18 Aug 2006

The Proposed Bus Route Alterations

(Consultation deadline August 31st) We are all in favour of improving public transport BUT, how many speed humps, parking restrictions and no turning orders do we actually need if any? The proposed alterations to the bus route that goes right through our ward from Easton to South Glos will directly affect many of our local streets. Customers of our local businesses will not be able to park casually for short periods, neither will delivery vans. Please continue to send your views to the director of planning, Bristol City Council or you can also send them to me and I shall make sure that the council receives them.

We say, speed humps on Church Road? NO! What about ambulances, infirm bus passengers and damage to our cars? What is your opinion? I shall post the letter that I handed in at the bus route office opposite Tesco on Church Road (where you can go to view a large scale map of the proposal) for the July deadline in comments for anyone who is interested. I have spoken to many on this issue and it is clear that most residents and shopkeepers are against many aspects of the proposal.

'I support the local businesses and residents who believe most of the proposed changes will be detrimental to their business and our area.'

It is also clear that although we rant and rave privately, many of us do not actually put pen to paper and state our views. There are effectively millions earmarked for improvements to our highroad. Please, let the council know what you think and help to make sure that money is spent in a way that will truly benefit the area!

3 comments:

  1. Of course it is always great to see money spent on ones area for improvements. Clearly it is positive to encourage the use of public transport. Of course improve the provision for crossings for us pedestrians. Yes let us take pride in our area and upgrade our bus stops and shelters.

    When we returned by car after surveying the proposed bus route the main issue of the lack of parking in our area was driven home as I found myself unable to park on our own Sherbourne Street. This is with cars parked all the way up the now flexibly used main road and before the unnecessary bus lane which will take away every extra organic little parking space creating even more competition in our already crowded side streets.

    I disapprove and vote against spending our money on destroying the suspension of our emergency service vehicles, private/commercial vehicles and busses with any more speed bumps, tables or chairs for that matter on our Church Road. I also disagree with the lowering of the speed limit to 20 miles per hour on the high road. There are enough traffic lights already controlling the flow here.

    As we surveyed the proposed changes it occurred to us that what was now a flexibly used, interesting high street with quite adequately marked lay-bys for busses to stop, is proposed to be changed by declaring whole swathes of the side of the road as bus lanes exclusively. This threatens the dynamic of our high street, especially with the crucial parking issue unresolved. Re-surfacing a couple of existing car parks will not suffice as these, degraded as they are, nonetheless exist and yet so to does the parking problem. Upgrade and extra provision is necessary and at the point at which it is most convenient i.e. outside the shops/banks businesses.

    I would like to point out a specific negative. At the cross road by the fire engine pub between Blackswarth and Seneca on Church Road There is definitely no need for a slip of bus lane at this busy intersection where most of the traffic goes straight on into the city centre and furthermore, who on earth keeps thinking up the continuing restrictions on turning as with the proposed no right turn to Blackswarth Road. Better road markings to properly channel the traffic at this point would be preferred.

    I hope the new bus shelters are vandal proof, just the other day I saw a poor man standing in the heaps of shattered glass that was a bus shelter on Church Road.

    Generally I would like this area from the Lawrence hill railway bridge to be free of bus lanes and for provisions to be made all the way up church road



    for the parking of vehicles except for adequate provision for bus stops. The road is not wide enough and we are having enough problems on side streets off church road parking in the evenings.

    I for one will have to live with these proposed changes if implemented and the example of Kingswood is not one I want us to follow with funny jutty out bits etc (Build outs). Build outs and speed tables seem to me just a way to spend the allocated funds uselessly, save us from these follies and put all the cash into more hardy/fancier bus shelters and crossings and improve the existing surfaces as they stand or put the money into a tram line even better.

    We thought that the idea of a dedicated bus lane on church road had been dropped for good. I hope these unnecessary changes are not implemented.

    In answer to the specific proposals.

    Church Road speed tables: No thanks, we don’t want them.

    Church Road 20mph zone: No, No, No.

    Pedestrian crossings: improving our existing crossings is a good idea.

    Closure of Ducie Road Junction (north end): No comment.

    Banned turning movements: I am vehemently against the restriction of access to all road vehicles where not absolutely necessary and these are clearly existing options which we are to be denied in the future and so I say no thanks.

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  2. one of my biggest concerns regarding the proposed changes is the impact on traffic using Beaufort Road. More restrictions (in the form of traffic lights,contraflows and speed tables) on Church Road - will inevitably lead to increased use of Beaufort road as a 'rat run'. Traffic is already at unacceptably high levels during commuter times between 7.30-9.00 and 4.00-6.30 - yet there are no plans in place to restrict usage by means of traffic calming. I know this from my enquiries to the relevant agencies at Bristol City Council !
    Before any changes are made which will make residents more miserable because of increased levels of noise/pollution I think there should be wider public debate. I am in favour of better bus routes ( with affordable prices !!) and cycle lanes - providing planners take into account the impact on surrounding residential streets. I don't feel this has been sufficiently taken account of so far - so I hope others in the area take time to write to Bristol City Council expressing their concerns.
    Thanks for giving the subject a forum.

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  3. We had part of the first "showcase bus route" up here in Horfield on the Gloucester Road.Residents and traders said they didn't want these short strips of dedicated bus lane outside nearby houses which would lose them their parking spaces, especially since some of them were disabled. Although the work on the rest of the route was well underway, we produced a petition,press publicity and protested to the council, which was then run by Labour with Helen Holland (Whitchurch Park) as their executive member with responsibility for transport issues.
    Our efforts paid off because it was conceded that the sections of bus lane in question were not suitable, the area was more residential than business and several disabled people living there would be severely inconvenienced. So just to let you know its not too late to try and change their minds!

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