The East Bristol ‘Liveable Neighbourhood’ scheme has proven controversial
The date three bus gate cameras will be switched on has been confirmed by Bristol City Council(Image: Bristol Post)
Frustration is brewing among Bristol Live readers over the divisive East Bristol ‘Liveable Neighbourhood’ initiative, aimed at fostering safer, less polluted streets.
Locals residing in the East Bristol ‘Liveable Neighbourhood’ area are voicing concern that they’ve been neglected by city hall as Barton Hill braces for the project’s six-month pilot scheme.
Bristol City Council’s experimental period to evaluate the effects of closing various thoroughfares surrounding Barton Hill, Netham Park, Redfield, Lawrence Hill, and parts of St George is scheduled to commence today (Monday, June 2), with the activation of cameras enforcing the three bus gates.
The construction of the ‘Liveable Neighbourhood’ was initiated last year, working to establish bus gates, no-entry roads, junctions, and so-called ‘modal filters’—barriers which allow passage for pedestrians, cyclists, scooters, and motorbike riders but ban cars and other vehicles.
However, the trial was paused after protesters attempted to block its installation. Leader of Bristol City Council Tony Dyer recently admitted that “there are definitely lessons to be learned” about how the roll-out of the liveable neighbourhood was handled.
Reader OJ009 writes: “These schemes will kill neighbourhoods. Bristol is slowly dying with every new hare-brained scheme the council imposes.”
Chiefchupachup believes: “There’s no such thing as a shortcut or rat run, there’s just the road network. Car ownership is still increasing, but let’s not take that into account. Chopping off part of the road network and forcing more vehicles onto roads that are already at capacity e.g A420, Park Row, is madness.”
Davewy007 says: “Absolute joke EBLN is already costing motorists more in fuel, time to get from Feeder to to Church rd is 20-30 mins in peak time, causing issues for school children being picked up and dropped off, let alone the additional fumes. Purely and simply a money stream for the council the bus gates are a travesty for the ‘East Bristol LANDLOCKED Neighbourhood’. When is this council going to see sense from a motorist point of view?”
6470 adds: “The money gates start operation on June 6, 2025. I hope the Barton Hill residents carry on trying to get it removed, now the council is trying to bribe the residents with bus vouchers. As for Beaufort Road it should have been a one way street not nearly shut down all together forcing traffic to use Church Road/ Whitehall Road. If this is about pollution why can’t electric cars use it? Its all about money don’t matter about the people living in the area.”
Ella13 writes: “This scheme pushes all the traffic to other roads, which causes more pollution, noise and traffic in these areas. Where is the sense and equality? I live in the area and I can say that definitely there is more traffic, pollution and noise on the roads close to EBLN.”
Paul-W says: “If drivers comply with the restrictions, then the Bus Gates will not generate any income for the Council. There are a range of incentives available to local arrangements to help people switch to more effective transport (the technical term is modal shift).
“One of the objectives of the scheme is to reduce through traffic. If you’re travelling from Feeder Road to Church Road then I’d suggest either Netham Road, Fireclay Road and Blackswarth Road or via Avon Street depending on your destination on Church Road rather than cutting through Barton Hill.”
Granty14 thinks: “If Bristol City Council actually enforced the 20mph speed limit ,which we’ve had across the city for several years yet everyone ignores, wouldn’t that help make all our neighbourhoods more liveable? Not to mention the inner city smoke control laws that have been in place since the 1950’s but aren’t imposed on the many woodburning households. Both of these existing laws would cut pollution in areas like Barton Hill without the expense, disruption and upset of the EBLN.”
New bus gate signage has already been vandalised ahead of the launch. In a statement defending the scheme ahead of go-live day, Cllr Heather Mack, the deputy leader of Bristol City Council, said: “There is no doubt that for many people it will be a big change. We hope that, in combination with the other trial measures, the bus gates will help to make the streets safer and less polluted.”
Do you think that ‘livable neighbourhoods’ actually work and benefit the area? Comment below or HERE to join in the conversation.