What is happening to Bristol?

[BigAl68]

Sat in the pub with my cycling mates and we have just looked at what is happening with the cycle routes in and around Bristol.

N4 Bristol to Bath. The tunnel at fishponds has now been closed for 6 months. Original plan was 8 weeks.

N4 Saltford to Warmley due to close for almost 4 weeks in June with no detour apart from two crazy A roads.

Chocolate trail along the cut behind the SS great Britain. Closed

River path from crews hole area has been closed for 9 months and still closed due to a wall that is unsafe.

Bristol harbour behind the M shed closed as they cut and relay cobbles.

This is a city that has had tens of millions of cycle money and is European green capital.

Feel free to discuss

 

[summerdays]

You missed off the ring road path which was closed for a couple of months at the M32 junction but now reopened! And they took ages redoing the Hambrook lights junction though I think I would say it was an improvement just couldn't believe how long it took!

And they still haven't made the narrow path any wider on the approach to the lights despite now getting rid of a bus lane and bringing the traffic really close.

 

[BigAl68]

I can't believe how many closures there seem to be for an area that is supposed to be pro cycling and has had tens of millions for infrastructure.

 

[BigAl68]

@User14044 the thing is Bristol was given so much money and all that have done is screw everything up. But yes the tories have been a bunch of etonian daffodils

 

[captain nemo1701]

Well, you can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs, as the saying goes. As someone who works in the civil engineering industry, I often work on some projects months in advance of them being built. One of them was the Chocolate Path which was closed for the investigation into building a new bridge for cyclists and pedestrians over the river. So I think it was a relatively minor inconvenience as in the long run, new infrastructure is on it's way.

I have not been involved up at Tewell hill, the source of the much-criticised B2B path closure, but since I know contractors, I just knew it would over-run. Still, it's all for the better as the old road brdge and ped bridge were awful. Plus, I heard the closure is being used to do a bit of maintenance on the leaky Staple Hill Tunnel although I've never seen anyone working in it.....

The path is due for another closure, thankfully shorter this time, in order to resurfcae a section. Mustn't grumble as that part of the path does really need a new surface.

Yes, it's disappointing that the new segregated cycle path along the river hasn't opened fully due to repairs to the retaining wall, but it's slowly getting there as I often ride past it on my commute. I think it was probably a good thing that the damage was found sooner rather than later. Imagine, just getting used to a new route and then it closes again!.

I'm afraid a bit more chaos is on it's way. Railway Path commuters should brace themselves in the next few years. The infamous pinch point as you get to the Lawrence Hill junction bridge will get widened and also the road at the end of the path is likely to be closed off to traffic. For those who've never been down the path, it does rather unceremoniously dump you into an industrial estate with a road swinging round from your right. Plans are to bollard that end off, so the danger of a left hook is avoided.

Waiting can be frustrating, but it should be worth it in the long run.

 

[summerdays]

Well, you can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs, as the saying goes. As someone who works in the civil engineering industry, I often work on some projects months in advance of them being built. One of them was the Chocolate Path which was closed for the investigation into building a new bridge for cyclists and pedestrians over the river. So I think it was a relatively minor inconvenience as in the long run, new infrastructure is on it's way.

I have not been involved up at Tewell hill, the source of the much-criticised B2B path closure, but since I know contractors, I just knew it would over-run. Still, it's all for the better as the old road brdge and ped bridge were awful. Plus, I heard the closure is being used to do a bit of maintenance on the leaky Staple Hill Tunnel although I've never seen anyone working in it.....

The path is due for another closure, thankfully shorter this time, in order to resurfcae a section. Mustn't grumble as that part of the path does really need a new surface.

Yes, it's disappointing that the new segregated cycle path along the river hasn't opened fully due to repairs to the retaining wall, but it's slowly getting there as I often ride past it on my commute. I think it was probably a good thing that the damage was found sooner rather than later. Imagine, just getting used to a new route and then it closes again!.

I'm afraid a bit more chaos is on it's way. Railway Path commuters should brace themselves in the next few years. The infamous pinch point as you get to the Lawrence Hill junction bridge will get widened and also the road at the end of the path is likely to be closed off to traffic. For those who've never been down the path, it does rather unceremoniously dump you into an industrial estate with a road swinging round from your right. Plans are to bollard that end off, so the danger of a left hook is avoided.

Waiting can be frustrating, but it should be worth it in the long run.

Yes I know of the plans for that road or at least the ones they sent to the businesses located on that road (my mate being one). I've never really had a problem there, though the pinch point needs dealing with just up the way.

For left hooks one of the worst junctions is the one by Horfield Sports Centre going down to the hospital. I've seen so many close calls at that junction as many cyclists going straight on get to the left of vehicles turning into the sports centre or hospital. It's also a junction where cars parrellel park in the middle of the junction to get out of the side road. It's one I would nominate to be redesigned for everyone.

The tunnel drips didn't ever bother me, and I'd have happily lived with them rather than had the 6+ months of diversions.

 

[summerdays]

I think the councils need to build paths assuming increasing demands. Look how many use things like the Concorde path which didn't exist a few years ago, problem is that the paths that get built are often not wide enough.

 

[Spartak]

You missed off the ring road path which was closed for a couple of months at the M32 junction but now reopened! And they took ages redoing the Hambrook lights junction though I think I would say it was an improvement just couldn't believe how long it took!

And they still haven't made the narrow path any wider on the approach to the lights despite now getting rid of a bus lane and bringing the traffic really close.

Talking of the M32 junction why did they install a set of lights at the Old Gloucester Road to cross the busy ring road, to close them again within weeks & block off the crossing !!!

 

[summerdays]

Talking of the M32 junction why did they install a set of lights at the Old Gloucester Road to cross the busy ring road, to close them again within weeks & block off the crossing !!!

I must admit I'm not sure. Whether they will reopen them in the future when the bus scheme gets underway, that does worry me, the path in that area just isn't wide enough for the numbers using it currently especially in the summer when the vegetation grows over it.

I don't know why they put in an additional set of toucan crossing at the lights as I don't think I've seen one person use the new crossing by pressing the button and waiting.

One change that would be good to introduce is box junctions for toucan lights, I'd put them on the M32 crossing and the Bromley Heath crossings for a start.

 

[User482]

Four of the list have either reopened or have a signed diversion. This morning I had a very pleasant commute along Festival way, the chocolate path, behind the M Shed, Queen's square, Castle Park, Frome Greenway and Concorde way.

 

[Archie_tect]

Architects make good mayors, though George is more maverick than most.... stick with him- it just takes time. At least Bristol managed to get the funding and appears to be using it as intended. The back roads and underused lanes and roads in Northumberland are literally crumbling away and no prospect of ever being reinstated. Tory government cuts are crippling the local authorities to bring them to bankruptcy so that they can be forced to privatise everything. Once we've lost independent local government the writing's on the wall.

 

[summerdays]

I like George, don't always agree with all he wants to do (well forced to do by the amount of government funding), but he gets on and does them. Prior to that we had years of talking about doing things, and nothing ever happening, and he doesn't waste half his time bitching about the other parties. And I agree about the trying to privatise everything!

I see they are discussing that closure on the radio today and the fact there isn't going to be a signed diversion.

And the signed diversions are rubbish, the M32 Hambrook one literally only had a sign at each end, luckily I already knew the route. The tunnel diversion had some signs but not all so I was getting myself lost the first handful of times I used it.

I think I'm just fed up of diversions, there were other small one two when the Cheese grater or the other bridge were out of action and when they resurfaced the road by Hannah More school, and there is the bit by the crossing near Templemeads where the barriers seem to be creeping to make that area smaller.

BUT it will be better .... I just have to be patient!!!

 

[BigAl68]

It just seems every route I use has either been closed, is closed or is going to be closed. I think my main issue is there isn't any joined up thinking but as @summerdays said we will just keep pedaling and hope we are getting better infrastructure...

 

[summerdays]

To be fair the roads have also suffered, with Bristol Water being the main creator of road closures, but at least on the roads I can get off and walk around their closure. Mostly they seem to be concentrating on South Bristol at the moment with only one set of temporary lights in my way in North Bristol currently.

 

[Archie_tect]

A lot of road works and similar capital projects are started every March in order to use up the allocated budget before the end of the tax year so that councils spend their allocations, otherwise in the next year's budget councils are penalised for not needing as much as they claimed for so the following year's funding is cut.