Construction starts on two new links to the Railway Path

Work has started on two new Cycling City projects to give cyclists and pedestrians easier access to the Bristol-Bath Railway Path.

The first project will make journeys between Bristol Brunel Academy and the Railway Path in Speedwell easier thanks to a new and upgraded 1km route across Ridgeway Playing Fields.

By creating a direct route through the open space on the playing fields the Railway path will be more accessible to Speedwell residents. Sections of the route will be lit with street lamps to encourage use after dark. The route will also see the path widened between Atlas Close and Holly Close to create a direct route for walkers and cyclists of all abilities. Work to bring these improvements will cost in the region of £300,000.

The route will particularly benefit around 1000 young people attending Bristol Brunel Academy, giving them a chance to discover the benefits of transport by bike before they begin driving lessons and start relying on cars for transport.

The second project brings improvements that allow cyclists and pedestrians to make quicker journeys from the Railway Path to the heart of St George's Park.

A new crossing facility will link the path directly with Stretford Road and a contraflow facility will allow cyclists to use the one-way street in both directions without any loss of parking for residents.

The route will exit the railway path at the existing ramp to Johnsons Road and continue into Johnsons Lane where a widened path alongside the Kings Head pub will connect through to Whitehall Road.

These improvements bring a real benefit to anyone cycling between Bristol-Bath Railway Path and St George Park, allowing cyclists to make a continuous journey across the busy Whitehall Road and onto Church Road. Construction costs for these improvements cost approximately £90,000.

Both route maps are available to download as PDFs. There's a video taken in May 2010 of the section where it joins the railway path.

Visit the work in progress page to find out about all the Cycling City paths currently under construction.

Downloads: 

Map showing the improved access between Speedwell and the Railway Path (2.39mb)

Map showing the improved access to St George's Park (1.21mb)