A public consultation has opened on plans to upgrade a pedestrian crossing on New Road, Stoke Gifford, in the vicinity of a number of education establishments.
The crossing, which is currently ‘uncontrolled’ (i.e. without priority for pedestrians), is located adjacent to the City of Bristol College Advanced Engineering Centre. Abbeywood Community School and SGS Wise Campus are located a short distance to the south, while Abbeywood’s Engineering Centre (formerly the UTC) sits to the north.
The scheme is one of a number of proposed improvements to the Concorde Way walking and cycling route along New Road which have received funding from the government’s Active Travel Fund, thanks to a successful bid from The West of England Combined Authority.
The proposed scheme is to provide a parallel crossing on the existing raised platform across New Road and widen the existing pedestrian/cyclist route between Brierly Furlong and New Road. The parallel crossing will replace the current uncontrolled crossing on the raised platform.
The parallel crossing will consists of a zebra crossing for pedestrians with with a separate crossing for cyclists alongside it.
The crossing will be marked with the traditional ‘Belisha beacons’ associated with zebra crossings.
The existing footway going around the grass verge from Brierly Furlong to New Road will be converted to grass verge.
Editor’s note: Although not clear on the plan, the direct path between New Road and Brierly Furlong aligns with an existing light-controlled crossing on the latter road.
According to a Statement of Reasons document published as part of the consultation:
“The Concorde Way – New road scheme aims to make Concorde Way a safer and more pleasant walking, wheeling, and cycling route to encourage more people to use it by delivering a new pedestrian priority crossing at a critical junction (which has already been consulted on) and providing new parallel crossing of New Road to improve connections to Concorde Way.”
“Opened during Cycling City, Concorde Way is a strategically important walking, wheeling, and cycling route in the West of England, connecting the North Fringe of Bristol with the City Centre, Bristol Parkway & Filton Abbey Wood Rail Stations and a number of schools and colleges, however the route is in need of investment in order to bring it up to modern design standards, and attract more users.”
A spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council (SGC), which is promoting the scheme, said:
“Depending upon the result of the public consultation, and formal advertisement of the proposals via a Traffic Regulation Order, it is hoped that the proposed scheme will be implemented during the 2024/25 financial year.”
Boost for walking and cycling
Over half of people in South Gloucestershire think there should be more investment in walking and cycling schemes, according to the charity Sustrans.
Dan Norris, who leads the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, has invested more than £14 million in boosting walking and cycling since his election in May 2021. He said:
“A major priority for the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority is encouraging as many locals as possible to walk and cycle, especially for shorter everyday journeys.”
“This is yet more great news for local people who want to hop on two wheels or get from A to B by taking a stroll and getting some fresh air in the process.”
“I am proud that the Mayoral Combined Authority is getting on delivering vital schemes to promote and boost walking and cycling for the health and other reasons we all know about, not least to cut those traffic jams and slash our emissions at pace.”
Related consultation
A separate public consultation was held in November 2023 on proposals to improve the Concorde Way crossing of New Road adjacent to the bus lane link to Brierley Furlong (near Parkway Railway Bridge) and to improve crossings at the entrances to the Mile Straight Sports & Social Club and the City of Bristol College Advanced Engineering Centre. A feedback report from that earlier consultation is available on the relevant consultation page.
Have your say
For full details of the current consultation, visit:
🔗 Stoke Gifford – Concorde Way Proposed Parallel Crossing (SGC)
Interested parties can respond to the consultation by completing an online questionnaire accessed via a link on the above webpage.
The consultation is open until Wednesday 22nd May 2024 and a feedback report is promised by 31st May 2024.
