Ring Road Plan is "pointless antisocial vandalism"

Written by Pete Goodwin Tuesday, 21 February 2006

The proposed South Bristol Ring Road is an outdated, damaging, expensive and ineffective way to tackle the area's deep seated traffic problems. Green Party members in Bristol are pledged to persuade the planners to adopt better ways for residents and visitors to get around without creating more traffic.

For immediate release

"The planners solution is to break up communities, ruin countryside, and add to pollution throughout the south of the city" says Green party spokesman Peter Goodwin. "This is sheer vandalism."

"They should learn from the example of the Newbury Bypass, where the local Liberal council thought they could build themselves out of traffic jams in the town centre. Now the bypass is full¹, and traffic in the town centre is well on the way back to its original levels. You don't have to be an environmentalist or a traffic engineer to see that the same thing will happen here. Of course, North Bristol should be evidence enough, too"

The Greens expect to join other residents in opposing the new road, and suggesting a more modern approach to free movement around the area. They will be using their web site to provide a picture gallery of the threatened route of the dual carriageway.

-ENDS-

Note 1. See Friends of the Earth press release at www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/10_years_on_newbury_bypass_09012006.html

Contact: Peter Goodwin at 01275 543280