News / Concorde Way
Important walking and cycling route to be closed for at least one year
Concorde Way between Ashley Down and St Werburgh’s is set to close for at least a year, leaving walkers and cyclists having to take a long and potentially dangerous diversion.
Part of the popular route is expected to close from Sunday, with a diversion via Boiling Wells Lane and Muller Road.
The closure of the path is to enable the building of the new Ashley Down railway station, part of a project which will reopen the Henbury Line between Bristol Temple Meads and Henbury to passenger traffic.
is needed now More than ever
The new Ashley Down station entrance will be located on Concorde Way where the path meets Station Road – image: Network Rail
This imminent closure of part of the Concorde Way comes at the same time as the closure of another traffic-free stretch of the route in Lockleaze between Constable Road and Bonnington Walk is set to continue for a further eight months until the end of August 2023.
Bristol Cycling Campaign say that it is “disappointing” that Legal & General Modular Homes have exceeded their own estimated duration of “a maximum period of six months” or managed to “do our best to open earlier” as they originally stated.
The pressure group are also disappointed that the diversion between Ashley Down and St Werburgh’s is a narrow road to Watercress Farm and then “a muddy, sloping footpath” that joins Muller Road close to Fairfield School.
The cycling campaign says that the proposals for Muller Road are “very unsatisfactory for all path users and (are) not considered to be a comparable route for cyclists with the need to dismount & walk or ride in the heavy traffic”.
The Concorde Way between Ashley Down and St Werburgh’s is set to be closed for at least a year – photo: Martin Booth
On their website, Travel West says: “Boiling Wells Lane improvements include making the section from the farm up to Muller Road less muddy and more level.
“Improvements will also feature installation of a new gate to allow bike users through, improvements to the staggered barrier and installation of directional signage.
“Bristol City Council are currently continuing to explore options for an improved route on Muller Road for bike users. Further communications will be shared on this once a plan has been finalised.
“The closure will start on Sunday 5 March and will be in place for approximately 12 months.”
Main photo & video: Martin Booth
Read next:
- Bristol’s Portway station to open this summer
- Gathering evidence on Bristol’s ‘ghost buses’
- New railway station to be built on site of old railway station
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