New bus gate installed overnight despite protest

The signs were put in place in the early hours of the morning at Barton Hill

Work to install a controversial bus gate in Bristol took place in the early hours of the morning and was met with protests and a police presence.

The East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood trial scheme aims to prevent drivers from cutting through residential roads in the St George, Redfield and Barton Hill areas.

A bus gate, part of the trial, was installed at the corner of Avonvale Road and Marsh Street in Barton Hill with 10 protesters present and police attending the scene.

Bristol City Council said its contractors attended six sites in East Bristol to install the infrastructure required for the trial scheme.

Contractors worked overnight to install the bus gate

Protester Katie Sullivan said that a group of people against the scheme gathered at about 03:30 GMT.

"They came in the middle of the night," she said of the council contractors.

She said the group of protesters tried to block Marsh Lane bus gate but police moved them on.

Katie Sullivan said she was one of a group of protesters who tried to stop a bus gate being put in

In a statement, Councillor Ed Plowden, chair of the transport and connectivity committee at Bristol City Council, said: "Contractors attended six sites in East Bristol... and five of the six have now been completed."

He added: "The bus gates on Avonvale Road and Pilemarsh that have been installed are not currently live.

"We will give notice of when they are going to be in use and the large electronic signs will indicate whether they are operational."

There has been controversy over Bristol's first attempt to trial LTNs

Not everyone in the areas affected is against the scheme.

Speaking a week ago, Pietro Herrera, a member of the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood Appreciation Group, said it had been "fantastic" for his family's quality of life.

"We are able to walk our kids to school," he said.

"We are able to cycle with our families to the local shops and it's quiet."