Changes to A4018 in Bristol scaled back after consultation

Traders and residents had been concerned the restrictions would impact on Westbury village

Campaigners have "won the debate" after plans to "carve-up" a high street shopping area have been shelved, says an MP.

Bristol City Council said the A4018, which links north Bristol to the city centre, needed to be changed due to congestion and new homes.

It would have meant cars being banned from Westbury-on-Trym's High Street.

MP for Bristol North West, Darren Jones, said while the outcome was more favourable it still needed more detail.

Amanda George, who runs the We Make Bristol gift shop, said she was "over the moon and delighted" at the news the village "wouldn't be cut off".

She added the original proposals would have had a "very detrimental" effect on local traders.

Earlier this year Bristol City Council published plans to relieve the number of car journeys along the A4018 corridor because of the number of new homes being built on the former Filton airfield site.

The original plan would have seen a number of turns off the busy road shut off, including the one through Westbury-on-Trym, which would have been made bus and taxi only.

Other measures include replacing the Crow Lane roundabout with a traffic light-controlled junction which many people believed would lead to more delays.

A number of public meetings were called including this one which was chaired by MP Darren Jones

The city council put the proposals out to a public consultation earlier this year which led to more than 2,700 replies.

"It looks like we've won the debate on carving up Westbury-on-Trym and blocking access to Brentry from the Crow Lane roundabout in Henbury, as well as the vast majority of the turning restrictions proposed," the Labour MP said.

Bristol City Council said the amended scheme, which has been recommended to be approved by councillors later, removed the elements people were unhappy about but kept plans for bus lanes on the A4018 with peak time restrictions.