An upgraded cycle and pedestrian route
The Frome Greenway Transformation is an ambitious project which sets out a vision for an important transport corridor, and includes a range of enhancements. It will be implemented as part of the Cycling City Project, and is funded from s106 contributions from the Cabot Circus development, under an air quality provision.
We want to greatly increase the usage of the route by cyclists and pedestrians, whilst achieving a shift away from vehicle use, leading to associated air-quality improvement. Creating a well marked, continuous route that has the following attributes:
- environmental enhancement
- distinct identity
- high quality designed features
- good linkages along (and into) the corridor
- improved ecology
- amenities
- safety
The project presents a unique opportunity to contribute towards making Bristol a better, greener, more livable place.
This scheme will provide the final missing link in a continuous, largely off road, route from Cabot Circus to Eastville Park, Snuff Mills and Frenchay. Part of the route will be on a shared-use footway alongside the one way section of Stapleton Rd where there is currently no provision for cyclists to go north. This will require some re-location of parking, but more parking will be created to replace that which is lost and also to provide some additional spaces. The extra width and removal of pavement parking will be of huge benefit to pedestrians, wheelchair users, the elderly and families as well as cyclists.
You can see a summary and a map with sketches of how new elements along the path might look. You will need to zoom into the document and scroll around to see the whole route. Links to the PDF’s can be found at the bottom of the page if you find it easier.
We would like to know whether you already use this path or not, as a walker or a cyclists.
- What do you think of the proposals for improving the route?
- Would it encourage you to use the route more for commuting or leisure?
You can submit your comments for open discussion on this forum, or respond privately using the questionnaire.
Frome Greenway transformation map
Frome Greenway summary sheet
The plans look good. This isn’t a route I was aware of but I will investigate it now and would be much more likely to use it following the implementation of the identified improvements. I have a reservation about ongoing maintenance – these type of schemes can get a lot of focus while they’re being implemented but then fall into disrepair. What provisions have been made for ongoing maintenance, e.g. pruning and weeding etc
Great plans, I use the route often. I agree with commetns about linkage to Eastville Park. Needs to promote safety, green barriers and art/planned graffiti etc. How about some photos of streets that used to be where Riverside park, M32 etc are now – they exist in some books of Bristol’s history, and the houses were demolished within memory of people aged unde 60. Like the docks photos. And you cant demolish the wall between Riverside Park and Frome – its traditional stone and been there a long time!
Looks very nice. It’s about time this excellent route was improved to encourage more use, especially in a “Cycling City”.
Was this payed for out of the Government fund from 2008?
Hi John
Most of the money is coming from a fund supplied by Bristol Alliance (Cabot Circus) to offset increases in emissions to air due to the development. However because there is a significant cycling element to the scheme, these parts attract “matched funding” from the cycling city budget. So we are getting more benefit than we would if there was only one funding source or the other.
I didn’t know of this route either, and lived up by Stapleton Road station for a while.
looks great from what I can see and would be a nice little spot to walk/ cycle along
Could the wall between the Frome and Riverside Park be replaced with railings so that you can actually see the river when passing through the park?
Great to see improvements on existing provision, but would be even better to see ‘the last mile’ between the roundabout at J2 M32 (Tesco/Ikea) and the one way stretch of Stapleton Rd. A path leading from the ?Toucan? Crossing directly beneath the M32 and roundabout (south), continuing south beneath the M32 and joining Napier Road wouldn’t be impossible would it? I can’t see how cyclists can continue safely north along the one-way section of Stapleton Road, once it narrows just before the M32 J2 section. People simply park their cars on cycle lanes regardless. Cars travel at motorway speeds along this section also – so better to avoid if possible
Andy
This is planned, as part of Cycling City. We recognise that this is a key bottleneck for cyclists and want to enable a high quality walking and cycling route from Eastville Park to the city centre. We carried out a consultation on this at the end of 2009 – have a look at these links:
http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/cms-service/stream/asset/?asset_id=32698091
http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/content/Transport-Streets/Walking-Cycling/cycling-in-bristol/frome-consultation-plan.en
I like this, hopefully it will further encourage walking and cycling in urban Bristol!
This looks fantastic, I’m looking forward to seeing it all complete.
Are there plans to link the newly resurfaced path at Eastville Park with the Bristol to Bath Railway Path? This can be easily achieved by making exits from Ridgeway Road footbridge. The speedwell route links to the side of Fishponds Trading Estate but from the Frome Valley the flatest and safest option is to use Ridgeway Road.
This will clear up the side (almost animal track) path and make it safe and accessible for all to use and at minimal cost.
I think this looks good. Are there particular planting specimens (trees/climbers) that are useful at improving air quality and reducing noise? It would be nice to form a living barrier alongside the M32 for this purpose.
Steve
thanks for this. We will investigate suitable vegetation and are also hoping to include noise barriers (with suitable planting to avoid graffitti problems) along particularly noisy sections. However this will depend on budget constraints and site survey.
steve
I don’t currently use the route as I didn’t know about it, so I think more signing and promotion should be part of the proposed improvements, which I wholeheartedly support and I look forward to using the new improved route! It would certainly make it easier for me to visit parts of the city such as Eastville that I don’t currently go to as well.
Mel
improved signage and promotion is certainly part of the project and we obviously want as many people as possible to know about the route.
steve
this is all fine, but please clean the rubbish out in the river by the edge of the M32 along the side of the allotments. It’s disgusting. Before all this goes ahead, so it’s clean at least for the summer. Thanks
Hi mkwf
I have forwarded your request for rubbish clearance to the parks manager.
regards
steve
I use this route to commute to St Werburghs from the city centre and did use the route when commuting to Aztec West on a daily basis.
The improvements to the route that I would like to see are:
Improve the visibility at the bridge at number 9 (Peel Street Open Space).
Improve width of underpasses, lighting and access at M32 junction.
Remove obstacles on patch such as bollards.
From the plans:
Good changes to entrance at Fox Park.
Give cyclists prioirity in crossing at end of River Street across River. Make the crossing a diagonal rather than straight across the road.
Route to Eastville Park needs to be thought through before any work is done…could be round IKEA and Tesco and then back down through underpass?
How much is the budget for this?
Would the money be better spent on air quality by improving the quality of planting in Castle Park?
Start the signage of the path from the Castle Street Bond Street area.
I tend to use the route going out of town in early evening but am a bit hesitant to use it in the evening for return journey as is quite isolated along the banks of the Frome at Riverside Park.
No mention of graffiti removal and prevention.
Hi Fraser
Thanks for your thoughtful and helpful comments. We will try and include them as the designs progress.
The budget for the works is taken from a section 106 agreement fund from Cabot Circus. This was approximately half a million pounds, though not all of that is being spent on this scheme.
The money is being spent here, rather than castle Park because we need to tackle air quality issues that are related to the operation of Cabot Circus. As most of the traffic generated by the development comes down the M32 and inner ring road, we have targeted interventions here by offering alternative modes of travel to people in Bristol and South Gloucestershire by improving the route from the North.