Mayor takes on Bristol's traffic issues
The Mayor of Bristol has set up a Congestion Task Group to make recommendations on how to tackle the city's traffic problem.
The team, made up of business professionals and road experts, will meet monthly for the next year - tasked with creating ways to improve journeys across the city.
The first meeting today has the following on the agenda:
Fast-tracking a new City Centre Movement Strategy
Creating an updated managing roadworks policy
Setting targets on journey time predictability
A fresh look at long term transport planning options
Each meeting will focus on a specific area with external speakers invited to inform the group about their experience and expertise providing best practice examples. The group members will then aim to establish a consensus on deliverable methods on how to improve Bristol's traffic flow, including timescales.
The full membership of the new Congestion Task Group is as follows:
Sue Arrowsmith – Bristol Women’s Commission
Dr Adrian Davis – Public Health representative
Peter Evans – Business West
James Freeman – Managing Director of First Bristol
Steve Gooding – RAC Foundation
John Hirst – Destination Bristol
Ann O’Driscoll – SUSCOM
Professor Graham Parkhurst – Sustainable Mobility representative
Cllr Steve Pearce – Bristol City Council representative
Dr Miriam Ricci – Transport and Society Dept, UWE representative
Melanie Watson – Transport Focus
Kevin Slocombe – Head of The Mayor’s Office
Cllr Mhairi Threlfall – Bristol City Council representative
Patrick Williams – Cycling and walking representative
Cllr Mark Weston – Bristol City Council representative
Professor Eddie Wilson – University of Bristol representative
A representative from Highways England
Recent changes to the road layouts around the city centre will not have escaped local residents or visitors to Bristol. Some adjustments are to make way for MetroBus and others, like the M32 central reservation works, are simply maintenance. But the changing shape of the city's road networks are unavoidable.
Another transport project in the pipeline and about to start is work to remodel the Temple Circus roundabout, close to Temple Meads station, due to start on 26 June. Once complete, the Temple Gate scheme will see traffic take a more direct route through the area, hopefully making journey times more predictable and improving the area's walking and cycling routes.
Preparatory works for the Temple Gate scheme will take place from 26 June for approximately four weeks and will include lane closures. The main work will then take place in late July and is anticipated to be completed by Autumn 2018.
At an early stage in the works the southern section of the Temple Gate roundabout will be closed. Traffic from the north will no longer be able to turn right into Victoria St from Temple Way and traffic exiting from the Friary will no longer be able to turn onto Temple Way or straight on to Victoria St. Diversions will be signposted.
The scheme is part of an £11million programme of infrastructure works, stretching from the Old Market Roundabout to Bath Bridge junction.
More information is available at:
[Travelwest](http:// roadworks.org)