barely used Cumberland Road will have any effect upon air quality when the all too often gridlocked Coronation Road is less than 100 yards away directly across the river?
"Another example of marv-el-louse marvin and his glove-puppet cabinet using air quality as an excuse to hide behind."
"By making it more difficult to drive anywhere in Bristol and forcing drivers to use other longer routes causes MORE pollution," said de@dodge. "BCC is just rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic."
To which AnyTony replied: "A major point is to reduce car use - people within the city should try to drive less.
"Though, of course, at the moment there are often not enough viable & affordable alternatives. But there are clearly excessive cars - they're a very inefficient & polluting means of getting people around a city, hence why we need alternatives."
Read next:
- Criticism as council-owned home left empty for at least a year
Empty council property left for two years to be put back into use
- Bus gate could see section of Cumberland Road closed to cars
- Major changes proposed for south Bristol shopping street
- South Bristol kids have 'never been to city centre or Suspension Bridge'
