Parked? Plans to ban cars now appear in doubt
PLANS to close Park Street to cars as announced by Marvin Rees in a blaze of publicity appear to be in doubt. The proposal to shut the busy city centre road to through-traffic was the main new policy announcement in the Bristol mayor’s State of the City Address last year as part of a wider scheme to prioritise buses along the length of the A4018, which went out to consultation.
But it seems to have gone the way of the return of powerboat racing to the docks, which he said was in the pipeline in the first of his set-piece annual speeches in 2016, and other major pledges that have yet to materialise, including an underground.
Opposition Green Cllr David Wilcox asked for an update on the Park Street plans at Bristol City Council member forum on Tuesday.
A reply written on the mayor’s behalf said: “It is important to be accurate – in last year’s State of the City the mayor proposed a consultation on the possibility of closing Park Street to private cars. The consultation has taken place as part of a wider review of the A4018 and bus prioritisation.
“This is being reviewed and is due to progress to cabinet with a final decision. The Park Street element of the consultation received a mixed response including from traders and wasn’t seen by the bus companies as a major priority. Some sections of the A4018 are more fundamental to bus prioritisation.”
Lockleaze ward Cllr Wilcox asked when he would share the results of the public consultation on Park Street.
Labour deputy mayor Cllr Craig Cheney, standing in at the meeting for Mr Rees who is in Egypt for the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27, said: “It will come through as part of the cabinet papers when it comes through to cabinet.”
Cllr Wilcox asked: “So the Park Street closure is coming to cabinet?”
Cllr Cheney replied: “Well the consultation on the A4018 is coming to cabinet more broadly which includes the Park Street element.”
The proposal was aimed at speeding up bus journeys but sparked concerns among the street’s traders who feared losing customers.
At the State of the City Address in October 2021, Mr Rees said: “We are about to launch a consultation on the introduction of bus prioritisation for the Wells Road, to the city centre, over the Downs and the whole length of the A4018. We will ask you to comment on proposals to remove parking that causes congestion on key routes and the closure of Park Street to private cars.
“This has the potential to reinvent public realm up to the Triangle and remove rat-runs from the Downs.”