A controversial plan to create a bus gate on the edge of a residential estate has been scrapped, more than a decade after it was first approved. South Gloucestershire Council has agreed not to go ahead with the bus gate along Charlton Boulevard, which would have banned access for all traffic except buses.
The short bus lane was agreed in 2008 as part of planning consent for the Charlton Hayes housing estate near Patchway, to improve bus access. When the houses were built the stretch was opened to allow access for residents, but the council says "recent investment in public transport improvements mean public transport provision needs have been met".
Following a new public consultation, it says there remains "strong opposition" to the bus gate due to the "inconvenience" for residents, and it will no longer happen. The council's consultation page confirms: "In light of feedback, a decision has been made to allow Charlton Boulevard to remain open to all traffic.
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"In order for this to happen, we need to formally remove the developer’s planning obligation to advertise and deliver the bus gate. Once the legal process is completed, the signs will be removed at the entrance to the Hayes Way/ Charlton Boulevard ‘Concorde’ roundabout. Changes will also be made to Sparrowhill Way junction to allow traffic to turn left onto Charlton Boulevard.
"Amendments to Hayes Way and the ‘Concorde’ roundabout will be phased and carried out at a later date. We will keep you updated on all works. We will also continue to monitor the traffic situation in the area as the consultation highlighted concerns about safer crossings for school children and vehicles parked on narrow streets."
Almost 1,000 responses were submitted during the consultation and a summary was published by the council on March 10, with its report stating: "A significant majority of local people strongly oppose the introduction of a bus gate. Local residents are concerned that the bus gate would inconvenience them restricting access to their homes and resulting in longer journeys.
"[Concerns included] the bus gate could push more traffic to already congested areas. Some respondents are concerned about safety issues associated with diverting more traffic past a local primary school, onto roads narrowed by parked cars and using a more dangerous junction.
"Reasons for supporting the bus gate are focused around reducing the volume and speed of local traffic. Even those opposed to the gate still comment on the need for more measures to control speeding."
It added that the feedback suggested "introducing a bus gate is unlikely to deliver its intended aims in encouraging greater active travel and public transport use" and "any environmental gain...would likely be more than offset by increased emissions from those travelling extra miles on their normal journeys".
The council said the MetroBus service running along Highwood Road to the north of Charlton Hayes has "significantly improved public transport provision in the area". Residents had petitioned against the bus gate plan back in 2018.
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