We have reproduced below a question to Mayor Marvin Rees at Full Council Tuesday 12 January 2021, submitted by Totterdown resident Tom Bosanquet, together with the Mayor’s response.
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St Luke’s Rd
Thank you for your responses to questions on St.Luke’s Rd at the last meeting. I was struck by your reply to Ed Plowden where you noted that St.Luke’s Rd is a key link from South Bristol. While the desire for efficient traffic flow is absolutely understandable, I fail to see why all local residents must put up with the continual dangers of speeding vehicles along this stretch, something mirrored all around Bristol. This is a busy pedestrian route to Victoria Park and the St.Mary Redcliffe Primary – safe access to park space is especially pertinent in the current pandemic and Prime Minister Johnson said today that “For most children the most dangerous part of going to school, even in the midst of this global pandemic, remains I’m afraid crossing the road in order to get there”.
Do you believe the actions of Bristol Council have given enough focus to dealing with the antisocial aspects of motor vehicles, both citywide (beyond the welcome focus on central routes) and in specific areas such as St.Luke’s Rd, as regularly highlighted by residents?
Reply:
As I mentioned in the meeting I think we have. This is shown through:
o Committed to improve pedestrian facilities,
o Street space
o Cycling facilities improved
Motor vehicles are not anti-social in themselves. However some people choose to use them irresponsibly.
As you know from your previous question at Full Council we have committed to delivery of improved pedestrian facilities on St Luke’s Rd.
We are improving the highway and transport network for all users. We have to balance the needs of everyone. We are consulting on improvements to a number of local neighbourhood streets through the second phase of the Bristol Streetspace programme
We have also recently announced that we will be seeking to significantly improve residential areas and make them more fit for people through our liveable neighbourhoods programme which will seek to make our local areas safer and more attractive to walk and cycle in.
We await the announcement by the DfT of its previously announced walking and cycling fund to build on the work carried out through the Bristol Streetspace programme