Traffic tensions around Bristol and South Gloucestershire

Local TV

From overnight construction noise in Bradley Stoke to disputes over East Bristol’s liveable neighbourhood trial, two major projects aiming to improve travel and sustainability are dividing local opinion across communities.

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00:00In Bradley Stoke, families say the noise from overnight roadworks has made sleep almost

00:05impossible. The work forms part of a two-year road improvement scheme led by South Gloucestershire

00:10Council installing new cycle paths, bus lanes and pedestrian crossings. It began in the spring and

00:17is due to finish around the end of 2026. For residents like Jess Ridge, who lives directly

00:23behind the construction site, the impact has been severe. She said that some nights the machinery

00:29continues until two in the morning, shaking the house even with the windows closed.

00:33Her teenage son is currently sitting GCSE mock exams and she says he's struggling with exhaustion.

00:39Another parent living on Bradley Stoke Way says round-the-clock work has triggered migraines

00:44and made it difficult to concentrate at work. She believes the schedule could be changed to

00:48limit overnight disruption. South Gloucestershire Council said it understands the impact on residents

00:54and will monitor the situation closely, making adjustments where possible to minimise the impact.

00:59The authority insists the long-term benefits will outweigh the temporary disturbance,

01:03promising quicker journeys and safer routes for pedestrians and cyclists once the project is complete.

01:09Further south are similar debates unfolding in East Bristol. The City Council's Liveable

01:14Neighbourhood trial, introduced earlier this year, has stirred strong feelings. Labour MP Kerry McCarthy

01:20has said there appears to be an element of incompetence in how the scheme has been handled,

01:24arguing that some residents feel ignored.

01:26But Green Party Councillor Ed Plowden, who chairs Bristol's Transport Committee,

01:30rejected that claim, saying the councils responded to hundreds of emails and plans to publish data

01:35and feedback in December. Both councils say their goals cleaner, safer, more sustainable travel,

01:41yet achieving that without alienating residents remains a growing challenge.

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