Safe, secure and efficient transport has become one of the key societal pillars during the coronavirus pandemic. With the disease putting on display many of the lingering problems cities face, some officials are eager to seize the opportunity in order to forge ahead with their ambitions.
In the city of Bristol, one of the main problem areas has been public transport. That is why the Mayor of the city Marvin Rees has announced that his government will accelerate major plans for the redevelopment of the urban area’s public transportation network, in order to ensure an improved and safer service to its citizens.
Drastic changes for the better
The main goal of the proposed reforms, according to officials, is to make Bristol a safer and more convenient place to navigate. Thus, the changes that will be enacted focus precisely on such areas and they include:
- The pedestrianization of large parts of the Old City of Bristol by restricting vehicle access during business hours
- The introduction of bus priority routes at key road junctures throughout the city like the Bristol Bridge and the entrance to Baldwin Street, thereby making travel by bus more convenient and reliable
- Upgrades to many walking cycling zones across the urban area
- Pavement expansions in shopping areas in order to accommodate for social distancing
- Introducing new guidelines for safe use of taxis and other similar vehicles, as well as for the ensuring of social distancing in public transport.
Upon revealing these plans, mayor Rees stated that “Bristol can emerge from this crisis in a more inclusive and sustainable way by improving access to public transport and introducing safer areas to walk and cycle. Action we take now will contribute to reducing air pollution, improving people movement for all Bristolians and encouraging alternative sustainable ways to travel”.
“The current situation is challenging our usual travel habits and behaviour in a way that we’ve never seen before. Many of us have already embraced more walking and cycling journeys and, whilst it is understandable bus usage has dropped, we want to protect the long-term viability of our public transport services because of their intrinsic value to communities across the city,” he continued.