The project would see ‘modal filters’ block roads to vehicles
05:00, 12 Oct 2025Updated 07:54, 12 Oct 2025
Local residents who say they support the plan for their area of South Bristol to be next to become a ‘liveable neighbourhood’ say they want to work with their neighbours and make the project even better, rather than ‘just say no’ to the modal filter road blocks and cul-de-sac zones.
A group of residents in Southville who back the South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood proposals from Bristol City Council say the scheme is a good idea in principle, but needs altering to be ‘even better’. The project is currently the subject of a council consultation, but has already seen strong opposition at a series of drop-in exhibitions, and a petition signed by more than 1,700 people.
Last week, Bristol Live struggled to find anyone in favour of the idea at the council’s last consultation event in Southville, but now, those who are in favour of the idea of splitting the residential roads of Southville into four separate zones for drivers of vehicles, say the plan needs to be tweaked and improved.
“Lots of the supporters understand concerns of others and are keen to encourage constructive dialogue to improve the proposals and address concerns – rather than ‘just say no’ – the approach taken by the organisers of the petition,” said local resident Matthew Symonds.
“Let’s use the consultation to make the South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhoods better. We have made five suggestions we think could make the proposals even better and address concerns that some residents have highlighted.
“We are encouraging local residents to give constructive suggestion during the consultation to help make the scheme, which would bring safer, less traffic-dominated residential streets – even better,” he added.
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Among the proposals are allowing Clean Air Zone exemptions for residents with non-compliant cars who live in what could become the ‘orange zone’, who will only be able to leave that zone in a vehicle by entering the Clean Air Zone on Coronation Road. An alternative solution, Mr Symonds’ group said, was to create a separate ‘exit only’ into the blue zone to the east, to allow drivers of non-compliant CAZ vehicles to leave their zone onto Dean Lane.
The group is also calling on the city council to improve Coronation Road with more pedestrian crossings, keeping Gathorne Road – currently a one-way street that exits onto North Street – like that, rather than making it two-way, but turning the ends of three roads onto North Street into a ‘continuous pavement’, as well as other tweaks to the proposals around Southville’s two primary schools.
Another supporter of the South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood proposals is Tom Bosanquet, who said that there has been a positive response to the plans at other council consultation sessions this month so far.
How the South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood scheme will impact Southville(Image: Bristol Post)
He said having lived in a Victorian terraced street in South Bristol that was a cul-de-sac, he thought the idea would be good for residents. “What this meant was that children were far more able to play outside, which wasn’t only a joy, but also a great help to busy parents – I could get on with cooking and cleaning, keeping an eye and ear out, but knowing that the kids were outside playing, learning from each other and being active,” he said.
“This is something we’ve really lost in the last decades. And we also had great chats between adults – it was of course in part down to the people being friendly, but the lack of cars constantly trying to get through gave space for this community to blossom. It really meant so much, especially around the pandemic,” he added.
“I think there’s a lot of scope for tweaks to the suggested plans – as should be the case in a consultation – but we have to grapple with reducing the dominance of motors as it’s such an inefficient system for our city.
The B&Q Gardener of the Year competition has revealed its winner as Bristol local, and gardening enthusiast Matthew Symonds(Image: Tom Wren/PinPep)
“We see how stressed people are with endless traffic jams – a big part is, of course, more viable/connected/functional/affordable public transport,” he added. “I do agree that it is a big lot of changes all at once – I was so sad that no changes were made to North Street after the pandemic,” he added.
The city council consultation continues until October 30. There are three consultation sessions remaining across the area affected – Wednesday, October 15 at The Chessel Centre in Bedminster from 3.30pm to 6.30pm; Thursday October 16 from 4pm to 7pm at the Library Of Things in East Street, Bedminster; and on Monday, October 20 from 12pm to 3pm at The Harbour in Totterdown.