Changes to Portway park and ride ‘revolutionary’ for residents in north-west Bristol

Upcoming changes to the Portway park and ride could prove “quite revolutionary” for people living in north-west Bristol.

The junction leading into the park and ride will be remodelled to allow buses to turn left and drive north, providing new connections to several areas.

Buses leaving the park and ride, next to the motorway junction in Avonmouth, can currently only turn right and head into the city centre. But remodelling the junction will allow buses from Avonmouth and North Somerset to use the site too.

Another key reason is shuttle buses are planned to run from the park and ride to the new YTL Arena in Filton. Bristol City Council bosses signed off the £2-million plans to change the junction during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, October 3.

Labour Councillor Don Alexander, cabinet member for transport, said: “We’re improving the access at Portway park and ride to allow for better connections to the north, a direct shuttle service to the YTL Arena, and for rail replacement services associated with the new station.

“It will also allow for future development of orbital bus connections and services using the Portway for Avonmouth, Severnside and Somerset. Currently the park and ride entrance is only set up to serve buses travelling to and from the city centre. The new access can unlock the park and ride as a transport hub for multiple connecting services.”

A new train station opened at the Portway park and ride in August. The changes to the junction should hopefully mean residents living in north-west Bristol will be able to access the centre of the city via public transport much more quickly. Work is due to start next June.

Cllr Alexander added: “It might not always be necessary in the future for buses in Lawrence Weston to go through Sea Mills and Stoke Bishop and take 40 minutes to get someone from Lawrence Weston to the centre of Bristol. It’ll be much quicker for them to come into this transport interchange and change buses or onto the train.

“That could be quite revolutionary for the lives of some of the people in north-west Bristol. If you’ve got to swap between buses or trains, to know that you’ve got to spend five or ten minutes somewhere you can get a coffee, you’ve got wifi, you’re warm, you’ve got toilets, makes it much more possible and attractive to change and opens up new ways of travelling.”