Labour councillor accuses Greens of planning 'no-go zone for disabled people'

It comes after comments made by a Green councillor in the wake of a city centre transport consultation

A Labour councillor has criticised comments made by the chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee, at Bristol City Council, whilst speaking about the city centre pedestrianisation and proposed transport changes. The proposed changes to Broadmead form part of a long-term project to prepare for 5,000 more people living in the city centre area.

The project, which will see the city centre transformed, will see bus stops replaced and moved, Union Street becoming a two-way bus gate that only permits buses and cyclists, and a new junction linking the Haymarket to Union Street once again. Further segregated cycle lanes would be installed along the Haymarket, and a bus gate would be created at Redcliffe Way.

The plans are aimed at removing traffic from the city centre and making it easier for those dependent on using cars, including disabled people, to travel around Bristol. There are a planned three and a half kilometres of segregated cycle paths that will be installed - which Bristol City Council hope to begin by March 2027.

But comments made by the Green Party’s Ed Plowden when referring to how the scheme will change travel around the city centre have come under fire by Labour councillor Kelvin Blake, who has urged disabled people to comment on the consultation. The consultation period for the transport plans ends on September 30.

Speaking to Bristol Live on Monday, Mr Plowden said: “If you’re thinking of driving into Bristol by car, don’t bother,” when describing the impact of the pedestrianisation scheme, which will see buses diverted around Broadmead onto Fairfax Street and Broad Weir or onto Temple Way and Bond Street, both of which will also be subject to vast changes.

However he acknowledged that the new scheme would "not work for everyone" and said the council was thinking "in particular" about the needs of disabled people who are dependent on cars.

Cllr Plowden added: “I think this will make it a much better place to be for everyone. Obviously change is difficult, there will be more people living in the area and hopefully working in the area and we want to recognise that Broadmead is changing and will be much more residential alongside the other uses, so we want to make it a great place to live and work.

“Getting buses to go through Fairfax Street will make it a much more pleasant environment underneath the Galleries to get on and off the bus. At the moment it is not the best but we are very mindful of the fact that we make all the buses and connections close. We are looking at the disabled parking spaces and the taxi ranks - there will be no loss in numbers.

“We’re putting together a whole package of measures to make sustainable transport, whether that is buses, cycling or walking, the natural option. It will be a lot easier to cycle and walk.

“It may not work for everyone but we are thinking, in particular, about the needs of disabled people and people who really are dependent on their cars. From my point of view I hope that by freeing up the road space and getting as many people as we can to use other methods of transport that are more efficient for the city, that will free up space for those that are car dependent.”

The Green Party councillor added that reducing the number of vehicles on the streets of the city centre would benefit those dependent on cars. Cllr Plowden said: “And those who are still dependent on cars, hopefully there will be less congestion and it will be easier for them.”

"Genuinely shocking to read"

However, Cllr Blake said that the proposals would create “a no-go zone for disabled people”. Cllr Blake has chaired a number of organisations providing services for disabled people and expressed his shock at the recent comments.

Cllr Blake said: “It’s genuinely shocking to read Ed Plowden, the Green Party Chair of the Transport Committee say ‘If you’re thinking of driving into Bristol by car, don’t bother,’ once the pedestrianisation plans are in place.

“They need to get out of their central Bristol bubble and speak to people in our outer areas. Huge areas of our city are cut off from reliable public transport - it’s not currently an option for many, especially disabled people.

“As things stand, these proposals would create a no-go zone for disabled people, spanning the whole of Cabot Circus and Broadmead. The plans would remove existing disabled parking bays and replace them with new ones.

“Some of the new ones would be on Castle Street – a sloped hill – and others would be in an NCP car park, where the lift has been out of order for over two years. Clearly, this isn’t suitable.

“The plans are also problematic for disabled people who are fortunate enough to be able to access public transport. Buses from east Bristol would terminate on Rupert Street, rather than by the fountains. To access the harbour and Wapping Wharf, this would put an extra quarter mile on their journey.

“On top of that, businesses are already struggling in this economic climate. Having a council leader tell people “don’t bother” coming to them by a particular mode of transport won’t fill them with confidence.

“Work won’t start on these plans until at least 2027. The Green Party council leadership have plenty of time to work with disabled people to get these plans right – I hope they do.”

The Green Party has been approached for comment regarding the comments made by Cllr Blake.

Other changes in the planned proposals include pedestrianising The Horsefair and Penn Street and providing additional disabled parking spaces and taxi ranks once the Galleries development has finished. The planned changes, including installing three bus gates, supports the idea of a rapid transit service from the southwest of the city to the northeast.

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