Labour news

Carolyn Magson, Labour Councillor Candidate for Brislington West on fighting for more sustainable travel routes for Brislington

I am a keen cyclist and walker and in fact I didn’t own a car until I was 40, preferring to use public transport and cycling to travel everywhere.

I now live close to Sparke Evans Bridge and the main cycle route into Temple Meads and beyond.

I’ve used this route for over 8 years and during the pandemic I noticed how busy the path was becoming, I would estimate that usage increased by over tenfold and this seems to have continued. This led me to thinking about what I could do as a candidate to support other cycle and walking routes.

THE TRAMWAY

Cllr Tim Rippington and I got in contact with Liveable Neighbourhoods who had been speaking to two companies called Greenways and Cycleroutes and Meanwhile Creative with a view to getting The Tramway open soon to fulfil this need. We’re pleased to report that the council, including Kye Dudd, Cabinet Minister for Transport listened to our feedback and promised to back these plans. Kye and Tim work closely together in transport across both Brislington wards and beyond.

A planning application has recently been submitted by Greenways and Cycleroutes to open up the route with a modest amount of work required. The route is largely surfaced already, having previously been used as a large car park.

The Tramway has fantastic potential to link areas of Bristol by allowing people to travel on foot, by bike, scooter or wheelchair, hand bike or adapted cycle.

OTHER CYCLING AND WALKING ROUTES.

I run a local residents association and have been actively involved in many of the local development proposals for many years, even securing £25,000 of section 106 money for the local area.

I am now a stakeholder in both the regeneration of St Philips and Temple Quarter and within my work here I am actively feeding back suggestions to improve both existing and future cycle and walking routes, including for example improved safety and lighting. My co-candidate Rob Logan is also a keen cyclist and together we will make it a priority to improve and increase cycling and walking routes across this area and beyond. What’s more, together with Tim Rippington we have been also looking closely at providing better alternative routes along Feeder Road and beyond to support linking up other areas of Brislington to the centre such as St Annes, by providing alternative routes along some of the St Philips area.

We believe that electing four Labour councillors across both West and East Brislington will allow us to work directly with the council to bring a fully integrated travel network to Brislington so residents can choose the method they want to travel without current restrictions.