A road across a park in Eastville with a dark history could be closed to traffic and pedestrianised under plans put forward by a local councillor, five years after it was first proposed. Eastville councillor Marley Bennett said he believes Rosemary Lane, which crosses the Rosemary Green park and open space, should be made a road for pedestrians and cyclists only.
He said shutting off the rat run that connects Robertson Road with East Park would make the road safer, encourage children and parents to cycle or walk to May Park Primary School nearby, and help reconnect the two sides of Rosemary Green, which is currently split in two by the road.
Cllr Bennett won a commitment from his Labour colleagues at City Hall to consult the public on the proposed closure of Rosemary Lane, and that will happen in the new year. The scheme is currently being developed by transport officers and will be included in a full report to the council’s cabinet in January, ahead of the start of a formal consultation period.
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For local residents in Robertson Road the closure would mean the end of a cut through to Fishponds Road via East Park - because Greenbank View was blocked off to traffic years ago. For residents on the East Park estate, built on the site of the old Victorian workhouse, and on Caraway Gardens, it would mean stopping up a cut through into Easton from Eastville, and effectively create a cul-de-sac for drivers on East Park, who would only be able to leave via Fishponds Road.
The road and the Rosemary Green open space has something of a dark past and present. Local history researchers have discovered the open space was part of the grounds of the Victorian workhouse at 100 Fishponds Road, and thousands of people were buried there in a secret, unmarked mass paupers' grave. A couple of years ago, a memorial was erected to pay tribute to those long lost souls, but human remains are still routinely unearthed or come to the surface in the park - as recently as June this year.
The closure of Rosemary Lane was first proposed five years ago back in 2017 as part of the ‘Easton Safer Streets’ project. That Safer Streets project has proved controversial, with the stopping up of a number of the narrow terraced streets in Easton and the huge controversy over St Marks Road which threatened to divide the community.
The Rosemary Lane part of the overall package is now being treated separately by the council, and in 2023 council chiefs say they will only go ahead with the project if local residents respond positively to the idea.
“Improving active travel infrastructure and enhancing Eastville’s green space are two of my priorities,” said Cllr Bennett. “I’ve been making the case that closing Rosemary Lane to traffic will help encourage the uptake of active travel, improve local air quality, and reconnect the two sides of Rosemary Green, which is currently split in two by the road going through the middle of it. This will be of particular benefit to the students at May Park School.
“I am pleased that the council is applying for funding from the West of England Combined Authority to consult the public on closing Rosemary Lane to traffic. I intend to meet with local residents and nearby traders to gauge their views on the proposed road closure ahead of the scheme going to official consultation.
“I would encourage all local residents to get in touch with me, whatever their views on the proposal are. I believe the benefits of closing Rosemary Lane to traffic considerably outweigh the downsides - I know many Eastville residents share my view on this, but I would like to stress that we will only move ahead with the scheme if local residents demonstrate their support for this.
“This measure was previously proposed as part of the wider ‘Easton Safe Streets’ proposals which proved controversial among the local community. I hope this standalone proposal addresses their concerns, while delivering a safer route for pedestrians and cyclists and cleaner air for the students at May Park. The scheme will go to public consultation in the new year, but ahead of then, I encourage local residents to get in touch with me to let me know their views,” he added.
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