The Transport and Connectivity Policy Committee convened to discuss several key initiatives, including road safety, active travel, bridge maintenance, and cycle scheme funding. The committee approved recommendations for a Road Safety Task and Finish Group and noted updates on corporate risks and the policy committee work programme.

Road Safety Strategy

The committee approved the recommendations outlined in the report and terms of reference for the Road Safety Task and Finish Group, which will be responsible for developing a new Road Safety Strategy. Councillor David Wilcox will chair the group, which will consist of seven members.

The previous Road Safety Strategy was a 10-year plan that expired in 2024. The new strategy will build upon the previous strategy's safe systems approach¹ and align with the One City Plan's goal of zero deaths or serious injuries on Bristol's transport network by 2041, and across the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) by 2036.

The Task and Finish Group will:

• Define the scope and time horizons of the strategy
• Agree overarching aims and objectives of the strategy
• Reach a shared understanding of the principles of a safe systems approach to road safety.
• Identify and agree a framework for what the road safety strategy should look like and how this fits alongside other related policies.
• Identify and agree the fundamental elements that need to be in place that would support the delivery of the road safety strategy and a safe systems approach to reducing casualties.
• Identify possible activities, opportunities and areas that could be explored for inclusion in the revised strategy.
• Review and agree overall casualty reduction and road safety targets and how those will be monitored and appropriately prioritised as part of wider council objectives.
• Discuss the benefits of establishing a local or regional road safety partnership and make a recommendation about the preferred approach, including the identification of key potential partners.
• Agree with officers the key evidence requirements for the strategy
• Agree timetable and process for publishing the new strategy

The Task and Finish group is expected to meet in Autumn/Winter 2025/26, and a report summarising the group's outcomes and recommendations will be presented to the Transport and Connectivity Committee in February 2026. The final strategy is scheduled for approval by the Transport and Connectivity Committee in March 2026.

Active Travel Funding

The committee approved the acceptance of £2,286,807 in funding from tranches 5 and 6 of the Active Travel Fund (ATF) to deliver active travel projects in Bristol.

The funding will be allocated to the following projects:

• Prince Street Bridge: £600,000 for design and delivery to prohibit motor traffic from using the bridge and reallocate the space for people walking, wheeling and cycling.
• A4 Bath Bridges Walking and Cycling Project: £712,000 for development of a new walking and cycling link to the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone from Bath Road, potentially including additional bridges between the Three Lamps junction and Cattle Market Road.
• School Streets: £100,000 for delivery of two school streets².
• Secure Cycle Storage: £219,957 for delivery of approximately 19 cycle hangars.
• Behaviour Change Programme: £639,208 for initiatives such as cycle loan and share schemes, cycle training, cycle maintenance, community grants, and business grants.
• Travel to Work Survey: £15,642.

The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan and the Bristol Harbour Place Shaping Strategy support the closure of Prince Street Bridge to motor vehicles. The designs of Prince Street Bridge are not finalised and the cumulative impacts on Spike Island residents and SS Great Britain will need to be considered.

Avon Fixed Bridge

The committee approved the allocation of £500,000 to assess the structural capacity of Avon Fixed Bridge (also known as Brunel Way Bridge) and design the works required to keep it safely operational. The bridge, which carries the A3029 over the River Avon, has high-risk in-built design features and is in poor structural condition. The funding will enable the council to undertake a full structural assessment, additional monitoring and testing, temporary works design, and design of strategic repairs. A feasibility study and options appraisal report will also be produced to consider the long-term replacement of the bridge.

The Principal Inspection report, conducted in late 2024, found the bridge deck half-joints to be in poor structural condition, which could compromise the bridge's structural integrity if deterioration continues. The report recommended a programme of repairs and regular monitoring of the half joints.

Concorde Way Cycle Scheme

The committee noted that the Concorde Way cycle scheme has been accepted into the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) overprogramming programme, as proposed by WECA. The committee agreed to the change in funding source and the submission of the Feasibility and Development Funding Application Form (FADFAF) to seek £0.45m of development funding.

The project aims to improve cycling provision on Concorde Way between Petherbridge Way and Constable Road, including a bollard to close Dovercourt Road to through traffic.

Corporate Risk Report

The committee noted the Q1 Corporate Risk Report 2025/26, which provided an update on current significant strategic risks relevant to the Transport and Connectivity Committee. The report highlighted that one risk, CRR58 - Possible failure to adequately maintain and replace the Highway, Traffic, Parking and Docks infrastructure assets, had materialised in Q1, resulting in the closure of a bridge on York Road and an increase in complaints and litigation.

Two risks had scores that remained static, including during Q1:

• CRR43 – Possible failure to deliver City Regional Sustainable Transport Settlement 1 by March 2027 will mean that a number of key sustainable transport improvements will not have been completed or delivered
• CRR58 - Unable to adequately maintain and replace the Highway, Traffic, Parking and Docks infrastructure assets

Policy Committee Work Programme

The committee noted the update following the latest work programme workshop setting meeting. Key outcomes included a policy options scoping paper on establishing a municipal bus company, a briefing on the new highways maintenance contracts, a report on the rollout of Residents' Parking Schemes, and a Road Safety Strategy Task and Finish Group.