OVER engineered, unnecessary and undemocratic – those are the main criticisms levelled at the Greater Bristol Bus Network.

Bus passengers, drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and businesses have all criticised the schemes, and say they have caused disruption without benefiting the travelling public.

Following last week's request for your views on the GBBN, the Evening Post has had just one letter that says they have improved their service. Dozens more simply are not convinced.

Today we are printing just a flavour of the letters we have been sent.

At best they say the alterations have not made any noticeable difference – but most claim they have made matters worse.

To be fair to the council, most of the criticism has been levelled at the changes to Fishponds Road and Whiteladies Road, neither of which are due to be completed until next month.

But it is not really the roadworks people have taken issue with, it is the principle of the alterations themselves.

Our readers say the alterations in Whiteladies Road are creating more congestion, not solving it.

Common complaints include wide islands in the stretch between Cotham Hill and the BBC building, and the narrowing of the road at Clifton Down Shopping Centre.

Cyclist John Hall of Stoke Bishop uses the route regularly.

He said: "Cyclists have come off worse from the modifications because they have generally narrowed the road, and introduced new pinch points, so that cars and bicycles are squeezed together all the way down."

Clifton resident Mike Huggett believes the council has created extra hazards, distractions and delay for motorists.

He said: "I'm so glad to have the opportunity to express how angry I am at what has been done to Whiteladies Road. Where do I begin?

"I was brought up in Bristol and have used the road on foot, bicycle, bus and car for the past 55 years and have never experienced any undue delay with any of those modes of transport. There was no need to change it at all."

Lesley Smith is not happy with the work being done to Fishponds Road.

She said: "I can see no improvement in journey times on the buses since this unacceptable fiasco has been implemented. In fact the buses are now more unreliable than ever.

"With regards to removing congestion at Fishponds Road/Hockey's Lane, traffic lights don't help. Traffic lights never help. Traffic lights cause hold ups and therefore congestion and Fishponds Road is now a heck of a lot more congested on the whole.

"What was once a journey of a few minutes takes around ten now.

"The upshot is they've tried to fix something that was not in the least bit broken in the first place."

Fishponds resident Martin Jefferd is not happy with removing the left turn into Hockey's Lane.

He said: "What we need is a clear-out of the road planning department and replace it with a team, say from a forward-looking American city, where they are interested in getting the traffic moving and getting everyone on with their own business as soon as possible.

"Let a new team have two years to get Bristol away from deliberate congestion creation, whatever it takes."

There are also ongoing objections about consultation over the new routes; Fishponds and Whiteladies Road in particular.

Gloucester Road is one of the completed routes. But even there bus passengers are not convinced their journey times have improved.

Gez Smith said: "The work done doesn't seem to have made the slightest difference to my bus journeys up and down the Gloucester Road."

The one positive comment came from Olive Cooke, of Fishponds.

She said: "I must say that I find my journeys are now much better.

"The new alterations and the introduction of bus lanes means the buses are not getting held up in lines of traffic.

"Timetables have become more reliable. The modern technology telling the times of arrival is very appreciated and helpful for passengers."

If the Post's mailbag is anything to go by, Mrs Cooke is in a minority. The council will be hoping to convince the critics when all the routes are completed in March.

Spokeswoman Kate Hartas said: "The consultations led to many changes to the schemes, where local people highlighted problems with the original design.

"The council couldn't make all the changes without affecting the performance of the scheme.

"But wherever a compromise could be found, it was taken on board."