The Council has obtained funding from the Government’s cycling ambition programme to build new cycleways. The Society supports the construction of two new bridges at Camden Road and close to the Banana Bridge to meet the increased demand for greater pedestrian/cyclist capacity across the Avon New Cut.
Camden Road Bridge
The Council’s planning statement shows a number of design options for the bridge. Unhappily, the Society responded to the planning application to say that it opposes the Council’s choice of design, which was a simple box section bridge, the least imaginative design option. The Avon New Cut is one of the city’s important geographical and historical features. The walks along its banks and the views up and down the river are visitor attractions. It is important that the new bridge matches the quality the bridges designed by our predecessors and creates a worthy visual legacy. The more interesting bridge design, which the Society supports, is the cable stayed inclined A frame pylon bridge. The vertical and diagonal lines of this design would create an aspirational symbol that the Council could use an image in Bristol’s publicity material.
Update
Cost rules out the possibility of the design of bridge that the Society preferred. This bridge now has planning permission.
Bristol Civic Society’s full statement [PDF, 46KB] Right-click to download, click to view.
Doubling the Banana Bridge
The Society supports the design of this bridge, which it considers a lightweight, elegant solution of a bridge close to the grade II listed bridge. However, the Society would like to see the new bridge moved a greater distance to the east of the listed bridge. If the new bridge moved closer to Temple Meads, it would not obstruct the view of the Banana Bridge viewed from the east. The greater division between the two bridges would increase the likelihood of separation of cyclists and pedestrians across the span of the river.
Update
The council has withdrawn the planning application to build this bridge and proposes to build further downstream closer to Whitehouse Street. The Society supports the new position.
Bristol Civic Society’s full statement [PDF, 64KB] Right-click to download, click to view.
John Frenkel
johnfrenkel@blueyonder.co.uk