Traffic chaos at the Bristol ring road will continue for years due to the bridge closure

Traffic chaos at a Bristol ring road junction could continue for years after a process to reduce air pollution has yet to work. Thousands of petitioners are calling for the controversial trial to be overturned, as they claim changes to the junction have led to queues and longer journey times.

Five years ago, South Gloucestershire Council made changes to the Hambrook junction on the A4174, which links Frenchay and Hambrook via Bristol Road. These included banning right turns in an effort to reduce harmful levels of nitrogen dioxide.

It also means that motorists traveling north along Bristol Road must take the nearby M32 roundabout instead of simply driving straight across the junction. And with the closure of the nearby Badminton Road bridge, the traffic jams appear to have become even worse.

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Council bosses have been urged to change tack given the apparent lack of progress and the impact of the Badminton Road bridge closure. But a cabinet member said there was nothing the council could do, during a May 13 cabinet meeting.

Conservative councilor Liz Brennan said: “Residents are extremely concerned about the current appearance of the road at the Hambrook junction and the fact that there is no right turn is causing problems for drivers. While the previous administration’s decision to close the right turn to improve air quality was arguably the right one at the time, with additional roadworks underway in other parts of the district, the current setup is not working. .”

The decision to introduce the restrictions at the junction was made in 2019 when the Conservatives led the council. Last year they lost power in South Gloucestershire and the council is now run by a coalition of the Lib Dems and Labour.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Chris Willmore, cabinet member for planning, regeneration and infrastructure, said: “It was a decision made by your government, enforced by JAQU (Joint Air Quality Unit), which is a government body. The directive requires the council to achieve a certain air quality result at that point.

“The only way you could get that intersection to compliance was to implement the current arrangement. Your administration went back to the government asking if it could be relaxed and they said no. I asked them and they said no.

“We can’t remove that junction arrangement unless the junction is compliant, or someone can wave a magic wand and come up with a different solution that would bring the junction into compliance. It doesn’t matter how much political campaigning you do, you couldn’t find a solution because there is no solution until the air quality level drops.”

Last July, the Badminton Road bridge closed after inspectors found cracks and severe damage. The bridge is expected to take two years to replace, adding to further problems for drivers as the A432, which runs over the bridge, is one of the main routes into north Bristol.

Cllr Willmore added: “I’ll give you a hint. The extra traffic on that junction, due to the closure of the A432, does not reduce emissions at the junction. More cars means more emissions, which means further delaying the day when the JAQU directive can be lifted.”

Nearly 4,000 people have signed a petition calling for the traffic lights to be reinstated. The petition was launched by Angeline Gay, who lives in Moorend. She said the changes increased her travel time, using extra fuel and emitting extra air pollution. Several petitioners also presented their reasons for signing.

Margarita Smith said: “I have to wait at four traffic lights to get from Frenchay to Winterbourne which is just crossing a road. I waited for the lights on Bristol Road to change three times because cars can’t enter the ring road if it’s blocked by traffic, partly because no cars can turn right. Presumably this change was for a trial. But no one has seen evidence that it has reduced pollution.”

Aimee Nicholson added: “Surely it’s not doing its job reducing emissions if you sit in traffic for twice or maybe three times as long?”