Plan to ban Park Street through traffic is backed

A council transport committee has approved plans to ban cars from driving down a major city centre street.

Green councillors approved the £15m scheme that will see Bristol's Park Street only used by buses, cyclists and pedestrians in a bid to ease congestion and improve bus times.

"There's been lots of literature that shows if you restrict through-traffic, then traffic just evaporates," said Green councillor Rob Bryher.

But Conservative group leader Mark Weston said: "Traffic flows like water. Once you start stopping it up, it then moves into random directions. We're creating a problem, we're not solving it - we're just moving it."

Mr Bryher added: "People behave differently if you change the priorities of a street."

Under the plans cars will still be able to access the street via side roads but will not be able to drive from end to end.

The transport committee voted to approve the plans, which still face one final hurdle.

The committee voted to approve the plans with Green councillors voting in favour, Labour abstaining and Conservative and Liberal Democrat members voting against.

The plans face one final hurdle as a full business case has to be submitted to the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) for approval.

Some businesses on Park Street have raised concerns about the plan's potential impact on them.

"The business community have been very clear — this scheme will damage trade for local independent businesses and potentially force them to leave" said Steve Smith, a former councillor and the Conservative mayoral candidate for WECA.

A group of local businesses have started a campaign opposing the plans - but has so far only gained 315 petition signatures - well short of the 3,500 needed to trigger a debate.

Meanwhile, the extra space for pedestrians has prompted some local venues to consider putting on a new arts festival.

Green Councillor Ed Plowden, chair of the transport committee, said: "Victoria Rooms, the Royal West Academy and St George's are talking about some kind of arts festival, and they feel that the space is there that they can use now, rather than having a great big racetrack in front of the beautiful statues and architecture."