Four routes Buses to be given more priority over cars
BUSES will be given more priority over cars along four main routes into Bristol city centre as part of £200 million plans to improve the city’s transport network.
The planned works, which would likely include new bus lanes, will mean big changes to the Portway, Bath Road, the A38, and the A37 and A4018. These will also include upgrades for pedestrians and cyclists, in a multi-million pound bid to get drivers out of their cars.
Updates on the projects were given to the growth and regeneration scrutiny commission this week.
Speaking to the scrutiny commission, Pete Woodhouse, transport strategy manager, said: “Fundamentally, we’re looking at our options on these corridors to provide as much bus priority as possible to try and reduce overall journey times.”
Buses will be given extra priority along the Portway corridor, from Jacob’s Wells Road roundabout in the south to the Avonmouth roundabout in the north. Walking and cycling routes will be upgraded from the park and ride to the city centre.
Transport bosses are developing different designs and few details are available, but they expect to submit an outline business case to the combined authority in December later this year.
One major change to the Portway will create access to the park and ride for buses coming from the north. Currently buses can only access the park and ride from the south, but adding northern access would mean the site could be served from the motorway, as well as providing services to the new arena in Filton. A new train station is also under construction at the park and ride, expected to open this summer.
Buses will also be given extra priority along the A4 Bath Road corridor, from Temple Meads all the way to Bath. Transport planners looked at 80 options for how the route, which suffers from heavy congestion, could be improved. This project is being led by the West of England, which will consult the public on the changes this summer. An outline business case is then expected to be signed off next winter. Walking and cycling routes will be upgraded too.
Mr Woodhouse said: “For many of the last 20 years we’ve been looking at how we can improve bus journeys along the A4 Bath Road.
“Much progress has been made but it’s still a significant issue, with bus travel having varying journey times. What this scheme is trying to achieve is something that can really set a new standard for punctuality along that corridor.”
A new bus lane and cycle lane will be built on the A4018 between Charlton Road and Crow Lane, in the north of the city. This project is shortly going out to tender, and is forecast to be completed by winter next year. This is part of a wider piece of work running along the number 2 bus route, going down Park Street and the A37 Wells Road. A full business case for changes to Park Street is expected in spring 2024.
Part of this work will see changes to West Town Lane and Sturminster Road in Stockwood. This will include segregated cycle lanes and relocated bus stops.
What’s unclear, however, is whether any new pedestrian crossings will be built along the two busy roads — despite local councillors pushing for new crossings in previous public consultations.
Construction work is already underway on the A38 in Bedminster along Malago Road. This work has been ongoing for many months already, next to a huge development of new apartments at Bedminster Green. As well as better bus lanes, contractors are laying pipes for the district heat network, and building better walking and cycling routes along the road. Transport bosses are now beginning to look further down the route, in Hengrove and Hartcliffe.
Mr Woodhouse said: “It’s proceeding well. We’re on programme at present, and we aim to reopen Malago Road in the summer of 2024.”
One bus route which is not included in these projects, however, is the A38 in the north of the city, on Cheltenham Road and Gloucester Road.