News / active travel
More than £2m investment approved for walking, wheeling and cycling initiatives
Approval of a multi million-pound investment could see Prince Street Bridge finally close to cars, among a raft of other changes to make the city accessible for walking, wheeling and cycling.
Bristol City Council will use the £2.3m funding from the Department of Transport’s Active Travel Fund towards five new projects, which includes the pedestrianisation of the bridge on Prince Street.
Other initiatives include creation of 20 additional cycle hangars, free bike loans, walking, wheeling and cycling routes across the city, and traffic-free zones near school gates during drop-off and pick-up hours.
is needed now More than ever
Prince Street Bridge currently sees 24,000 daily cycling and walking trips – photo: Bristol City Council
“With more people travelling sustainably, we can cut congestion, improve health and wellbeing, and support the city’s journey toward becoming carbon neutral,” Ed Plowden, chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee, said.
The funding, originally secured by the West of England Combined Authority from the Department for Transport, was formally approved during the committee’s meeting on Thursday.
Plowden continued: “These are exciting projects, including the transformation of Prince Street Bridge, which already sees 24,000 daily walking and cycling trips compared to just 1,707 motor vehicle trips.
“Reallocating space to support active travel will create a safer and more welcoming route to destinations like M Shed, the SS Great Britain and Wapping Wharf from the north, and to the city centre from the south.”
Among other planned changes, Plowden also hinted at plans to “enhance” walking, wheeling and cycling connections between Bath Road and Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone and a new pedestrian and cycling bridge between the Three Lamps Junction and Cattle Market Road.
The West of England Combined Authority was awarded a total of £4.62m from the Department for Transport for investment in active travel projects. A further £160,000 boost to this funding from the mayoral authority brought the total to £4.78m of which Bristol has been allocated £2.28m
Mayor of the West of England Combined Authority, Helen Godwin said: “We all want better, safer walking, wheeling and cycling routes across the West for people’s everyday journeys.
“Active travel is an important part of how people can get around, with real health benefits. It also cuts pollution, which we here in the West Country really care about. Working together with the council, that is what these projects will deliver through our regional active travel investment in Bristol and beyond.
“Getting the basics right now by improving our walking and cycling infrastructure, and fixing our roads and bridges, will lay the foundations for a better transport system overall for our part of the world.”
Main photo: Martin Booth
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