New bus gate to be installed on key route into Bristol city centre
A key route into the city centre of Bristol is to be closed off to cars, vans and lorries, as the city council goes ahead with a bus gate that will only allow buses, taxis, e-scooters and bikes through.
Drivers will be fined if they head too far east along Cumberland Road from the Cumberland Basin towards Redcliffe at the Bedminster[1] Bridge roundabout, in a move that has been controversial with residents living on Spike Island.
Work to create the bus gate starts on Monday, August 7, and will continue for four weeks until Monday, September 4, when the work to rebuild the Cumberland Road embankment, railway line and Chocolate Path is due to be completed[2]. Included in that four week roadworks will be three nights when the entire road will be closed.
The bus gate is being installed on Cumberland Road just to the east of the turn off to Gas Ferry Road. That will enable drivers from the Cumberland Basin, Hotwells and Brunel Way to reach the SS Great Britain area, but go no further, without being fined.
Residents living in the Cumberland Close estate on Spike Island, at the Cumberland Basin itself – and those will could one day live at Baltic Wharf, if that is developed – will have to drive to Brunel Way and go back east through Hotwells or along Coronation Road in Southville to reach the city centre or destinations to the east.
The plan was first announced last July[4], and were controversial, with residents and drivers complaining the scheme was unnecessary[5]. It was passed by the council’s cabinet, and will now happen – timed to coincide with the reopening of Cumberland Road itself.
Labour[6] ’s cabinet member for transport, Cllr Don Alexander, said: “No traffic, other than buses and cycles, have been able to travel the full length of Cumberland Road into the city centre since 2020 because of the stabilisation works. Having a bus gate on this route will help towards meeting vital goals to reduce air pollution in Bristol, while improving bus journey times and reliability. It will also benefit residents and people walking and cycling on Spike Island,” he added.
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“I would like to thank everyone for bearing with us while these important construction works are completed, helping to safeguard our harbour infrastructure,” he said.
Work to create the bus gate will see a four-way traffic light system installed on Cumberland Road and with the junctions with Gas Ferry Road and Hanover Place. Cumberland Road will be closed completely for overnight works, from 7pm to 5.30am on August 16, 17 and 18.
“During the overnight road closure the M2 Metrobus will continue to run, but will divert via Coronation Road, and will not serve the following bus stops: Wapping Wharf, SS Great Britain, Cumberland Basin, Ashton Gate, and Ashton Vale,” said a council spokesperson. “The nearest bus stops for accessing the M2 service between 7pm and 5.30am will be Metrobus stops at Redcliffe Hill.
“Once installed, if any unauthorised vehicle travels through the bus gate, they will receive a penalty charge. All vehicles will still be able to drive westbound along Cumberland Road,” he added.
References
- ^ Bedminster (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Chocolate Path is due to be completed (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Cumberland Road bus gate proposals described as ‘crazy’ (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ first announced last July (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ complaining the scheme was unnecessary (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Labour (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Bristol Live (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ click this link and select ‘Join Community’. (chat.whatsapp.com)
- ^ Bristol Live (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Privacy Notice. (www.reachplc.com)
- ^ Click here to join our WhatsApp community. (chat.whatsapp.com)