Embracing change

As part of Bristol’s first Liveable Neighbourhood pilot project, we are working with people who live, work, study, and travel through east Bristol to design people-friendly streets.

Towards the end of October, our contractors started installing the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood trial. We had hoped that this work would be completed by now, but we have been faced with protestors on site who have prevented this, putting themselves and our contractors at risk. As a result, we have been forced to pause installing the remaining trial measures, which is costing both time and money.

Please be reassured that we still intend to complete the trial scheme and are considering how we can proceed in a safe way.

In the meantime, we wanted to share some of the positive comments we've already been receiving since we installed the trial measures in St George, Barton Hill and Redfield.

A resident from Beaufort Road said: "The difference is huge. It’s so quiet and calm and feels safe now. I can walk down the road on the pavement with my daughter without worrying about her being knocked over by a speeding car or a car mounting the pavement outside our house. The air already feels cleaner and less polluted, and the mornings aren’t starting with stress, arguments and noise. Most of all, it feels so much safer. If I wanted to walk anywhere on our road, it was constantly busy, noisy, beeping, and full of anger. Please consider the residents when considering this trial and the positive effects on us and our children."

A resident who lives near Avonvale Road said: "I can't believe how Beaufort Road has been transformed. I keep stopping to just enjoy the peace and watch people walking or cycling past. It's incredible."

From another east Bristol resident: "We can leave our house without smelling fumes and hearing angry motorists. And we can walk and cycle down our streets without rat-running drivers mounting the pavements."

A Glebe Road local shared: "Wow, what a difference the planters have made on my road! It is so quiet. I cycle to work down Beaufort Road and past the Netham. This needs to stay because it is a game changer in terms of road safety and reducing air pollution. I’ve seen people complaining about the measures, but it is not the view of many of us in the area. The street is so much nicer to live on now. Gone are the stressful days of parking outside my house, and the street already feels more homely. The avenue was never meant to be a cut-through. The number of horn beeping and arguments I’ve seen over the years was awful."

Another resident from Glebe Road added: "I believe the scheme has made positive changes to this area. This road is significantly quieter, and the problems of two-way traffic on Beaufort Road have been mitigated. Access to this road was odd at first, but now I am used to it, things are fine. Emergency vehicles are accessing the road okay now they have worked out the routes."

One east Bristol resident shared: "I’m really, really ready to have cleaner air and fewer traffic jams metres from my front door. Every rush hour still sees thousands of impatient motorists passing through our unfortunate little area. I’m worried that a few misinformed protesters have thrown the whole thing off course."

While we know there are wider concerns about the impact the measures are having to traffic on nearby roads, at least when they are first introduced, we are pleased to hear that our aim to create safer, quieter, and happier local streets where communities can enjoy time spent outside their homes is becoming a reality.

However, we want people right across the trial area to realise these benefits and are working hard to come up with a way forward to install the remaining elements of the trial in Barton Hill and Redfield.

We are confident that once the full trial is in place, traffic will settle down, and local people will enjoy improved air quality, less congestion, and all the health benefits of more active travel.

Councillor Ed Plowden, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee, said: “The East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood scheme is being introduced to create safer, healthier, and more enjoyable communities. We understand that change can be challenging, but considered change is necessary to help improve the quality of life for residents in the area, while improving air quality, tackling congestion and climate change and bringing many health benefits.”

Once the trial scheme has been installed, we will be trialling it for six months before we ask for feedback through a survey and talks with local businesses and community leaders. This information will be used - alongside data from the trial including traffic levels, walking and cycling levels, bus journey times and air quality - to decide the next steps. This evaluation will include engaging with residents and businesses about their experiences of the trial.