Major changes have been unveiled to the road network along the north Bristol transport corridor. South Gloucestershire and Bristol City Council are consulting on plans to improve walking and cycling routes in Filton and Brentry as well as proposals for relocating two existing bus stops on the A38 in a bid to improve traffic flow in the area.
The area in South Gloucestershire and north Bristol are expected to see significant development in the coming years including including the new arena and plans for thousands of new homes at the Cribbs Patchway New Neighbourhood (CPNN) on the former Filton airfield site.
South Gloucestershire council has said the scheme aims to better manage traffic flow along one of the busiest routes around the edge of the city, which is already congested. A consultation on the proposals is open now and runs until Wednesday, May 18.
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Initial proposals have been developed for the following areas:
Charlton Road, between Pen Park Road and Charlton Mead Drive
The A38, between the new CPNN access and the Filton roundabout
Filton Avenue, between the A38 and the A4174 Avon Ring Road
A4174 Avon Ring Road, between Filton Avenue and Concorde Way.
Suggestions for these areas include a mixture of new off-road cycling facilities, segregated walking and cycling routes, raised footways at side junctions to give priority to pedestrians and cyclists, and new pedestrian crossings.
There are also proposals to relocate two bus stops along the A38 to improve traffic flows at the Filton roundabout. These are the southbound stop at Springfields and the southbound stop at Filton Church.
Additionally, the project includes a new traffic management system for the area, which will use smart technology to improve traffic flows on roads, especially during busy times.
Cllr Steve Reade, South Gloucestershire Council’s cabinet member for regeneration, environment and strategic infrastructure, said: “These measures proposed for the Filton area will help encourage more sustainable travel around what is a busy part of South Gloucestershire. With such significant development planned on the former Filton airfield site it is important that we make improvements to help people to travel around the area.
“It’s hoped that these changes will help enable more people to leave their cars at home and consider walking or cycling, especially for local journeys. Reducing traffic congestion is an important part of tackling the climate emergency and active travel options such as these also help people to maintain healthy lifestyles.
Cllr Don Alexander, Bristol City Council’s cabinet member for transport, added: “With the new housing developments and the YTL Arena planned for north Bristol, we need to make sure the right transport infrastructure is in place to support more people travelling through and around the area.
“We want a city and region that has a well-connected walking, cycling and public transport network, to encourage more people to leave their cars at home, especially for shorter journeys.
“We need sustainable transport options, such as walking and cycling routes, to be coherent, direct and safe. This means we must invest in good local routes to increase the number of journeys by foot or bike, which will not only ease pressure on our road network but is an effective way to boost health and wellbeing and tackle pollution and poor air quality.”
The improvements would be funded through a combination of developer contributions and the West of England Combined Authority. South Gloucestershire and Bristol City Council are submitting a Business Case to the Combined Authority to help secure funding.
To find out more about the consultations, visit the council’s website. A drop in session is also taking place at Southmead Library from 12pm to 3pm on Wednesday, April 27.
