Great Western Coffee Shop

Cotham Hill to close to motorists to support businesses during pandemic

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Businesses on Cotham Hill are to be temporarily given extra trading space next month to support reopening amid COVID-19 restrictions.

From April 12, hospitality venues will be permitted to reopen using outdoor seating areas and a road closure is a response to calls from traders to provide outdoor capacity on Cotham Hill.

The move follows recent engagement by Bristol City Council that found more space for pedestrians and outdoor traders was a high priority for people living and working in Cotham.

While the associated closure to through traffic is a temporary response to the pandemic initially, the council will monitor its impacts to help design a similar, long-term scheme.

Mayor Marvin Rees said: “Since last summer we have delivered a package of transport upgrades to make it easier for Bristolians to get around during the pandemic. We have been flexible in our approach of using temporary materials to create more space for pedestrian and cyclists, and I am pleased that we are now able to do the same for Cotham Hill. It has been clear from speaking to traders and our recent engagement that some form of road closure is a key priority for local people, and we will be working with the community on plans for a longer-term scheme. Our aim is to deliver more liveable neighbourhoods right across the city that are free from traffic congestion and pollution.”

Two parts of the road will be closed to through traffic - between Whiteladies Gate and Hampton Lane; and between Hampton Park and Abbotsford Road.

This will provide space for businesses and residents to gain access for loading and deliveries, while also preventing the road from being used as a through-route.

The closure will be implemented using temporary barriers that will provide space for businesses to trade outdoors on both sides of the road, with a shared space for pedestrians and cyclists in the middle. Barriers and signs will be in place to ensure reduced cycle speeds in the shared space.

Cllr Kye Dudd, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “We are pleased we can provide this interim solution for businesses that will support them to reopen during the next stage of COVID-19 restrictions. Our next move will be to work with locals to design a scheme that takes a more holistic view at the area to avoid negative impacts on nearby roads. We encourage people to get out, enjoy the outdoor shared space and help give their local economy a boost when the restrictions allow. We also want people's views as we monitor the impacts of the temporary scheme.”

Dan Williams, owner of Coffee and Beer, and Kieran and Imogen Waite, Bravas owners, said: “We are really grateful that the Cotham Hill community will get the road closure many of us have asked for. This will allow us to reopen in April using outdoor space. Without it we would have to remain closed and, after an incredibly difficult year, this could be the difference between our businesses surviving or not. It will help to cement Cotham Hill as an independent, destination high street where people can come for a stroll to browse and support the variety of great businesses. The closure will give people more space to do this safely during the pandemic as well as create a more accessible, cleaner environment - whilst helping to address local concerns about safety and speeding traffic. We are excited to see some new and old faces soon and hope this temporary closure will be a successful trial to help inform a more permanent strategy for the road.”

Extremely similar report on B24/7

Is RS in the acronym directory? ??? ::)

You have the option of adding in a board moderator to the board's index page. That would be my suggestion, just as you have added Data Managers to some board indexes. A look up could therefore ne made as to whom RS might be.

Edit: Attribute source - RS

« Last Edit: Today at 04:02:27 pm by Red Squirrel »

Posting here under my full username of Chris from Nailsea, may I offer a couple of observations?

Firstly, Cotham Hill has always been something of a rat-run, in terms of road traffic trying to avoid delays further down on Whiteladies Road and Queen's Road.  I therefore commend its closure to road traffic, on that basis.

Secondly, however, I have to drive my delivery van there, in order to deliver essential groceries to vulnerable members of the community who live in the adjoining streets. Such a restriction will make it even more difficult for me to do so in a timely manner.  I therefore condemn its closure, on that basis.

Be careful what you wish for.  ::)

Chris from Nailsea.  :-X

...I have to drive my delivery van there...

Be careful what you wish for.  ::)

The problem with Bristol City Council (not my name for them) seems to be, as far as I can tell, that unless you walk or cycle they couldn't give a **** and simply wish to make life hell for motorists: if BCC (or, as I call them, BSC) fail to heed that then that is their stupidity.

Dave

The problem with Bristol City Council (not my name for them) seems to be, as far as I can tell, that unless you walk or cycle they couldn't give a **** and simply wish to make life hell for motorists: if BCC (or, as I call them, BSC) fail to heed that then that is their stupidity.

Dave

If you think Bristol City Council (BCC) under Marvin Rees wish to make life hell for motorists, then Paris under Hidalgo must be the very fiery inferno.

Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronyms

These are interesting times. There's such a gulf between people who vaguely recognise that somebody somewhere should probably do something about air pollution and the climate emergency, and those who've been given the job of developing policies. At a recent WECA presentation, BCC's Head of Transport stated that motor traffic levels need to reduce to 20% of current levels by 2030. That's not a typo, he didn't say reduce by 20%, but to 20%. For most people this will mean making some fairly large adjustments, but anyone who understands the challenges we face ought to be prepared to do that!

All very well what people want to happen. The problem, of course, is that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink it. Pollution levels will only reduce to anywhere approaching that if a viable alternative is provided but walking and cycling won't suit everyone.

I must admit I thought Bristol City Council (BCC) had been rather clever here, leaving an access route via Hampton Park and Hampton Lane so that anyone needing to get to, rather than through, the area can still do so.

But your mileage, as they say Chris, may vary! Do these schemes make it harder for delivery drivers?

I think Chris from Nailsea has summed it up quite well.

Red Squirrel (if I may refer to you here by your full name): have you ever tried to drive a Mercedes Sprinter delivery van along Hampton Lane - and turn left at the end?  :-X

Like it or not, for most people a vehicle is an essential part of life in Bristol, particularly if you are disabled, have children, parents who live in the countryside, work shifts or off the beaten track, have a hobby or a business where you need to ferry gear around etc

That said, there are plenty of trips, particularly commutes, for which a train/bike/walk/bus is great, and there's a lot that can be done to encourage that. I live 15 minutes walk from Temple Meads and even pre-Covid, we'd probably only use the car between us a 5 or 6 times a week, but without one, my wife couldn't easily get to her job as a teacher without it, we couldn't take kids to swimming lessons, take stuff to the tip, visit her family etc.   

Ultimately there needs to be a balance that sees car use as valid and integrates it, but in such a way that people can safely walk and cycle around the city and that it doesn't get in the way of public transport.

If you ban cars completely from the city, then you'll just end up exiling the people who want/need to own cars to the countryside or outer suburbs, where they will drive everywhere, shop, eat and play in chain stores etc. Cities will be all the poorer for it.

"Our territory is attractive, constantly evolving with new housing and new activities taking hold: The need for travel (whether on foot, by bicycle, by public transport or by car) is increasing. Air quality has been affected, with recent years, a deterioration which shows the need to change mobility practices.

Many objectives are to be achieved, including:
- Guaranteeing good accessibility for everyone and the safety of everyone when traveling;
- Preserve the environment and improve the living environment;
- Foster coherence between urbanization and travel offer.

The general objective of this project is not to demonize the car, but to ensure that the use of it is neither exclusive nor an obstacle to the practice of other modes of travel, such as is too often the case today. With its Urban Travel Plan, Saint-Brieuc Armor Agglomeration affirms the desire to move from a system where the automobile is dominant to a sustainable system which is part of a complementarity between the different modes of transport."

The general objective of this project is not to demonize the car, but to ensure that the use of it is neither exclusive nor an obstacle to the practice of other modes of travel, such as is too often the case today. With its Urban Travel Plan, Saint-Brieuc Armor Agglomeration affirms the desire to move from a system where the automobile is dominant to a sustainable system which is part of a complementarity between the different modes of transport.

I think the last paragraph Lee quoted sums it up rather well: [....] It makes walking unpleasant, cycling dangerous, and buses slow and unreliable.

It's a fair comment. I see often see cyclists running red lights, riding without lights or wearing headphones. I also see motorists speeding, answering phones and blocking pavements, and pedestrians who are perhaps a bit too interested in keeping up with twitter to know what's going on around them. I suppose the majority - sensible cyclists, motorists and pedestrians - don't attract our attention so much.

I'm not sure any of this has much relevance to the need to rebalance public space so that cars just get most of it, instead of nearly all of it, though.

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What strikes me most about the plans is how little of the section between Hampton Road and Abbotsford Road will be enabled for shoppers.

That doesn't surprise me either. Impression I get is that BCC don't care unless it suits their way of thinking which is that, regardless of how far you are coming, cars are not to be used.

Dave

Reduce the number of car trips
Actions to improve the uptake of active travel and public transport and disincentivise car trips including better journey planning and approaches to congestion.

That doesn't surprise me either. Impression I get is that BCC don't care unless it suits their way of thinking which is that, regardless of how far you are coming, cars are not to be used.

Dave

It's eccentric to suggest that BCC are out of step in concluding that the role of the private car has to be greatly reduced. It is happening in cities all around the world; in fact some might argue that Bristol is dragging its feet.

Here's WECA's policy, as stated in their Climate Action Plan (https://westofengland-ca.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s2194/11c2%20-%20CE%20Action%20Plan.pdf):


Meanwhile in Bath, the whole city centre is set to be opened up to non-motorists, which will even limit car access for residents and disabled people... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ida7HN0kX2g

Schedules rejuggled, was there today. It is just as Red Squirrel's photo but busier. Traces of "farcility" in the positioning of the cycle symbols?

Busy tomorrow, feel a visit coming on Tuesday.

I'm not sure I get what you're saying. How does BCC's mindset, that cars are not to be used, explain their decision to only close a small part of Cotham Hill to cars?

Yes, an interesting contrast. The main difference seems to be that on Cotham Hill the traders requested the changes, whereas on St Marks Road shopkeepers felt the changes were being imposed on them.

While on train 2K07 (0747 Severn Beach (0805 Sea Mills) to Bristol Temple Meads) on Wednesday 05th May I was talking to a lady from Redland. She said to me that the traders had not been pushing for the closure of Cotham Hill and that it was done by Bristol City Council "with almost no notice and in an undemocratic fashion" (her words, not mine).

Dave

(Have you noticed that when people describe a place in Britain as feeling "continental" they almost always forget about those parts of the Continent such as Norway or Finland?)

The feedback from [the Cotham Hill Engagement] survey along with the engagement with local businesses, community groups and local stakeholders has been used to help produce a road layout design for two temporary road closures on Cotham Hill. This will be implemented on Sunday 11 April 2021 to allow several hospitality businesses to trade outside with COVID-19 restrictions changing to permit outdoor hospitality service the following day. It will also improve journeys for pedestrians and cyclists. Whilst this is an urgent measure to support business we are working on a more permanent scheme which will be subject to further engagement with the community. This will take a look at a more holistic approach at the area and could incorporate changes to the wider area.

It's already slightly less makeshift in that the red and white plastic barriers originally used have been replaced with more attractive wooden planters. But the signs still have a temporary air. I would hope that if the scheme becomes permanent, the entire width of the street would be paved. At the moment there are makeshift ramps – little slopes of tarmac on the kerb – where restaurant seating has been extended over the whole pavement. This is a bit unsatisfactory IMO.

I'll also take this opportunity to remind people of the Cotham Hill street party on Sunday 12th September: bands, food, dancing, fun!

I must admit I thought Bristol City Council (BCC) had been rather clever here, leaving an access route via Hampton Park and Hampton Lane so that anyone needing to get to, rather than through, the area can still do so.
But your mileage, as they say Chris, may vary! Do these schemes make it harder for delivery drivers? Does the reduction in rat-running traffic balance out that to any extent?

Following my SatNav's audible suggestion in the background, I turned my van right from Whiteladies Road into Cotham Hill, moments before remembering this topic.  >:(

I had everything on - reversing lights, brake lights and audible squarker!