'No gridlock' promise for next year's Balloon Fiesta
ORGANISERS of Bristol's International Balloon Fiesta have pledged to work with police and council leaders to stop a repeat of traffic gridlock caused by this year's event.
A special meeting – attended by police, Long Ashton parish councillors, festival organisers and representatives from Bristol and North Somerset councils – was held yesterday to thrash out issues caused in the village by the fiesta.
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Balloons get off the ground at this year's Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 2012 Picture: Artur Lesniak
Residents complained that the village became gridlocked after hundreds of thousands of people – 300,000 on the Saturday alone – visited the four-day event. As part of the fiesta traffic management plan, the main road into the village was blocked at each end to stop festival goers using it as a route to the fiesta.
But the closures caused problems for residents who said they could not get in or out.
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When residents tried to negotiate the road closures and find alternative routes, they became caught up in traffic waiting to get into the fiesta site.
Bob Cook, Wraxall and Long Ashton ward councillor on North Somerset Council, who called the meeting, said: "The biggest problem with the fiesta this year was the traffic and I was inundated with complaints from local residents.
"The fiesta organisers had not consulted with local police or the parish council before the event and if they had, the situation may have not reached a crisis point.
"The whole village was snarled up during the fiesta and the road was closed at Cambridge Batch plus at the Ashton Court end of the village.
"At one point, the traffic was queued along Belmont Hill along into Failand and over towards Barrow Gurney, with people trying to get into the fiesta.
"Local residents just couldn't get in and out of the village.
"I had to do something to prevent the same thing from happening again next year. The meeting was useful and we are planning further talks with the organisers again in April."
Long Ashton beat manager PC Trevor Byford said: "There were unprecedented levels of visitors to the fiesta, which had a knock-on effect on the village.
"Hopefully by working more closely together with the organisers we can avoid problems next year."
Event managers have already apologised and have promised to review the traffic management system for next year.
Festival project director Ben Hardy said: "On the Saturday of the fiesta we received an unprecedented level of interest in the event and consequently this did cause some travel disruption and congestion.
"We met with Long Ashton Parish Council to discuss their concerns and now, as we do every year, we will review our traffic management system to see if we can make any improvements. This will be presented to the parish council ahead of next year's event, for review."
Comments
by katachua
Sunday, September 16 2012, 3:34PM
“@Mikey_Blake
Saturday, September 15 2012, 10:01AM
"If the idiots who run the Clifton Suspension Bridge allowed pedestrians across, then thousands of people in the Clifton area, and close by, would walk to the Balloon Fiesta."
So would I, I'd take the bus to the Downs and walk.
But that would cut the car parking and bus revenue, and that would never do...”
by skyship007
Sunday, September 16 2012, 2:47PM
“If you like balloons or blimps, try my Gasbags lighter than air comedy web site:
http://tinyurl.com/67ax7ev”
by Mikey_Blake
Saturday, September 15 2012, 10:03AM
“ERROR Sorry - the 2nd sentence should read "The Bridge Committee CAN'T figure a way to control the number of people crossing"”
by Mikey_Blake
Saturday, September 15 2012, 10:01AM
“If the idiots who run the Clifton Suspension Bridge allowed pedestrians across, then thousands of people in the Clifton area, and close by, would walk to the Balloon Fiesta.
The Bridge Committee can figure a way to control the number of people crossing.
All they need is a barrier across the road at each and, and a steward at each entrance.
It's not rocket science, but they continue to bury their heads in the sand.
They need a good (very hard) kicking to bring some sense into their heads.”
by sheppas
Saturday, September 15 2012, 9:07AM
“lol”
by skyship007
Friday, September 14 2012, 8:12PM
“If you like balloons, try Gasbags lighter than air comedy web site: http://tinyurl.com/67ax7ev”
by benjiman
Friday, September 14 2012, 11:37AM
“Ban cars? That'll never happen - each one is worth £10.
I walked from Totterdown, it was a very pleasant walk indeed. No gridlock, no fumes, no problem.”
by kromax
Friday, September 14 2012, 10:32AM
“The Bus was a complete shambles too, one bus stop meant buses queuing and people queuing side by side. On person taking money at the front of the queue, people pushing in, plumes of diesel smoke from the queuing buses right into the faces of the people queuing. Frankly it couldn't have been managed any worse.”
by Morrissey9
Friday, September 14 2012, 8:19AM
“The roads cannot cope with the number of cars. Either ban them all and force people to get a bus or park n ride, or you have traffic chaos. I have stopped even trying to go and watch it from the Downs.”
by BCFCfinker
Friday, September 14 2012, 8:03AM
“"""Residents complained..."""
Well that's a surprise then.”