Feeder Road, key route near Temple Meads train station, could be pedestrianised

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[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

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Plans to pedestrianise a key route leading to a city's train station have been backed by some residents and businesses.

Almost half of the people responding to a council survey said they supported plans to ban vehicles from Feeder Road near Temple Meads in Bristol.

Under the Bristol Temple Quarter regeneration plan, St Philip's Marsh - the island east of Temple Meads - will be transformed from an industrial site into a residential area with hundreds of homes.

Karen Mercer, chief executive of Bristol Temple Quarter LLP, said: "We've now received feedback and we're looking at developing a masterplan which will come forward for consultation in the early part of next year."

The new Temple Quarter will see student flats, a new high school and a University of Bristol campus being built. Public access to the north side of the Feeder Canal will be created, as well as a potential new ferry stop and footbridge.

Councillors at the economy and skills policy committee on Monday were given feedback from the consultation looking at pedestrianising Feeder Road. Councillor Jenny Bartle said: "The purpose of [this] first stage was to get a gist, a direction, rather than anything too specific."

St Philip's Marsh is home to nightclub Motion's new site, as well as the Prospect music venue and the RS Studios rehearsal rooms. The area also includes Avonmeads Shopping Park, Wake the Tiger, car showrooms and Bristol Waste's recycling plant.

Feeder Road is a key route leading to east Bristol, but has a narrow pavement. A quarter of people said Feeder Road should become a new local centre for shops and cafes.

Concerns raised in the survey included how existing businesses would access the area after the regeneration, and whether a community could be established with so many student flats.