The Society has commented on the planning application for the North Fringe to Hengrove MetroBus rapid bus route via Bristol City Centre Promenade. The Society commented on earlier draft plans, and all along its main concern has been to ensure that enhancement of the city’s heritage assets, place-making, and the needs of pedestrians and cyclists, are given proper consideration.
In respect of the Centre Promenade, there are major public realm improvements (see pictures), which are the work of the council’s City Design Group (Metrobus at the heart of the Centre PDF, 1,178KB), and the Society makes only limited suggestions to improve the scheme.
The Society’s main concern is the route through East Street and Bedminster Parade, which it says is bus led and falls short of the standards that the Council has achieved in Whiteladies Road and will achieve in the Centre Promenade. The Council has a once in a lifetime opportunity to fund a place-making development in a social and economically important part of the city. East Street/Bedminster Parade is as important to south Bristol as the Centre Promenade is to the city. A more imaginative approach is required. Both the visual and functional aspects of the proposed scheme would fall short of the standards that the Council has achieved in Whiteladies Road and will achieve in the Centre Promenade.
Bristol Civic Society’s full statement [PDF, 1,323KB]