Cyclists raise concerns over plan for shared path along Bristol Portway

Cyclists have raised concerns about major works planned for Bristol’s Portway, which will see people walking and cycling sharing a pavement. The changes also include new bus lanes and a lower speed limit.

The Portway corridor runs from the M5 flyover, through the Avon Gorge, under the Clifton Suspension Bridge and to Hotwells Road. Bristol City Council plans to widen the pavement on parts of the route to make it safer for people to walk and cycle.

But the proposals have been criticised because shared paths could be frustrating for both pedestrians and cyclists. The national guideline, known as LTN 1/20, says cyclists should be separated from pedestrians, and the transport policy committee was urged on Thursday 11 July to reconsider the plans.

Read more: Conservatives criticize plans for bus lanes and wider sidewalks along the Portway

Read more: Greens vow action on pavement parking after criticism over ‘no formal plans’

Nicholas Davies of Bristol Cycling Campaign said: “You have four-and-a-half metre bus lanes, you have some very wide traffic lanes and you could shorten those. On shared paths pedestrians are treated like pins in a nine-pin bowling alley by some cyclists. Those could be made wider and the paths separated, without affecting the bus lane there.”

Transport bosses have defended their plans by saying that few people currently use the route for walking or cycling, so there is not enough demand for a segregated cycle path. But this may be because the route is currently perceived by many as dangerous and unpleasant.

Green councillor Ed Plowden, chair of the committee, said: “Three metres of shared paths, where pedestrian flows are 300 per hour or less, are acceptable in LTN 1/20. I think the all-day figure for pedestrians along the Portway is lower.

“Part of my current role in the job I’m about to leave is looking at exceptions to LTN 1/20 and approving or not approving them. So I’m really excited to be able to look at this personally and see how we can take it from there.”

Adam Crowther, head of city transport, added: “A shared path is an acceptable amenity. The plan as a whole looks at all users of the Portway, and that includes vehicular traffic, including a significant number of HGVs. That needs to be considered in terms of lane width and the space available.

“There are a lot of bus users using the corridor, and there are a few pedestrians and cyclists using the corridor. That’s not to say we don’t want to accommodate them, but we have to be realistic about what we can provide along the length of the corridor.”

The proposed plans also include reducing the speed limit in some sections from 50mph to 40mph. Bus lanes will reduce journey times by just under three minutes. The route takes an average of around 11 minutes for a bus, which should be reduced by a quarter.