A busy bridge over Bristol harbour could close to cars as part of wider changes to the Harbourside area. Prince Street Bridge, near the M Shed and Arnolfini, would be reserved for people walking, cycling or wheeling only.
The planned closure forms part of the huge Harbour Place Shaping strategy, which includes a new watersports centre and ferry service. The strategy will take two decades to transform the waterside space throughout the city centre.
An update on the plans was given to councillors on the economy and skills policy committee. They were split over whether the closure would be a good idea, with warnings of extra congestion elsewhere in the city.
Conservative Councillor Mark Weston said: “I really don’t think we should close Prince Street Bridge to traffic. There are only so many bridges across the river. Once you start knocking out one bridge or a second bridge, any time there’s a major traffic problem anywhere in the city, the traffic will flow like water. The less places it can flow, the less resilience in our system.”
The bridge was partially closed to traffic a few years ago, and now cars can only drive across southbound. Since then, council data suggests a 146 per cent increase in active travel users.
Green Cllr Toby Wells added: “Prince Street Bridge carries far more pedestrians and cyclists than it does people in private motor vehicles, but they’re squeezed into a much smaller space. That whole traffic area south of Baldwin Street, there’s only one way in, Redcliffe Bascule Bridge, so there only needs to be one way out to get the same traffic capacity.
“Bristol Bridge is also available in the event that any of the other bridges are closed, as regularly happens. So I don’t think it’s a big deal and we should support the closure.”
The new ferry service would run from the M Shed and the Lloyds Amphitheatre, although these two locations are only a 10-minute walk away from each other. Other plans include a path along Castle Park at water level along the Floating Harbour.
Any final decision on closing the bridge would be taken by the transport policy committee, after traffic modelling and public consultation. A wider problem in the area is the struggle to push a wheelchair or buggy along the cobblestone pavements.
Labour Cllr Kelvin Blake said: “If you try to wheel around any of these places, it’s an absolute nightmare. The cobbles have not been maintained particularly well, so you have big gaps in them. Any development we do has to look at the pavement space.
“I don’t care about closing Prince Street Bridge to able-bodied people. My worry is that accessing that side of your town when you’re disabled, and particularly if you have a wheelchair, is particularly difficult.
“I do it often, I get off the bus and wheel from the Centre, and I always dread that space past the hotels or in front of the Arnolfini. It’s really difficult to access. I think we have to put disabled people’s views in front of the heritage argument.”