News / Brislington
Road proposals ‘a blight on lives, homes and community’ in Brislington
Homeowners in Brislington living next to an old railway line have struggled to sell their houses due to plans to build a new road.
The relief road would be built from Callington Road up to St Philip’s Causeway under proposals put forward by the West of England Combined Authority.
Last year the West of England consulted the public about its plans for major changes along the A4 corridor, running from Bristol Temple Meads to Bath. One of the more controversial proposals was to shut part of the Bath Road to general traffic, and build a new road instead.
is needed now More than ever
The Bath Road between the Three Lamps Junction and Callington Road would only allow buses and bikes, while the new relief road would run along the old North Somerset railway.
One of the more controversial proposals was to shut part of the Bath Road to general traffic, and build a new road instead – photo: Martin Booth
But Liberal Democrat councillors representing Brislington West urged metro mayor Dan Norris to drop these plans during a combined authority committee meeting.
Andrew Varney said: “This is in fact the second petition we have presented on this issue. The first was presented to Bristol City Council back in 2020, when Bristol was leading on this project, and that petition received well over 2,000 signatures from local people.
“Now, despite ignoring local concerns for many years, this unpopular proposal had appeared to be dropped just before the local elections in 2021. So you can imagine how frustrating and disappointing it is for local people that the road-building proposals are still on the table.
“Please listen to the voices of local people. These road proposals are a blight on their lives, their homes and their community. Please cancel the road project and start working towards an alternative vision that promotes active travel, protects wildlife and saves a shedload of money. That vision is the Brislington Greenway.”
The railway line has been left abandoned for many years, and the area has become overgrown and a haven for wildlife. Travellers set up camp there last October but could soon face eviction by Bristol City Council.
Jos Clark and Andrew Varney are urging Dan Norris to drop the proposed changes to the A4 – photo: Bristol Lib Dem group
The greenway proposal received planning permission from the council in 2022, but the group behind the plans said too many hurdles were put in their way to proceed.
Fellow Lib Dem Jos Clark added: “We’ve had two consultations, and one finished in October last year. We were promised that we would have feedback on that consultation. Despite emails we’ve received no feedback at all. On the previous consultation, we had no feedback either.
“Members of the public constantly ask us what’s happening. They took the time and trouble to engage in the consultation, they attended meetings, but we’ve heard nothing back. We’ve contacted your officers and we’ve had no response from them. It’s just not good enough.
“There are a large number of properties in Brislington West ward which are actually blighted, because of the sword of Damocles hanging over them. [Residents] either can’t wait to get out because of the proposal of having a road at the back of their property, or they’re not able to sell because that’s in the public domain.”
If the relief road was built, through traffic entering the city from the east would need to drive along St Philip’s Causeway to get into the city centre. Travelling west, drivers would rejoin Bath Road at the West Town Lane junction.
The plans were also previously criticised by Marvin Rees, the Labour mayor of Bristol, who wants the space kept for his proposed mass transit system. One apparent issue delaying updates, following the end of the consultation last October, is that the West of England has a lack of staff.
Responding to the Brislington councillors, Norris, the Labour mayor of the combined authority, said: “I hold meetings for councillors, you’re always invited, so please come to one of those, because I haven’t seen you for a little while and I obviously need to hear more about this.
“Thank you for your patience with the consultation. We have challenges because we need to get more staff. We can only do so much, as much as we would like to do more.”
Alex Seabrook is a local democracy reporter for Bristol
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