Proposed alterations to a city centre junction could potentially “heighten tension” between cyclists and pedestrians by limiting the space available for crossing the road. A sum exceeding £1 million is earmarked for modifying the layout of the junction at College Green, Anchor Road and St Augustine’s Parade. Bristol Live readers are baffled at the plans.
In certain sections of the junction, the pavement will be significantly expanded, reducing space for cars, particularly on the corner outside the Marriott Hotel. However, in other areas, new planters will be placed on both the pavement and the road, directing pedestrians towards a narrower crossing.
The crossing that extends from the fountains to Denmark Street is frequently overcrowded, with the volume of people attempting to cross surpassing its limited capacity. This often results in individuals stepping onto the road as there is insufficient space on the crossing.
Rather than expanding the pedestrian crossing, Bristol City Council intends to introduce vegetation at this part of the junction to deter people from walking onto the road. One councillor on the transport policy committee voiced criticism of the plans, suggesting this could worsen the conflict at the junction.
Adam Crowther, head of city transport, commented: ‘It has been looked at in detail and we’ve gone round lots of different options for how that could work to get to the concluded design. I don’t think there’s a perfect solution in that location, due to the space available and all of the movements happening through there. [The vegetation] is to discourage people from crossing in advance of the traffic stop line.’
Commenter Junius1 thinks: “All seems a bit barmy to me, there are currently too many traffic lights and crossings at that stretch of road leading from St. Àugustine’s Parade to Park Street, causing a horrendous bottleneck for the flow of traffic at peak hours. How about fewer crossings where pedestrians need to walk a bit further to cross?”
Downtowngirl thinks: “All these changes, what a waste of money, stop, think, discuss before applying more inappropriate changes and wasting even more money.”
GenericNickname agrees: “Forever tinkering, constantly spending money we don’t have, never actually improving anything.”
Busy Nan pleads: “Just fix the masses of pot holes all over Bristol. We don’t want any more flower pots or bus gates, just leave the roads alone.”
Ceetee says: “Wait so the problem is the “island” is too small for pedestrians. So make the island a bit longer/bigger. There you go. Stop over thinking and over engineering simple problems, it costs more and just creates more problems. One minute I hear BCC are gravely in debt, the next we are spending £10m on a short path, fortunes on a couple of bus stops and £1m to make an island crossing a bit bigger. No wonder they are going bankrupt.”
Trivialpursuer thinks: “Drivers abusing the yellow box junction and clogging up traffic isn’t a problem with the road layout, it’s a problem with the drivers. I can accept that driving a car is the best solution for many,but with contesting demands for road space in city centres, there are many viable alternatives. One of those alternatives is to sit in a traffic jam, pay to park, pay to pollute and to moan about improvements being put in place for the greater good.”
65AJ writes: “I’ve not crossed there for a while, but looking at the crossings in the photographs, the green/red man only means that cyclists should be dismounting and walking across them anyway and not trying to cycle across amongst the pedestrians. Another waste of money scheme from the council.”
Dbanderson thinks: “Pedestrians will still cross where they like. Closing routes does not prevent movement. Same with cars. Make it easier, not more difficult.”
How do you feel about the new measures? Will they make the crossing safer? Have your say in our comments section.