Plans to pedestrianise the street were first revealed back in 2023Local Bishopston Bristol resident Liz Isadore Igoe at Overton Road in Bristol where work to pedestrianise the street is taking place(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)

A disabled resident has hit back at Bristol City Council’s ongoing scheme to pedestrianise a street linking to Gloucester Road.

Elizabeth Igoe, who lives in North Road in St Andrews, said the council has not considered how the plans would impact parking, local businesses and traffic and called the scheme an “unnecessary waste of money”.

The council’s plans to pedestrianise Overton Road, which links Gloucester Road and the nearby St Andrew’s Park, were first announced back in January 2023.

At the time, more than £200,000 was earmarked to close the road, with the aim of freeing up spaces for businesses, pedestrians and cyclists.

However, back in October 2024, BristolLive reported that the combined costs of the Overton Road pedestrianisation and that of Princess Victoria Street in Clifton had rocketed by £500,000 – 40 per cent, because the council had massively underestimated them.

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Work is currently taking place to dig up the road and complete the scheme, but Ms Igoe, 72, has said the changes are “making life more and more difficult” for her to get around.

She told Bristol Live: “It feels as if Bristol City Council is trying to make life as difficult as possible for motorists and has totally overlooked those of us in the community who are disabled and need to use cars.

Overton Road in Bristol where work to pedestrianise the street is taking place(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)

“Until there is improved transport in Bristol people will continue to use cars but Bristol City Council seems to be in denial and instead makes it more and more difficult to get around the city.

“For goodness sake will you wise-up and spend money on things that make life easier for residents.”

Ms Igoe also shared concerns that the scheme will exacerbate the parking issues around St Andrews and Gloucester Road for local residents.

“It will make parking even more difficult as it cuts down the number of spaces available, giving residents of St Andrews even more of a headache than they have already,” she added.

“The lack of parking also has an effect on the independent traders on Gloucester Road – less parking equals less customers.

“Are they trying to kill trade in this area? If people are forced into out of town shopping, at places like Cribbs Causeway, just to be able to park, then the inner city and local shopping areas will die.”

In an attempt to mitigate parking issues in the area, St Andrews has been named as one of the locations being considered for new permit parking for residents.

Ms Igoe is not the only resident to hit out against the plans.

Bishopston resident Barry Cash has also called the scheme “a ridiculous waste of money”.

He said: “The Council claims this will ‘reduce car dependency and encourage walking and cycling’.

“Bizarrely, they claim, making cars take a three-quarters of a mile detour to reach North Road will “reduce carbon emissions and air pollution”.

Bristol City Council have been contacted for comment.

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