Every day, thousands of people travel along the busy A4 Bath Road to and from Bristol City Centre. But how many people are aware of the beautiful green corridor passing underneath? This is the route of the old Brislington Railway Line which used to connect the coalfields of Somerset with Bristol Docks. It has been lying derelict and unused for decades but now The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) Joint Spatial Strategy (JSS) has been published and the idea of using this route as a link road is back on the agenda.
https://www.jointplanningwofe.org.uk/consult.ti
The plan is to connect Tesco on Callington Road with Sainsbury’s on Whitby Road and take traffic off the A4 Bath Road. However, research suggests that if you build more roads, you simply encourage more people to travel by car more often, thereby creating more congestion and pollution.
http://theconversation.com/do-more-roads-really-mean-less-congestion-for-commuters-39508
Cllr Jos Clark and local resident Andrew Varney, along with members of Sandy Park Road Improvement Neighbourhood Group (SPRING), and with the support of many other local residents, have been campaigning to use the route for walking and cycling rather than building another road. The route would be the missing link in the Sustrans National Cycle Network Route 3, allowing cyclists to travel from Stockwood to Temple Meads off road. It would also safeguard an invaluable wildlife corridor, home to an enormous variety of flora and fauna including badgers, bats and slowworms.
Jos and Andrew have met with Sustrans and Space For Cycling, and plan to meet with council officers to see if this route can be used for walkers and cyclists rather than cars and lorries.
We are launching a petition to call on the council to support the route for walkers and cyclists, so please sign up and share with your family and friends too.
https://www.jointplanningwofe.org.uk/consult.ti
The plan is to connect Tesco on Callington Road with Sainsbury’s on Whitby Road and take traffic off the A4 Bath Road. However, research suggests that if you build more roads, you simply encourage more people to travel by car more often, thereby creating more congestion and pollution.
http://theconversation.com/do-more-roads-really-mean-less-congestion-for-commuters-39508
Cllr Jos Clark and local resident Andrew Varney, along with members of Sandy Park Road Improvement Neighbourhood Group (SPRING), and with the support of many other local residents, have been campaigning to use the route for walking and cycling rather than building another road. The route would be the missing link in the Sustrans National Cycle Network Route 3, allowing cyclists to travel from Stockwood to Temple Meads off road. It would also safeguard an invaluable wildlife corridor, home to an enormous variety of flora and fauna including badgers, bats and slowworms.
Jos and Andrew have met with Sustrans and Space For Cycling, and plan to meet with council officers to see if this route can be used for walkers and cyclists rather than cars and lorries.
We are launching a petition to call on the council to support the route for walkers and cyclists, so please sign up and share with your family and friends too.
The current Sustrans route (in red) takes you across the A4 Bath Road at Arnos Manor and along Hampstead Road and across Talbot Road. The Brislington Railway Path (in purple) avoids those busy roads by using the route of the former Brislington Railway Line.