Plans for '11 tennis courts of pedestrian space'

Bristol City Council is looking to transform large parts of the city centre

Plans to create "more than 11 tennis courts of pedestrian priority space" in Bristol city centre, have been unveiled by the city council.

As part of a £540m government-funded scheme, the authority plans to pedestrianise Horsefair in Broadmead, by banning almost all vehicles.

The scheme is one of several major projects covering the city centre, A4 Portway, A37 and A4018, in a bid to transform Bristol's transport network.

Construction is due to start next spring and continue until late 2027, with serious disruption expected while work is ongoing.

A new website, Bristol on the Move, has been launched to outline the three main transport projects, with images of how Horsefair will look over the next two years.

Green councillor Ed Plowden, chair of the council's Transport Policy Committee said the website will "make it easier for people to understand what's happening and why".

"We need to prepare for our ongoing success as a city and all the extra journeys that our growing population will bring," he said.

"We know there will be some disruption as we deliver projects that the city needs."

Shop owner James Cooke does not foresee the plans having a negative impact on footfall

Along with pedestrianising Horsefair, the authority is planning to create new bike lanes on Union Street and a new road, for an express bus route, linking the Bearpit and Bond Street.

James Cooke, who runs the shop Route One on the Horsefair, said "as long as people can walk" it will be "alright".

"You can see now, the footfall's great," he said.

"I don't think it'll affect that."

'Pushing everyone else out'

Shopper Maggie Davies, said it would be "safer for pedestrians".

"[You] haven't got to worry about buses and cars whizzing up and down," she said.

But Emma Philips, from Cotham, said she was not convinced.

"If you think about term time, students come [and] take all these flats up, they don't necessarily drive, they live in a city," she said.

"But what about everyone else who's lived here all their lives?

"It's kind of pushing everyone else out a little bit."

Buses will be rerouted from April while work to restrict access to Horsefair and Penn Street is due to begin next summer.