News / Transport
Work to install bike paths and bus lanes on main road starting soon
Work to transform a busy main road in Bristol city centre, making it more friendly for cyclists, pedestrians and bus users, will soon begin.
Changes planned for Temple Way include new bus lanes on both sides of the road and a two-way segregated cycle lane connecting the Old Market roundabout to the Friary, linking several important routes in the city’s cycling network.
Plans also include relocating and upgrading some bus stops, planting trees and other vegetation, installing new crossings and narrowing the central reservation.
The area, which currently includes a six-lane carriageway with no separated cycle path, has previously been flagged by cycling campaigners as unsafe.
The plans form part of the council’s ambition to encourage more people to use public transport, cycle and walk.
The layout of the southbound slip road from the roundabout in Old Market is set to be changed
Bristol City Council’s Ed Plowden called the plans “an important step” in making the city’s transport network cleaner and greener.
“The Temple Way works are part of a wider programme to make our city centre more accessible, inclusive and resilient, supporting more reliable bus services, safer walking, wheeling and cycling routes, and better public spaces.
“As Bristol grows, we need to make sure our transport system grows with it, offering more sustainable choices and reducing congestion and pollution for everyone.”
Work on Temple Way is expected to take around one year
The Temple Way scheme is expected to cost around £4.9m and is being funded by the UK government through the Department for Transport’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, secured by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.
Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England, said: “Getting the basics right by fixing our region’s roads and bridges, and improving public transport and walking and cycling options, will lay the foundations for a better transport system overall for the West of England.
“Our regional authority is working with the council to consider how best to phase other upcoming highways projects in Bristol city centre – with additional flexibility on how to deliver government investment beyond the original March 2027 deadline, following representations from us and local councils.
“In the longer term, thanks to the record £752m that we secured in the summer’s spending review for future transport investment, we can move the west out of the slow lane and start to catch up with other city-regions, with better buses, more trains, and mass transit plans.”
🚧 Construction work to make Temple Way in Bristol city centre more accessible will start on 1 December.
The year-long project includes new bus lanes, crossings, bus stops, pavements, and a two-way cycle path. pic.twitter.com/MpYP4BfKKz
— Bristol City Council (@BristolCouncil) November 5, 2025
Construction work on Temple Way is scheduled to begin on December 1 and is expected to take up to one year.
Bristol City Council stated that the road will remain open to traffic “for most of the construction period,” with some lane closures, with access for pedestrians and cyclists maintained throughout.
All photos: Betty Woolerton
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