At the December full council meeting, local resident Tom Bosanquet enquired about progress on a pedestrian crossing on St Lukes Road. His question, and the Mayor’s response are set out in full below and are in the Answers to Public Forum document at this link ModernGov – bristol.gov.uk
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QUESTION PQ16
Subject: St Lukes Road
Question submitted by: Tom Bosanquet
Please could I have a clear update on when residents around St.Lukes Rd can expect movement on the pedestrian crossing, budgeted in 2019? In September it was stated that a review would happen in October and that I would be kept informed – no further updates have been provided. Speeding is absolutely endemic at this site and I have both experienced & witnessed four extremely dangerous close passes of cyclists by drivers in the last week alone. I note that a similar project to slow cars & increase safety for pedestrians on Duckmoor Rd was described as taking “a mere three years” by Bedminster Councillors Phipps & Bradshaw in the latest issue of The Pigeon. I am glad, though, to hear that the team overseeing these projects might be taking on more staff and would hope that it will improve the glacial pace of such projects going forwards.
Response
We are aware of your campaign alongside those of many others in the city. We appreciate that the delay in projects like this can be frustrating. However, we want to ensure that where we deliver interventions, we do so in an evidence-based way that takes into account the whole area and avoids unintended impacts in other places.
The continuing restrictions due to Covid has made planning local transport schemes very difficult as key staff are asked to help deliver other temporary schemes to support social distancing and increases in cycling and walking. This has placed delays on both the design and public engagement stages of all local projects. The current work programme has over 40 local projects as well as staff working on Covid measures, strategic projects (e.g. CAZ) and business as usual activities (e.g. Residents Parking Schemes).
A review of all local transport schemes delivered by the team was initially due in October but was delayed due to the second national lockdown and will take place in January at which point we will update local residents on delivery programmes for neighbourhood schemes. We have just completed a major recruitment exercise, adding 7 Full Time Equivalent staff to the Road Safety and Local Transport Team. These resources are due to arrive in December and January and will enable us to plan and deliver our programme of works more effectively. Some work has started on St Luke’s Rd crossing and with new resource on the way, we expect to deliver the scheme within the next 12-18 months (including the statutory consultation period).