‘If the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood got taken away, I would be really upset’

I’m a retired university lecturer. I still work with the university as a standardised patient helping train our future generations of healthcare providers.

I have a long-term condition so I’m classed as disabled. I don’t walk very well and can be a bit wobbly. I get a blue badge and parking outside my house.  I am quite dependent on my car to get to places. If I didn’t have a car, I wouldn’t manage very well.

I came to St George in 1983 to do a six-month course and I never went back so, I’ve been here a very, very long time.

In a way things haven’t changed that much in that it’s a very friendly area. You know who your neighbours are.

Angharad says she has been reticent to share her views because of “the vitriol, bullying, intimidation and trolling that pro-EBLN people get online” – photo: Bristol City Council

What was life like before East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood (EBLN)?

Constant rat running down my road. The roads either side of the road were not as convenient as mine for rat running and so people would come down the road fast. There would be shouting and people tooting and all that sort of thing going on.

I was very worried about children on my road getting knocked over. I’ve seen three cats run over outside my house.

Now, I can walk down the road without worrying about people mounting the pavement, because I’m not very good at getting out of the way of things.

Before the EBLN, Angharad says there was “constant rat running” down her road – photo: Betty Woolerton

I am diabetic and am currently trying to reverse my diabetes. One of the things I’ve been advised to do is take more short walks.

Being able to walk around the neighbourhood without being shouted at, or indeed having to shout at anybody to slow down, is really nice.

I think the air is probably fresher as well.

Sometimes it’s the little things: I hear birds signing and my anxiety calms down. I have a neighbour who’s had several strokes and comes over to my house sometimes. I don’t have to fear she’s going to get run over.

One of the things it (the EBLN) has encouraged me to do is to go on the bus more. That’s made life a lot easier because I don’t have to find parking when I’m at the other end.

In February, I had my birthday bus pass for a month and that did increase the number of bus journeys I took.

Now I’ve got the travel card because somebody said to me, ‘Oh, if you’ve got a blue badge, you can get a bus pass’. Usually I need to take my car to work though, as the buses are tricky to get there.

Due to a long-term health condition, Angharad has a blue badge and often travels by car – photo: Amit Basal

I’m concerned there is a lot of queuing traffic in front of St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School.

I came up that road at school emptying time the other day and thought I’ll see how much longer it takes me to get from the bottom of the cemetery to the junction. It took eight minutes.

For me, that’s not a big deal but I would think for a lot of people it is.

I think the problem is the junction between Blackswarth Road and Church Road. I think they really need to fix that.

I responded to every single consultation. It was about two and a half years of consultation.

I do think that, for some people, it might have felt like no consultation because they didn’t interact with those notices or they couldn’t because of language or because they were busy.

I think the council would be wise to recognise that.

I absolutely support people’s right to protest but I understand why infrastructure had to go in in the middle of the night, as there were safety concerns for workers and protestors.

The East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood trial covers areas of Barton Hill, Redfield and St George – map: Bristol City Council

The six-month trial has been delayed and delayed but we know it is going ahead.

When the trial is over, then it can be evaluated and we will know what is working and what is not working.

I understand that, for some people, they are fearful they will not have the freedom they had before and maybe some additional measures will need to be taken to preserve their rights.

I have certainly felt hesitant about sharing my views due to the vitriol, bullying, intimidation and trolling that pro-EBLN people get online, most of which is not backed up by any fact checking.

If you read the reports from other areas of the country, where low traffic or liveable neighbourhoods have been installed, the majority have actually been effective and local people are in favour.

Of course there has been protest against them too.

Traffic in Bristol has been increasing over the years that I have lived here and it’s ridiculous to suggest no measures should be taken to try and improve people’s quality of life through traffic reduction, in some areas, and encouragement to use other means of transport.

It is also necessary to improve that infrastructure.

If the EBLN got taken away, I would be really upset.

I think if we went back to the rat running situation, there’s a very real danger that someone would be run over.

I love my car. I can’t manage without it, but it’s not actually a God given right to have a car and drive around.

If the EBLN measures around me were removed, would I protest? Yes, I would!

This is an opinion piece by Angharad Hughes, written with support from Lyndsey Melling. Both are residents of St George, within the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood trial area

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Main photo: Martin Booth 

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