Cumberland Road inbound traffic restriction consultation
This consultation has now concluded.
Bristol City Council is proposing to install a new bus gate on Cumberland Road to the east of Gas Ferry Road. The proposed bus gate on the inbound lane would help buses reduce their journey length and improve the reliability of bus travel. The bus gate would maintain the reduced traffic flow as result of the current highway works and would benefit the Park and Ride M2 Metrobus service prioritising public transport over private vehicles. The reduced inbound traffic flow and bus priority will help to improve air quality.
This consultation has now concluded.
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Cumberland Road Bus Gate - We Asked, You Said, We Did
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Between 22 June 2022 and 29 July 2022 Bristol City Council ran a consultation asking about the proposed bus gate on Cumberland Road to the east of Gas Ferry Road. The proposed bus gate would help buses reduce journey length and improve the reliability of bus travel.
The bus gate would restrict private vehicle access and maintain the reduced traffic flow as result of the current highway works and would benefit the Park and Ride M2 Metrobus service by prioritising public transport over private vehicles.
The proposed bus gate would mean that only buses, cycles, taxis, and motorcycles will be able to enter the central areas of the city using Cumberland Road. All vehicles would still be able to leave the city using this route.
The proposals in the consultation included:
- An inbound general traffic restriction via a bus gate on Cumberland Road to stop general traffic from travelling eastbound/inbound into the central area, but still providing access for buses, taxis, motorcycles, and cycles.
- The bus gate would be to the east of Gas Ferry Road so access would be retained to the SS Great Britain from both directions.
- Westbound/outbound traffic would remain unaffected.
- An alternative route would be provided via Hanover Place, Sydney Row, and Mardyke Ferry Road. The ‘escape route’ would allow people who drive restricted vehicles inbound by mistake up to the bus gate to loop back out the way they came without being penalised. The parking bay on Sydney Row (close to the junction with Hanover Place) would be removed to make it easier for large vehicles to go around the corner.
- The existing eastbound/inbound bus lane and bus priority traffic signal equipment would be removed and the parking bays just east of Gas Ferry Road would be extended with appropriate parking, waiting, and loading restrictions put in its place.
The proposal is shown in the following plan:
You Said
During the consultation period requests were made for more data to support the need for the bus gate as detailed below:
- Clean Air Zone (CAZ) modelling, what is the impact of reopening Cumberland Road fully (air quality and congestion)?
The closure has always been part of the Clean Air Zone scheme and has been included in the modelling approved by the Joint Air Quality Unit. Therefore, it is a fundamental and necessary part of the project. Removal of the closure would negatively impact pollution levels in the city by enabling more traffic into the centre of the city. The Clean Air Zone is a large project with several interventions that covers the whole city using a regional model. It is not possible to individually assess every element of the proposals. As the model shows the city only just becoming compliant in 2023, any minor changes that impact air quality levels would likely impact on the compliance year which is mandated by the government
- CAZ modelling, what is the impact to Coronation Road of installing the bus gate or fully reopening Cumberland Road (air quality and congestion)?
Coronation Road is within the Clean Air Zone boundary, while traffic volumes increase slightly, the type of vehicles using Coronation Road changes and cleaner vehicles replace dirtier vehicles and air quality along it is improved. The overall increase in traffic volumes is not expected to be significant when the Clean Air Zone starts, excluding diversions caused by any other highway schemes.
- What are the benefits of installing the bus gate (air quality and congestion)?
The bus gate replicates the existing closure caused by the Chocolate Path works to a large extent. As above, the model includes many elements and assumptions and it is not possible to model every element independently. The Cumberland Road bus gate contributes positively to reducing air pollution and prioritising public transport.
- What is the impact of Spike Island residents/business having to detour around the bus gate (air quality and no. of journeys)?
Air quality on Spike island will be significantly improved due to the lower traffic volumes in the area. There will be some reduction in journeys due to the Clean Air Zone encouraging people to switch to walking, cycling or public transport. Support to switch to more sustainable modes is available at www.travelwest.info/communities
- Evidence Metrobus service delayed (pre-COVID)
Metrobus was regularly delayed approaching Bedminster Bridges pre-COVID and before the Chocolate Path works that closed the inbound through route. There is a bus lane, but traffic queues were regularly longer than the bus lane delaying inbound buses.
- Predicted time savings for the Metrobus
Buses were not independently modelled in the regional modelling to assess potential journey time benefits.
- Predicted increase in passenger numbers, and confirmation of expanded timetable plans in the evenings and a new Sunday service
Predicted increase in passenger numbers were not required as part of the modelling work and therefore has not been estimated. Any prediction would no longer be reliable due to the current changes in behaviour caused by COVID-19.
- Regards services, the Long Ashton P&R service did not run on Sundays and so neither did the m2 from its introduction, due to this precedent.
First did look to develop the service before the pandemic, including introducing a Sunday service, but the effects of the pandemic meant this did not move forward. The main issue is as a commercial service the passenger demand to increase the timetable is not there at present. However, this will be kept under review, and will be aided by the introduction of the bus gate.
- Evidence traffic signal timings were considered at the eastern end of Cumberland Road to reduce traffic build up
The traffic signals at Bedminster Bridges are already managed by the SCOOT system. This means they respond in real time to changing traffic volumes. The system considers traffic levels across the region and seeks to prioritise green time to reduce congestion city-wide. There are many bus routes that use Bedminster Bridges so the system has to look to balance the needs of various approaches to best manage congestion across the city. Overly prioritising one approach would upset this balance and lead to additional congestion and delay on other routes.
Further background on Clean Air Zone modelling
Link to the CAZ full business case documents, including modelling data: https://www.cleanairforbristol.org/caz/caz-full-business-case/
The bus gate is an integral part of the preferred option in the Option Assessment Report as a fast track measure:
“The Option Assessment Report sets out the option development work. The option being considered is the Small CAZ D. This option includes the following measures:
• Small Area Class D (charging non-compliant cars, buses, coaches, taxis, HGVs and LGVs)
• Fast Track Measures: Closure of Cumberland Road inbound to general traffic
The closure of Cumberland Road inbound to general traffic was modelled within the SATURN highway model and run through the variable demand model to allow the demand model to determine the traffic response to this physical measure of removing highway capacity.”
Why is the bus gate by Gas Ferry Bridge Road?
- The bus gate would be to the east of Gas Ferry Road so access would be retained to the SS Great Britain from both directions.
- An alternative route is provided (escape) via Hanover Place>Sydney Row>Mardyke Ferry Road. Part of parking bay on Sydney Row (close to the junction with Hanover Place) would be removed to support large vehicles in negotiating the corners, and the car club bay on Hanover Place would be moved up approximately one car parking space.
Escape route
The escape route has been reviewed by the Transport Department Quality Assurance Board. The Board provides quality assurance for the design and implementation of any city council capital works affecting the public realm. As part of the process the route has been reviewed by transport safety specialists to ensure larger vehicles, including coaches, will be able to navigate it. This has resulted in a minor change to the parking arrangements on Hanover Place and Sydney Row.
There have been comments that Sydney Row is too narrow for larger vehicles and it will be difficult for vehicles to pass each other. However, there are two informal passing places, and although the escape route will likely see an increased level of use in the short term, as local behaviours change, and new routes are ingrained, this will decrease. Satnav providers will be updated with the changes so those drivers from outside the city will be directed a different way and there will be multiple advance warning signs on routes to Cumberland Road.
Why is the bus gate operating 24/7?
All Bristol bus gates operate at all times (24 hours a day, seven days a week).
This will increase bus service reliability, improve bus passenger journey times, and contribute to air quality improvements.
Will Cumberland Road completely reopen between the completion of the Chocolate Path stabilisation works and this proposed bus gate?
It is unlikely that Cumberland Road will reopen fully. The programmes are scheduled to follow each other. So, when the Chocolate Path is complete, the bus gate will be ready to begin.
Will Cumberland Road need to be closed again to replace the culverts under the road?
No, the culverts are in good order. The sluice gates will need to be replaced but this will not affect the road.
Will Avon Crescent reopen?
Avon Crescent is not within the scope of this project. However, it will reopen.
Can the residents and businesses be issued permits to allow them to pass through the bus gate?
No, permits to enable exemptions to residents and businesses cannot be provided as this would invalidate the purpose of the bus gate, and likely encourage others to contravene it.
Future developments on Spike Island
For information on planning applications for new developments please visit the Planning Portal:
Simple Search (bristol.gov.uk)
We did
Following the review of feedback received via the consultation survey, the decision has been taken at a senior level to progress the proposals to a statutory consultation to amend the existing Traffic Regulation Order (TRO). A Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is the legal document required to support a range of measures, which govern or restrict the use of public roads.
It will be clear when the statutory consultation is taking place as yellow notices will be displayed on lamp posts in the vicinity of the changes, a notice will go in the Bristol Post and on the Bristol City Council website (https://www.bristol.gov.uk/streets-travel/traffic-regulation-orders-tros).
The notices will explain how to view the proposed improvements and make an objection, should you wish to.
Key local stakeholders will also be informed before the consultation goes live.
We will carefully consider all comments received before making a final decision on how to proceed.
