Plan delayed at 11th hour to reopen Bristol's Avon Crescent to cars

Since it was temporarily closed in 2020, the road has become popular with walkers and cyclists

A controversial decision to reopen a harbourside road to cars has been delayed at the last minute.

Bristol City Council had planned to reopen Avon Crescent to vehicles, despite opposition from residents.

Its Development Control B Committee was due to vote on the plans on Wednesday, but the council withdrew the application hours before the meeting.

Council staff are now instead "making further enquiries" about the road to decide on its future.

Since Avon Crescent temporarily closed to traffic three years ago, it has become a popular route for walkers and cyclists.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service previously reported how mayor Marvin Rees had said in October 2022 there were no formal plans to reopen the road to traffic when repair works were completed on the nearby Chocolate Path in late 2023.

Despite this, the council applied for planning application to remove the temporary roadblocks and to reopen the road, with cars driving eastbound from Merchants Road to Cumberland Road.

Some council members have said any increase in traffic from reopening Avon Crescent would be offset by a planned new bus gate on Cumberland Road, east of the junction with Gas Ferry Road. 

The proposed new gate would stop people driving eastbound through the road and would only allow buses, motorbikes, taxis and bicycles to pass through.

Green Councillor Patrick McAllister said: "While I welcome this reprieve for Avon Crescent, this happening with so little notice when people took time off work and prepared detailed arguments for the hearing is very frustrating."

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