South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) is encouraging people to have their say on a raft of proposals to improve walking, cycling and travelling by bus along Bradley Stoke Way. If approved, the works could be implemented from “late 2023” and take up to two years to complete.
The proposals for the Bradley Stoke area form part of a wider scheme that also includes improvements on the route between Thornbury and the Aztec West Roundabout on the A38.
The overall scheme includes new bus lanes, improved facilities at bus stops, new cycle tracks, measures to keep cyclists separate from traffic and pedestrians, and reductions in road speed limits.
The proposals for Bradley Stoke Way include a new westbound bus lane through Patchway Brook Roundabout (near Aldi), a new southbound bus lane approaching Savages Wood Roundabout (near Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre) and additional capacity for northbound traffic at this roundabout. The existing shared-use path along Bradley Stoke Way would be widened to create segregated walking and cycling paths, and several pedestrian/cyclist crossings would be upgraded. It is also planned to lengthen the extent of the existing 30mph section of Bradley Stoke Way south of Savages Wood Roundabout and remove the northbound bus stop north of Webbs Wood Roundabout.
The consultation runs until Monday 14th March 2022 and residents can have their say via an online questionnaire or by completing a paper copy of the questionnaire (downloadable here) and returning it by post.
The council is also hosting three face-to-face public drop-in sessions at which residents can find out more about the plans and put questions to council officers. The one in Bradley Stoke takes place on Tuesday 1st March 2022, from 3pm to 7pm, in the Kipling Room at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre.
SGC’s Cabinet member for regeneration, environment and strategic infrastructure, Cllr Steve Reade, said:
“To help address climate change and provide people with more choices for their journeys, we are aiming to make all types of travel in South Gloucestershire more sustainable.
“We want to transform the Thornbury, A38 and Bradley Stoke Way corridor to give residents and visitors better options for using buses, walking and cycling. Our suggestions include a whole host of improvements to bus stops, the creation of some new bus lanes and segregated cycling and walking facilities. We want to hear what people have to say about these proposals, so I encourage everyone to take part in our consultation.”
Scheme funding
The proposals are being developed by South Gloucestershire Council as part of a wider programme of bus and cycle investment across the region by the West of England Combined Authority (Weca).
The Thornbury, A38 and Bradley Stoke Way corridor is identified in the West of England Bus Service Improvement Plan, published in October 2021, as one of the priority corridors for investment between 2021 and 2025. The plan outlines the ‘Town Corridor – A38N’ scheme as follows:
Improving sustainable transport links from Thornbury to the North Fringe of Bristol and into the new transport hub on the M32 and the key employment sites at Aztec West. Better bus priority at key junctions in Thornbury and access onto and along the A38 and then additional priority infrastructure along Gloucester Road North and Bradley Stoke Way. Cycling links in and around Thornbury and along the A38 to connect Thornbury to Aztec West. Transport Hubs in Thornbury, Almondsbury, Aztec West and Bradley Stoke.
A spokesperson for SGC said:
“Funding for the improvements will be provided by Weca’s funding from central government and will not impact on funds available in South Gloucestershire for other council services.”
“Feedback from local residents, businesses and organisations will be used to shape the proposals and then inform more detailed design work. An outline business case will then be submitted to the Combined Authority in the summer to help secure funding to progress the scheme. This will be followed by a further 12-week public consultation to provide an opportunity for people to comment on detailed proposals. Work could then start from late 2023 onwards* and could take between 18 months to two years to complete in phased sections.”
* Note, however, that the consultation webpage states: “Construction is not expected to commence until 2024” .
Bradley Stoke proposals in detail
Extracts from the consultation document titled ‘Proposals for Bradley Stoke Way’. A link to the full document (in PDF format) is provided on the consultation webpage.
Overview
Our proposals along Bradley Stoke Way include:
- A new westbound bus lane through Patchway Brook Roundabout where buses frequently experience delays at peak times
- A new southbound bus lane approaching Savages Wood Roundabout (opposite Tesco) and additional capacity for northbound traffic at the roundabout which will help further to reduce delays to buses
- A 2-way cycle track with separate footway mostly on the western side of Bradley Stoke Way constructed by widening the existing shared use path
- Improved pedestrian and cycling crossings to enable access to/from the cycle track from both sides of Bradley Stoke Way and when crossing side roads at junctions
- Extension of the existing 30mph section at Savages Wood to the south is proposed due to the narrow section where the road bridge crosses Stoke Brook to make it safer and create space for improved facilities for people walking and cycling
Most of these improvements do not require major changes to Bradley Stoke Way itself. Roadworks would be limited to small scale widening at Patchway Brook and Savages Wood plus those needed to deliver the improved crossings.
Aztec West to Patchway Brook
- 2-way cycle track and footway to run along southern side of Bradley Stoke Way
- Upgrade of existing pedestrian crossing on A38 Gloucester Road to a wider walking and cycling crossing. Speed limit may be reduced to 30 mph either side of the crossing to make it safer for people walking and cycling.
- Extension of westbound bus lanes and priority through Patchway Brook Roundabout. This will mostly be achieved through changes to road markings with some small-scale widening to the junction on the southern side
- Walking and cycling crossings of Brook Way arm of Patchway Brook roundabout and improved crossings at Woodlands Lane junction
- Bus stop improvements at Aztec West Stops C and D
Willow Brook / Savages Wood
These proposals include:
- 2-way cycle track crosses to eastern side of Bradley Stoke Way to avoid narrow section outside Tesco and improve connections to Community School and Leisure Centre
- Upgrade of existing pedestrian crossings of Bradley Stoke Way north and south of Savages Wood and at Fiddlers Wood Lane to wider walking and cycling crossings
- New southbound bus lane along Bradley Stoke Way approaching Savages Wood roundabout with separate lane for general traffic (changes to road markings only)
- Widening of southern arm of Savages Wood roundabout from one to two lanes to reduce delays for northbound traffic including buses
- Bus stop improvements at Savages Wood and The Bridge (non-metrobus stops)
- Extension of existing 30mph zone south to include narrow section over Stoke Brook Bridge to make it safer and support increased walking and cycling
Webbs Wood and Baileys Court
These proposals include:
1. 2-way cycle track and footway to run along western side of Bradley Stoke Way
2. Improved walking and cycling crossings of Bradley Stoke Way, Webbs Wood Road, Baileys Court Road and The Worthys
3. Existing northbound bus stop north of Webbs Wood Roundabout to be removed to provide space for cycle track (Alternative northbound stop for T1 and m1 to south of Roundabout)
4. Speed limit reduced to 30mph over Stoke Brook Bridge to make it safer and support increased walking and cycling
Good planning?
Journal editor Stephen Horton comments: Astute readers will note that some of the work now being proposed would be modifying areas where tax payers’ money was spent only four years ago as part of the hugely disruptive, 2-year-long £118 million North Fringe to Hengrove Package MetroBus roadworks. For example, the MetroBus works implemented from 2015 to 2017 included:
- Creation of new northbound bus lanes either side of Patchway Brook (Aldi) Roundabout
- Modifications to the foot/cycle path along Bradley Stoke Way between the Willow Brook Centre and Aztec West Roundabout
- Modifications to the foot/cycle path along Bradley Stoke Way between Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout and Great Meadow Roundabout
- Replacement of traffic signals and associated pedestrian crossings at the Woodlands Lane junction
- Replacement and repositioning of bus stops ‘Aztec West C and D’ at the north end of Bradley Stoke Way
- Modifications to the light-controlled crossing on the A38 just south of the Aztec West Roundabout
More information and related links:
- Consultation webpage: Thornbury, A38 and Bradley Stoke Way improvements (SGC)
- West of England Joint Local Transport Plan (Weca)
- West of England Bus Strategy (Weca)
- West of England Bus Service Improvement Plan, October 2021 (Weca) [PDF; 3.3MB]
- Public Consultations (The Journal)
I’d be quite happy to see all these proposed improvements.
I’d ideally wish to see the speed limit for the entire length of Bradley Stoke Way reduced to 30 mph.
I’d like to see all residential roads reduced to 20 mph, especially through roads such as Westfield Way, along which the current speed limit of 30 mph is frequently broken.
I’d also like to see Woodland Lane more closely monitored as drivers frequently drive along this road in excess of 30 mph.
Also, marked segregated pedestrian cycle lanes work much better than shared ones, (especially if pedestrians don’t have to constantly dodge illegal, non Voi, escooters).
Don’t understand why the 73 bus was rerouted to Brook Way on it’s way from Tesco Willow Brook to Orpheus Avenue. Webbs Wood Road was never congested and didn’t slow the 73 bus down, in my experience, compared with the MOD and Filton Avenue which are problematic, especially at certain times of the day. The more opportunity there is to move about by public transport the better, especially with fuel prices are steadily rising and we need to consider our environment. There should be more encouragement to use the bus services but they have to be reliable and communication needs to be better as I’ve seen people waiting at bus stops no longer in use. It does help when bus stops have an updating bus time display so you know how long your wait will be.
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