A public meeting has been organised to discuss the closure of Pulteney Bridge on the knock on effects to public transport and traffic. The meeting will be on Friday 24th from 7pm at the Percey Room in the United Reformed Church on Grove Street.

Manda Rigby, a city centre resident, is organising the meeting after speaking to residents and business owners on the bridge and Great Pulteney Street. She says “there appears to be much confusion  about the current state of play, some dismay about the consultation process and timing, and some dissent about what is being propsed.”

This is certainly true for Bathwick, where many residents have been left angry and inconvenienced or isolated by the changes to the bus services. I have placed an objection as local councillor on account of the unintended (but forseeable) consequences to public transport of closing the bridge.

Hundreds of people on the Pulteney Estate and around Sydney Gardens have lost their direct bus service and thousands of passengers on Bathwick Hill and at the University are now suffering a worse service, missing the Guildhall stop and stuck in traffic on North Parade. This morning there were long queues at North Parade and the junctions either side; yesterday afternoon bus passengers stuck in traffic on North Parade Bridge were allowed off the bus to walk to their destinations.

Experts from B&NES council plus the Conservative councillor who has been pushing this proposal have also been invited to the public meeting. People of all opinions and none are warmly invited.