The West of England Combined Authority and Bristol City Council are consulting the public about proposals to make radical changes to road layouts in the city ‘to further improve bus priority and improve the cycle network’. The consultation is open for comments from 12th August to 30th September 2024 and can be accessed through this link.
Three proposals have a direct impact on our area:
- There will be a Bus Gate at the junction of Redcliff Street and Redcliffe Roundabout.
- The Bedminster bridges will no longer operate as a roundabout but as signalised junctions with one of the bridges being bus-only and the other for general motorised traffic.
- Guinea Street will be one-way from Redcliff Hill to Alfred Place.
Redcliffe Roundabout
Although it will not be possible to access Redcliffe Roundabout from Redcliff Street, access will be possible via St Thomas Street and Phippen Street, as the proposals have introduced a right turn from Phippen Street onto Redcliffe Way. It is then possible to access the Grove from the east as at present.
Traffic movement around Bedminster junction
The more disruptive changes are proposed for the current Bedminster Roundabout as the following permitted traffic flow maps reveal.
Approaching the Bedminster junctions from Commercial Road only one route is available – up Redcliff Hill. To drive to Bedminster Parade or Coronation Road, it will be necessary to drive to the Redcliffe Roundabout and turn back along Redcliff Hill.
There is no vehicle access to Clarence Road or York Road from Commercial Road. Cars will need to access these roads via the Redcliffe Roundabout, Redcliffe Way and the Bath Bridge Roundabout.
Guinea Street
There will be vehicle access to Guinea Street from Redcliff Hill in both directions. However, Guinea Street will be one-way from Redcliff Hill to the junction with Albert Place ‘to remove the hazard of traffic turning out of Guinea Street across the proposed cycle track and bus lane.’
Traffic from the lower end of Guinea Street will need to return to Redcliff Hill via Albert Place and Redcliffe Parade East, both of which seem to remain two-way.