M32 'needs' downgrading to build Bristol park and ride

The motorway "needs" to be downgraded to an A road to accommdate the park and ride, Mr Savage said

The M32 would "need" to be reclassified as an A road for Bristol's long-awaited park and ride to be built, a council leader has warned.

Toby Savage - who heads South Gloucestershire Council - said local roads cannot handle extra congestion so the "location needs to" only have access to and from the motorway.

He also said that the project's completion was "several years" away.

Bristol City Council has been contacted for comment.

Appearing on BBC Radio Bristol, Mr Savage said: "I've mentioned before about reclassifying the M32 into in effect the A32 in order to allow that to happen.

'Already congested'

"But I'm very clear that in terms of an M32 park and ride, I would not want to see that accessed from the local road network, which is already congested.

"Having people come off the M32 to then find their way to this park and ride through local roads would only add to that."

Mr Savage said the project was "several years" away from completion

Earlier this month Bristol City Council formally accepted a £191m allocation for public transport projects from the government's City Regions Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS).

It includes £48m for what has become known as the M32 strategic corridor, with an as-yet unidentified location for a park and ride, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A location has yet to be agreed for the park and ride which it is hoped would reduce congestion and help the city achieve its target of becoming carbon neutral.

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If and when a site is chosen, it will take "several years" before the project is realised, Mr Savage explained.

Mr Savage said: "The technical work is progressing but from today to the point at which a park and ride will be open we are looking at several years."