With an audience capacity of 19,000, the new YTL Arena Bristol is sure to be a smash hit for some big shows and concerts, but the parking and traffic for these could cause congestion. To avoid this, the South Gloucestershire Council and Bristol City Council are calling on communities who live and work around the site of the new arena to have their say.
The new YTL Arena Bristol which is being built in the Brabazon Hangars, next to the old Filton airfield, forms part of the massive Brabazon development which is set to transform the area north of Bristol. Development of the arena has been delayed multiple times, it is now scheduled to open at the end of 2025 or early 2026, but it has entered its final stages of design and the developers have confirmed work has begun on key infrastructure.
The two councils have launched a joint survey to learn more about the travel habits and parking needs of the communities around the planned arena. The information collected will help the councils to investigate what measures may be needed to help mitigate the impacts of the development, as residents may choose to drive and park on nearby streets.
Read next: Major Bristol road to 'partially' close for two weeks from Monday
There has already been criticism about the proposed frequency of trains stopping at the new North Filton Railway Station, with many saying one an hour is not enough once new homes are built. The new line will run from Henbury to Temple Meads via Filton and Ashley Down.
South Gloucestershire Council’s cabinet member for transport, councillor Steve Reade said : “The new arena is such an exciting development for South Gloucestershire and the wider region. It will really put the area on the map”. He added that the development will create jobs and homes for local people.
“We are already investing in improving walking, cycling and public transport links in this area, but to help us make further preparations for such significant developments, we need to hear from residents and people who work in the area so we can work to minimise the impact on our communities,” said Reade.
On Sunday (Jan 22) a new metrobus service was launched, the m4, which will connect the city centre and Cribbs Causeway via Bristol Parkway and is a planned route to the arena once it opens. Developer YTL has promised £3.1million towards the transport infrastructure around the arena, and has even proposed shuttle buses between the city centre and the arena.
Bristol City Council’s cabinet member for transport, councillor Don Alexander said: “We’re getting set to welcome YTL Arena Bristol, bringing a host of world-class live music and entertainment to our city. We’re working to deliver even more new railway stations for the Bristol area at North Filton and Henbury but, in the meantime, to help us prepare for the arena opening, and the thousands of people who will be travelling to the new venue on a regular basis, we are asking about how people travel in the area and their parking needs.
“This is why we need plenty of people who live or work in the area surrounding the new arena to fill in the survey,” said Alexander. As part of the planning permissions, the developers also committed to mitigate increased traffic in the area, including providing an on-site car park; funding for improved public transport; a park and ride shuttle bus service; funding for improved walking and cycling routes; and funding for consultation and implementation of arena parking management measures.
CEO of YTL Arena Bristol, Andrew Billingham, confirmed in his latest progress report that the arena has reached the final stages of design.
Billingham said : “Work has begun on key pieces of infrastructure required including new road connections, establishing new power supplies and site preparation works. The train station at Brabazon is an important element and discussions continue how this might be brought forward.”
YTL has been working with Bristol based interior designers Studio B, whose founder Kyle Clarke said : “We’ve been completely consumed with designing selected spaces within the arena to completely blow the customer experience through the roof. There isn't another arena in the country which will come close.”
Read next:
