Council chiefs have admitted protests by local residents and anti-Liveable Neighbourhood campaigners have made it ‘impossible’ to continue installing the infrastructure to continue with the trial project – and are also costing the council tens of thousands of pounds.
The deputy leader of Bristol City Council said the people obstructing council contractors to install planters and concrete blocks to stop through traffic on roads in Barton Hill were putting contractors, themselves and other pedestrians at risk, and taking resources away from the police.
But Cllr Heather Mack and Bristol City Council did not say whether they intended to abandon their efforts to complete the creation of the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood, after another day of direct action protest and a stand off between campaigners and council contractors.
On Monday, the council made a third attempt to install physical barriers that would prevent vehicle traffic from travelling west along Avonvale Road from the junction with Marsh Lane in Barton Hill, a key route connecting Barton Hill with Netham Park. Protesters stood in the way of council contractors and, when Cllr Mack and the council’s executive director John Smith arrived, they were jeered and booed.
There have been no attempts so far on Tuesday morning to return, but local residents are again on the streets in small numbers monitoring the road in question. Cllr Mack told Bristol Live the delays were costing the council money, and the whole project was only a trial. “We support the right to peaceful protest, and I have been on the streets to meet with protestors to hear their concerns direct,” she said.
“Whilst we recognise there are some deep-rooted misgivings about the potential impacts of the scheme on the area, our attempts today to have a two-way dialogue were unfortunately not met in good faith. By illegally obstructing works, these actions have put both our contractors, protestors and other pedestrians at risk, making it impossible to continue installing the trial measures safely,” she added.
“On top of being dangerous, the activity of the protesters is adding extra costs and uncertainty to the scheme, while taking police resources away from other local issues,” she said. “It is important that we have solutions to big problems like air pollution and excess traffic on small residential roads that were never designed to be used as cut-throughs. Our plans for the trial are based on three years of intensive community engagement, co-design and consultation.
“Thousands of people have fed into shaping the trial, which we’ve refined using this feedback. Some residents have told us that their streets already feel safer, are quieter and have cleaner air. We are confident the trial will continue to deliver these improvements for local streets, as well as increase footfall for local businesses and use of sustainable transport,” she added.
“Everyone will get a chance to tell us their thoughts about the trial six months after it has been fully installed. This feedback will be used, alongside data collected before, during and after the six months trial, to decide if it has met our success criteria. This includes traffic, walking and cycling levels, bus journey times and air quality. We will promote how to get involved and have your say nearer the time,” she added.
The East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood covers a large area from Barton Hill through Redfield to St George and attempts to close off side roads off the main A420 Church Road to create a series of areas that drivers will no longer be able to drive through. Those backing the scheme say it will create residential roads that are better for walking and cycling in, without having through traffic.
While there are many who have expressed support for the measures – including at the ballot box, where councillors supporting the trial were elected last May – thousands have signed a petition against it and a large number of people, particularly in Barton Hill, have come out onto the streets to attempt to stop its installation. Much of the infrastructure has already been installed, particularly in the St George area and around Netham Park and Avonview Cemetery, and people across East Bristol have noticed an increase in journey times and congestion on the main A420 as drivers are funnelled onto that main road.
The trial is supposed to take six months, at which point the effects will be evaluated, but installation has already taken three months. Work to install the measures began on October 28, and protests stopped the work on November 14 and again on December 12, a day after the council tried again.
The council told Bristol Live delaying the scheme has already cost the taxpayer £34,000, and delayed the start of the six month trial period, because it’s not all in place.