StapleHillPhil Posted December 9, 2005 Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 TRAFFIC IS TOO MUCH FOR CITY ROADS Next Story | Previous Story | Back to list Be the first reader to comment on this story 11:00 - 09 December 2005 Bristol's streets are fit to burst, with even small accidents pushing the city into virtual gridlock. That's the message of campaigners who say action is needed urgently, before Bristol grinds to a halt.A combination of roadworks around the city, coupled with the redevelopment of Broadmead, and an influx of Christmas shoppers, has seen longer queues than normal in rush hour and drivers grow increasingly frustrated.And transport experts have warned that the only solution now is to get motorists out of their cars.Bristol has one of the highest levels of car ownership in the country, and despite improvements to bus travel in recent years, many people say not enough has been done to persuade them to travel by public transport.Mike Henry, a partner in the Bristol branch of property consultants King Sturge, said action was needed.He said: "It shows how fragile the situation is at the moment when one set of roadworks or an accident like the one that closed the A4 Portway the other day seems to affect the entire city."It's reckoned congestion costs the Bristol area £350 million a year, and the road network must be very close to capacity. Whether we like it or not, the way forward is road-user charging."David Redgewell of pressure group Transport 2000 believes the road system has reached its capacity and the way to improve traffic levels is to persuade motorists out of their cars.Mr Redgewell said: "The reality is that the city is becoming gridlocked and investment in public transport just isn't happening. There is a need for an improved bus service and the local rail network needs a better service, but they are being cut back."The average speed of a car in this city is about 8mph, so unless we get a serious investment in public transport in greater Bristol, we're heading for more gridlock."Congestion charging is an option. We'd congestion charge the city centre and the northern part of the city around the Parkway and Cribbs Causeway."He also wanted congestion charging in Weston-super-Mare and Bath.Recently roadworks on the motorways around Bristol have added to the headache for motorists, although the Highways Agency, which oversees motorways and trunk roads, says the situation is not much worse than normal.Robin Miller from the Highways Agency, said roadworks on the M32 were being done to install new signs.He said: "During the day there are as many lanes as usual in use, two in each direction, but they are narrower and there is a 50mph limit, so the work should not have a very significant effect." No **** Sherlock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukejones2 Posted December 9, 2005 Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 You say that KNR, and traffic has been awful for years - BUT... it is far worse now than it has ever been. It is ridiculous, roadworks on the A38, on the M32, the M4, the M5, the Hambrook junctions all at the same time!And now, they are talking about congestion charging Parkway and the city centre... I work in Queens Square and pay about £12 per day to park. I live in Bradley Stoke and would use the rail link from Parkway if it wasn't so busy and the public transport away from the office was more reliable and flexible - it isn't and therefore I have no choice but to park in town if I am to be anywhere within decent time after work.It disgusts me that they are so stupid when it comes to traffic. congestion charging is an option - agreed, but why Cribbs Causeway and Parkway aswell as the Centre? Why double charge the poor beggars who live where I do? They have caused the problems with their stupid and pointless M32 signs (what good will they do? join the motorway... find out the sign says it's busy.... get stuck in a queue.) and their ludicrous decision to close the rat runs around Hambrook for "safety" reasons (tosh) and then to do roadworks everywhere all at the same time. They are even talking about closing Princes Bridge in town despite the horrific effect closing it temporarily had on Bristol's roads.IF there were reliable, quick and flexible bus links or train lionks I would use them. There aren't so I can't. I vote that they stop wasting their time talking about the traffic problem, stop wasting their money on unnecessary roadworks and begin to spend time and money on the public transport infrastructure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WillsbridgeRed Posted December 9, 2005 Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 Bristol is crying out for a better rail and bus sytem, incorparated with a tram.Our useless self serving council have failed to deliver on Transport but it is up to bristolians to do something about it. Either more Bristolians should stand as indy councilors, or people should protest.My guess is that nothing will happen, as bristolians will just accept the status quo and their diktats with little more with a grumble and a doffed cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StapleHillPhil Posted December 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 Bristol is crying out for a better rail and bus sytem, incorparated with a tram.Our useless self serving council have failed to deliver on Transport but it is up to bristolians to do something about it. Either more Bristolians should stand as indy councilors, or people should protest.My guess is that nothing will happen, as bristolians will just accept the status quo and their diktats with little more with a grumble and a doffed cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhatWill Posted December 9, 2005 Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 The transport is shocking in South Glos / North Bristol and the ridiculous thing is that's it's going to get even worse!New housing in Filton, Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke - bloody eco zoo at Cribbs along with a new massive B and Q warehouse!I commute to Parkway a few days a week, it costs £2.80 per single journey and I'm lucky if the bus turns up at all!Something has got to be done asap, most commuters don't car share and it takes the pish. Thousands of cars all going nowhere in rush hour and they wonder why - there's only one person in every flippin' car and it's not sustainable.In peak hours they need to start forcing cars off the roads, build a big bus lane along the a38 from Almondsbury to Horfield and then when poeple are sitting in their cars going nowhere watching countless buses speed past they'll realise that a change in attitude is needed!Trams would be good but they're very costly to build and the returns are often poor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Man In Black Posted December 9, 2005 Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 And the problem with roadworks as well is that more often than not there is no-one working on them for days on end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BeNeRz Posted December 10, 2005 Report Share Posted December 10, 2005 Crow Lane in Henbury is chaos atm to!Took me 30 mins to get along that road the other day when normally takes about 2! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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