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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
National
JJ Donoghue

South Bristol traffic 'chaos' feared over plans to change road

Residents in Stockwood have criticised Bristol City Council's plans to change traffic routes in the area as part of proposed improvements to the number 2 bus route.

The council is consulting on several changes to roads throughout Bristol, including significant amendments to Wells Road in the Stockwood area - but some neighbours have predicted traffic "chaos" if the plans go ahead.

Wells Road is one of the main routes through South Bristol, stretching from Totterdown through to Whitchurch.

READ MORE: Plans to close College Green to cars in Bristol revealed

The council's plans include changes to the junction of Wells Road and West Town Lane in Stockwood.

It wants to remove the left turn from West Town Lane to Wells Road, and remove the right turn into West Town Lane from Wells Road.

The council also proposes removing the right turn to Hengrove Lane from Wells Road, as well as creating a new 24-hour bus lane on the west side of Wells Road.

But some locals have criticised the proposals, claiming they could create serious problems for drivers.

Conservative councillor John Hucker, who represents the ward on Bristol City Council, says the proposals could create issues with traffic being pushed through residential areas, or 'rat runs', rather than the main roads.

He is also concerned that the 24-hour bus lane on Wells Road is an unnecessary use of road space in an area with few 24-hour services.

And at a recent council meeting, the councillor addressed Mayor Marvin Rees on the plans. He said that after highlighting the plans on social media, there were many negative responses from local residents.

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"There have been a great many responses to the plans, and they are overwhelmingly negative. I hope that this flawed scheme will either be substantially amended or scrapped altogether," he said.

A consultation document provided by the council says the changes have been proposed in response to engagement with local people, when there was a request to install a pedestrian crossing at the West Town Lane junction with Wells Road.

A consultation document showing the proposed changes in the Stockwood area (Bristol City Counil)

The document states: "Our proposals would achieve this by installing a new signalised crossing at the junction."

But Amanda Lindley, who lives just off Wells Road, claims the changes will create "chaos".

She told Bristol Live: "If they did go ahead people will be up in arms, because it would be chaos.

"There would be traffic jams along West Town Lane, and there would be chaos on the other side of Wells Road because people are not supposed to turn into Hengrove Lane either from the Wells Road.

A map showing the area in question. The blue pin indicates where Wells Road (A37) meets West Town Lane on the right and Hengrove Lane on the left (Google Maps)

"And of course those people would then have to use 'rat runs' because there isn't any other way for them to get home."

She lives on Sturminster Road, which runs adjacent to Wells Lane, and worries that the plans could potentially mean people living on streets like hers will be "trapped" in their homes because of increased congestion.

"I'm not alone. There's thousands of people. West Town Lane is a very heavily used thoroughfare between Bath Road and Wells Road and because it's so heavily used you have an awful lot of traffic," she said.

And she thinks that the council should other changes to avoid these issues, including widening sections of Wells Road.

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"Because of that heavy level of traffic it would be sensible to widen the road, and they have the width to do that between the houses and the road that's here.

"And if you did that then people then wouldn't have to use rat runs because the traffic would flow better and everybody would move through to Bristol and it would be much easier," she said.

Liberal Democrats councillors in Hengrove and Whitchurch Park are currently running a survey seeking feedback on the changes.

Anyone who wishes to view the council's full plans can find them online here, and consultation responses can be submitted until January 28.

Bristol City Council has been approached for comment.

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