Bristol cycling campaigner opposes Portway closure

A Bristol cycling campaigner has dismissed a plan to close the Portway to cars every Sunday.

Chris Hutt said the closures would mean more traffic through Stoke Bishop and Clifton, where a lot of people would be "adversely affected".

Writing on his blog, he said: "Portway closures are justified when there is a popular alternative use – cycling and running events, whatever – to justify it.

"I can imagine a couple more Sundays in the summer might be viable if associated with big events. But we must remember Portway closures mean more traffic through Stoke Bishop and Clifton."

Mr Hutt, 58, of Richmond Park Road, Clifton, did, however, agree with Councillor Peter Abraham's plan to close the city centre to cars.

"It now seems as if the time might be right to push for Bristol to be the first UK city to institute regular car-free Sundays," Mr Hutt said.

"The Portway closure proposal has got a rather mixed reaction, even from the anti-car lobby, since it's a bit remote from the heart of the city and is not normally frequented by those, cyclists and pedestrians, who might benefit the most.

"Even without a special event, plenty of people would be around to enjoy a traffic- free environment in the centre although there is obviously plenty of scope to encourage the integration of festivities and entertainment with car-free Sundays."

Mr Hutt speculated that if parts of the city centre were closed to cars, it would create a traffic-free Park Street, College Green, the centre, old city, Queen Square and Broadmead, while still allowing car access to Cabot Circus and the other major car parks.

Traffic bypassing the city centre to the west would use Park Row, Jacobs Wells Road, Hotwell Road, Cumberland Road and Coronation Road.

Mr Hutt added: "One thing seems clear – we can't close the Portway and the city centre on the same day, so to a large extent there's a choice, one or the other.

"Given a choice, I would favour the city centre because that's where most people will benefit and it's a much more accessible location for people on foot.

"Besides, we already have Portway closures on two Sundays but no extensive closure of the centre, so I would give priority to progressing the new initiative rather than replicating the old one.

"To my mind the point of a city centre closure is to give people a chance to appreciate their city without the almost constant intrusion of traffic. Once people saw how much nicer the city was without traffic, there would I believe be more support for permanent closures."