Bristol City Council has made a proposal to install a bus gate on Cumberland Road, historically a through-route for eastbound (inbound) traffic. A bus gate would permit it to be used by just buses, taxis and cycles. The stated objectives are to reduce delays to buses, particularly at the Bedminster Bridge junction, prioritising public transport over private vehicles, and to improve air quality.
The Society has submitted a response. We support the policy of prioritizing public transport, but in this location, unless evidence of bus delays can be provided, it feels difficult to argue for a bus gate at this time. We have proposed an alternative measure which may help free bus flows.
Turning to two other possible reasons for change, the strategic case for restricting private vehicles here is not overwhelming; and the evidence that air pollution will improve as a result of the proposed scheme is not clear.
Alan Morris
I live in Bathurst Parade and I can drive to the SS Great Britain in Gas Ferry Road and return on the same route. If the new proposals were introduced , I would still be able to drive to Gas Ferry Road but my return journey would be to continue along Cumberland Road , go over the bridge to Coronation Road and drive to Bedminster roundabout and exit onto Commercial Road and then to Wapping Road. This would mean that my return journey would be 3 miles longer and on congested roads causing more pollution.
Also if I wanted to come from the Portway to my home , I would have to either go along Hotwells Road towards the city centre or along Coronation Road which again would take much longer and on congested roads particularly at peak times .The same is true if I wish to go to and from Clifton Village . I vehemently oppose what is proposed particularly as so few buses have routes along Cumberland Road.
How would it lessen air pollution when the traffic is doubled along Coronation Road?
Think of the poor people living in this road who would suffer from the increased stop and start traffic. Getting in and out of their drives would be a nightmare,
All this proposal is doing is transferring air pollution and increased traffic pollution to other areas. I suggest a major rethink.
Probably more people live on Cumberland Rd to the West of the bus gate, and I’m one of them. It makes more sense to have direct in/out access to Cumberland basin (a major “by pass”) than the restriction we currently have, which forces us all to use Coronation Rd as we currently do. At the same time, I can see the value of a relatively quiet/safe route in/out for other more vulnerable road users, and for increased public transport. I’m less likely to want to drive west into all the congestion of the inner city, and nor should I. So, I’m happy with the proposal.
Traffic on the A370 on the South side of the River Avon has increased because of the work on Cumberland Rd. The result of the higher traffic is more stop and start hence more pollution and time wasted. It seems disproportionate to have a bus gate thus stopping the Cumberland Rd being used when it is not obvious that the buses are going to be significantly slowed.
I’ve lived in Bristol all my life and my dad would drive us along Cumberland Road,to get to the Portway to visit my sister in Shirehampton ,but can’t do it for years now WHY NOT
This is a ridiculous proposal. So few buses go along the Cumberland road which in 3 years of my wife studying at spike island has never been congested. We will now add to the hideous congestion on the coronation road on our return home.
Might catch a few tourists visiting the SS Great Britain unawares, so a good revenue stream, or is that too cynical
I cannot begin to tell you how absolutely fed up I am with the new bus gate on the Cumberland Road. I regularly need to travel between Spike Island, Bower Ashton and the Arnolfini. This new bus gate makes literally no sense. None of the charges will stop me using my car because no matter how I try to work it out, public transport simple does not fit my needs. I will just have to pollute the roads for longer, use more petrol and gridlock some other road. I don’t want to use my car but I have too! I don’t have the physical ability these days to cycle everywhere I need to be everyday. I will likely kill myself or someone else if I use a scooter. I often need to transport heavy or bulky equipment and sometimes can’t go about my daily business because of the ridiculous amount restrictions and inflated parking charges in place around Bristol these days making it logistically too difficult. I feel like citizens of Bristol are just being constantly robbed by the council. I would much rather walk into town from my home and I used to on a regular basis, but it takes over an hour and I don’t have time now to do this at the beginning and end of the day as I need to get back for my family, often running other errands on the way. This council has made a fortune out of me over last couple of years and made nothing better. Now they are suggesting closing the A4. I feel that eventually those of us in Brislington will simple be cut of from the city while those coming in from outside will have it easy. Great if you are young, fit and full of energy. Tuff luck if you’re not. I am literally furious. There are bus lanes near Templemeads that are closed all the time, why? The stress of getting around the city because of the cost simply exhausting.