Three people have been killed within a year whilst attempting to cross the slip road onto the M32 at junction 2 (Eastville/Fishponds). Bristol City Council has now commenced a full safety review of the area in conjunction with the Highways Agency who own the motorway. Future proposals will have an impact on the whole locality; there are plans to improve cycle routes, and upgrade the bus lanes into the Centre to showcase standards. We need to make sure that improvements for local people are key to such plans, and that the whole area is made safer for residents. Cllr. Muriel Cole and I are asking local people to give us have their views. Nearly every resident in Eastville Ward will use this junction or Fishponds Rd. at some point in the week, as will many other in north and east Bristol.
You can contact us by posting a comment on this blog, so please let us know:
1) If you think a surface crossing would improve safety?
2) Whether you want to see Stapleton Road closed at the roundabout, and the creation of a
cul-de-sac in the area between the M32 and Fishponds Rd?
3) Do you want speed limits in the area be reduced?
4) Any other comments you might have on safety and traffic issues at this junction?
2) Whether you want to see Stapleton Road closed at the roundabout, and the creation of a
cul-de-sac in the area between the M32 and Fishponds Rd?
3) Do you want speed limits in the area be reduced?
4) Any other comments you might have on safety and traffic issues at this junction?
11 comments:
There is a pedestrian subway system...is this not adequate enough to cross the road?
In all honesty, I'd have to say one of the single most dangerous things about the whole round about is the way the traffic light system is set up, with the short span's I've seen far too many drivers carelessly attempting to beat the red on the way on to the M32. I wonder how many of those sorts of drivers were involved in these fatalities?
Pedestrians shouldn't be crossing a slip road on to a motorway while a perfectly decent subway system is there, and drivers shouldn't be put in a situation where frustration is maximised and thus bad decisions are more likely.
Without knowing anything specific about this junction - I would agree with Lee's position regarding pedestrians trying to cross a motorway slip road. It is a completely ridiculous thing to try.
Why is it a 70 mph motorway? when clear it lets cars sprint into the city, so they hit the centre, Eastville, Muller road, possibly having driven all the way from Scotland at 80+ mph without seeing a single red light. This makes all the roads near the m-way exits so dangerous for other road users. Similarly, cars trying to get onto the motorway are already accelerating to get up to 70+ and merge across lanes.
Portsmouth has dropped speeds on the M275, starting at 60 on the junction with the M27, then 50 and 40; by the time you reach the city you are in city-mode. We could do the same on the M32. It would make the city safer, and reduce pollution down what -along with the M5 in Avonmouth- is one of the most polluting bits of the city
I used to live very close to this and used this crossing all the time, and so did/do my neighbours, because the under-road system is much longer and just horrible! There are often men pissing in the tunnels and it just isn't safe day or night. At least on the road you are still visible.
I would like either a pedestrian crossing (they did this coming off a roundabout in Manchester for the exact same reasons) or the road closed to through traffic - so a cul-do-sac ideally. The people in these streets have a tough enough environment withour the fast and dangerous driving along up the slip road to the motorway, along this part of stapleton road and up and down all the streets between it and fishponds road, which are used as rat-runs.
This whole area needs to be re-planned as a residential area!
I'm appalled by the inhuman attitudes expressed here. If the dead people were your relatives would you be as unsympathetic Lee and Anon.
Its entirely inappropriate to have such dreadful roads in residential areas. Why should pedestrians have to go underground to get around in their local areas.
Pedestrians have clearly misjudged the situation here and as a result of the unacceptable speeds have have very sadly lost their lives.
20mph is plently in the city where people are living.
The atrocious transport planning that brought this motorway into the city need to be urgently addressed. While reduced speeds, installing crossing are a necessary interim, long term action is required to bring Bristol up to the standard of many European cities where human beings enjoy far safer and pleasanter surroundings
I wonder if Lee uses the underpass. I will soon be having to cycle home from work in Fishponds to Cotham often after 6.00pm. Having to use an underpass in a part of town where a woman was murdered not that long ago is a dismal prospect. Jane.
There's no such thing as "a perfectly decent subway system"!
Speed should be reduced on the motorway. All residential areas 20mph - including this road. A pedestrian crossing. Re-design of the lane markings to reduce motor speeds. And a highway authority treating it as URGENT.
I wholeheartedly agree that the current setup is dangerous. The subway is dirty, frightening for many people and floods. The behaviour of many drivers at this roundabout is appalling.
Bristol traffic's comments about speed restrictions are spot on.
I seem to remember that the M32 was going to be de-classified and dropped to 40mph for its length.
ex greenbank resident.
yes block off the road link to robertson rd leaving only a cycle route, reduce M32 speed to 40 from the start of the flyover and put a footbridge over the slip road. Maybe Tescos could contribute....
It takes a rare breed of ignorance and/or callousness to suggest that the 3 elderly people that died crossing here should have used the nearby urban subways.
Only those who live in areas not blighted by such facilities could seriously suggest that this 'is adequate enough to cross the road' or a 'perfectly decent subway system'. Would Clifton have accepted this state of affairs?
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