News / Transport
Work to start on improvements to Portway and Hotwell Road
Work is due to start soon along the Portway and Hotwell Road as Bristol City Council uses government funds in the hope of reducing congestion, improving the reliability of buses and promoting active travel along one of the main roads into Bristol.
Pavements will be widened and resurfaced, kerbs realigned and street lighting improved from June 16, with construction work expected to take nine months.
At the same time, work at Portway Park & Ride will also take place including widening and reconfiguring the bus junction, and installing a pedestrian crossing next to the bus junction.
Ed Plowden, chair of the transport & connectivity committee at Bristol City Council, said: “It’s fantastic that after all of the planning, public engagement and refining of the plans, work is starting to make it easier and safer to walk, wheel and cycle along the Portway.
“This initial work is part of a multi-million project that will see this main route between north and south Bristol upgraded so it works better for all road users, including people travelling by bus.
“It complements our ongoing work to remodel the entrance to Portway Park & Ride, to allow access to buses travelling from the north west of the city, which is progressing well and on schedule to be completed towards the end of this year.
“Moving to a network that prioritises sustainable transport, such as buses and cycling, has many benefits for us as a city, including less congestion, cleaner air, a boost to the local economy, as well as improving health outcomes for those who travel more actively.”
But Plowden added that for people to change the way they travel, “we need a more reliable bus service that doesn’t get caught up in traffic, along with safer and more attractive routes for people to walk and cycle along”.
A consultation opening later in June on the third phase of the A4 Portway transport corridor project has plans for sections of 24-hour bus lanes, reducing some speed limits and improving junctions along the route from Hotwells to Shirehampton.
Main photo: Martin Booth
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