Darren is calling on Bristol City Council to scrap controversial bus lane proposals which would see the carving up of Westbury-on-Trym village and the cutting off of Brentry.

You can see Bristol City Council’s full proposals by clicking HERE.

You can also attend public consultation meetings. Details are available HERE. 

The current proposals involve significant car restrictions on major roads through Westbury-on-Trym village, including turning roads such as Stoke Road into a semi-pedestrianised dead end.

Only buses, taxis and cyclists would be able to continue along the High Street past the Post Office.

These changes would effectively close of Westbury on Trym village to cars, having a significant impact on high street businesses.

In addition, proposed changes to the Crow Lane roundabout (to turn it into a traffic light based junction) would see Brentry cut off from right turning traffic, pushing drivers to go through Southmead to use already congested roads.

Take action

Darren is calling on local residents to sign his petition to help show the strength of feeling against the current proposals to carve up Westbury-on-Trym village and cut off Brentry.

To sign this petition please click HERE.

You can also complete Darren’s North Bristol Transport Survey online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/transport to let him know what you think about the proposals.

Finally, you can join Darren’s dedicated Facebook Group to keep up to date with his campaign to see these proposals scrapped at www.facebook.com/groups/northbristoltransport

What is good about it?

Improving bus and cycle lanes is good for public transport. Buses are often late or cancelled because they get stuck in car based gridlock, reducing the number of people using them and keeping ticket prices higher.

Helping buses to become more reliable and on time will increase use and therefore reduce price, as well as helping us meet our air pollution targets. But these bus lanes need to be designed in the right way.

New traffic light proposals at the turn off for Southmead are welcomed, along with proposals for new zebra crossings.

What more could be included?

A new zebra crossing is needed on Canford Land and a change to the double roundabout near Southmead Hospital into a traffic light based system would be welcomed.

What do you think?

Darren wants to hear from local residents, especially along the proposed route, about their views.

He will be writing to impacted residents but welcomes e-mail feedback addressed to darren.jones.mp@parliament.uk.

Darren is particular keen to hear whether residents feel comfortable with a new bus and cycle lane on the main road from Cribbs Causeway, along the Wyck Beck Road, Passage Road and Falcondale Road into Bristol City Centre (so long as this is done without reducing current road capacity for car drivers and with very limited turning restrictions along Falcondale Road).

In a statement, Darren said:

I’m afraid it looks like the council has lost the plot. Under no circumstances can the proposed carving up of Westbury-on-Trym village happen and I will be calling on my colleague Mayor Marvin Rees to scrap them.

Residents and transport provides have made it clear to me in my North Bristol Transport Plan that they would like to see continuous bus and cycle routes along key routes, but these current proposals are not fit for purpose.

As I have set out in my North Bristol Transport Plan, I believe that a bus and cycle lane can be put along the main road from Henbury to Bristol City Centre without reducing the current road capacity for drivers and without the need for so many restrictions on turning off of the main road.

But these bus routes need to be attached to new Transport Hubs, bringing together park and ride, rail, car parking and electric vehicle charging and cycle hire and lock up. I have called for three of these, near the Henbury rugby club, at the Portway Park and Ride in Shirehampton and North of Lockleaze.

I will now consult with my constituents, with a particular focus on those who live along the proposed bus route, to gather their feedback so that I can ensure their views are heard loud and clear both at Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority.