Car Free Bristol

Newfoundland Circus

Newfoundland Circus is a well-known area close to Cabot Circus shopping centre and the Bristol city centre end of the M32 motorway. Thousands of people access the city centre’s shopping and leisure facilities using this thoroughfare every year. We think there’s a different way to carry them to their destination.

Newfoundland Circus is a car-dominated space where pedestrians and cyclists are made to wait for sometimes minutes at a time to cross this six-lane road. While there are now faster bus services to Bristol’s northern fringe, they use the M32 so do not stop to pick up passengers from Bristol’s communities either side of the motorway. The benefit of a tram service is that new stations could be created along this route as part of the engineering work.

A new plaza designed around people’s enjoyment, a prioritised pedestrian space, a tram service and protected cycleways would lead to a large reduction in the number of cars attempting to access Bristol city centre from the north-east of Bristol.

From here, you could easily catch a regular tram to Bristol Temple Meads, the city centre, Easton, St Pauls, St Werburghs, the Eastgate Centre, Eastville, Stapleton, Broom Hill, Frenchay, the University of the West of England campuses, and Bristol Parkway railway station. Cycleways would connect you to all of these places, as well as the wider protected cycling network. The plaza creates space for people to rest and dwell before they catch their tram, as well as a place to eat and play.

Chelsea Road

Outside of rush hours, some car users speed along above the 20mph speed limit, and during busy periods there is a lot of congestion and some conflict between vehicle users of all types. On bin day (in particular), many of the pavements are not easily usable, causing people to walk or wheel in the road and adding to the hostility to walkers, wheelers and cyclists.

Last autumn, we held three workshops with residents, and interviewed experts, to re-imagine Chelsea Road, Easton in a future free from car dependency.

Here’s what we came up with, and how you can help make it a reality.

It is a late afternoon on Saturday 20th July 2030. You’ve just left a beautiful picnic in Owen Square Park and are making your way over to St Mark’s Road.

You begin to make your way down Chelsea Road towards the Chelsea Inn. You enjoy strolling down the walkways lined with lush green trees, the shade and the cooling breeze are most welcome. Sounds of life surround you: a couple, arm in arm, stroll lazily towards you in conversation; a group of people have gathered on benches outside the Chelsea Inn to have a chat and a drink; a coffee van serves as a friendly hub for local gossip; and two older men have just left a meeting at the gurdwara.

People can cycle through here - and with the green protected cycleways many, many people do - but pedestrians ultimately have the right of way, which you note as a parent and child cross the cycleway safely in front of you. There’s lots of cycle and scooter storage nearby with charging points - all solar powered. The whole space is clean and orderly, with effective waste solutions that work for both residents and visitors and colourful tiled planters to provide a welcoming space.

As you reach the junction with Bloy Street (now a relaxing plaza), you hail down a tuk tuk that runs as a shuttle service between bus routes on Easton Road and Stapleton Road. Pedal-powered tuk tuks don’t take up much road space and are flexible to people’s travel needs. They are one of the many improved transport options in the area.

You smile to yourself as you remember that just a few years ago, this place was a polluting, congested road. Now it’s calmer, safer, healthier, happier - a place for people and nature, not cars.

This vision is very achievable. 

We want to do to Chelsea Road what was long ago done to Queen Square and College Green in the centre of Bristol. We want to stop through-traffic but allow resident vehicle access to the side roads off Chelsea Road. We also want more accessible parking for disabled drivers to access shops and other services in this area. The changes would make it far easier for people to walk from Owen Square Park to the St Mark’s Road area.

What you can do

There are so many ways to take action to end car dependency in Bristol.

1. Email your councillor to ask them to implement ten ideas to tackle car dominance.

2. Sign up to our mailing list for further actions and to stay up to date with the campaign. 

3. Read about our traffic filter survey and show your local council that the public supports them.

4. Find out all about parklets and ask your local council to support parklets.

5. Use our map to send a letter to your councillor calling for school streets to reduce children’s exposure to toxic air pollution.

6. Take on our 30-day car free challenge!