South Glos Council is continuing work on its major transport schemes. The project to install new cycle routes on Bradley Stoke Way, which has proved unpopular with residents, is not forecast to finish until the end of 2026.
A council spokesperson said: “Our major transport schemes, funded by the Department for Transport and managed by the West of England Combined Authority, will continue as planned. These include improvements to Bradley Stoke Way, the A432 between Yate and Wick Wick, the A38 and Alveston Hill, Charfield Station, and completion of maintenance on the A38 Gloucester Road Flyover.
“In addition, we will carry on with our annual maintenance programmes and pothole repairs, ensuring continued investment in improving the local road network. We recognise that these works may cause inconvenience, and we thank residents for their patience and understanding as we deliver these essential improvements.”
However, many Bradley Stoke residents visited a recent online feedback session about ‘sustainable travel improvements’ across the area to let the council know how they felt about the disruptions.
Residents shared their perspectives regarding new cycling lanes, traffic management and the A38 works. Many individuals stated that weather conditions and daily requirements render the proposed improvements impractical.
As one contributor, Grockel1 commented: “The A38 roadworks will continue into 2026 with no end in sight. Road closures, traffic light timings creating huge queues, and some drivers not allowing others out of side roads.”
Bishopbenj said: “I don’t see many cyclists on the cycle lanes. So, they don’t seem very encouraging.”
6470 wrote: “The council must be the same as Bristol, just doing it because they need the money to keep the council going. All these changes are given the cash by the WECA mayor, so it must be the government telling what they can spend the money on. Both the WECA mayor and the government don’t seem to care what the people who live in the area want.”
Sparky7 commented: “A crazy decision by Lib/Lab councillors to waste all of that money on cycle lanes. How many people are going to cycle to Tescos to get their week’s shopping?”
However, Bosco said: “I do think that the bike lane was needed. I have lost count of the time I have lost just following a cyclist going up to Willow Brook SC at 7mph with a queue of 15 cars behind, awaiting their turn to pass him. I don’t know if they don’t care that they are causing a traffic jam, or why they don’t just use secondary roads. But no, they need to ride in Bradley Stoke Way, the busiest road in the area. I actually think that’s what they want, create a traffic jam and put themselves and the cars passing them at risk.”
JW23 added: “A cyclist friend told me that he will never use these lanes. He is capable of cycling with the flow of traffic, so, eg heading North, when he gets to a roundabout, he just cycles on, with priority over traffic joining from the left. If he were on the cycle lane, he would have to check for cars and would be up and down the different levels between the cycle lane and Cross street. Makes sense to me.”