Key Points
- Traffic Spike: People living in areas such as Crews Hole Road and Troopers Hill Road in east Bristol have been complaining about increased traffic and backlogs after the implementation of the EBLN (East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood) trial.
- Safety Issues: It was noted that there is no pavement or street lighting on parts of Crews Hole Road, forcing people to use the unlit river path in the wintertime.
- Enforcement Difficulties: According to City Hall transport planner Josh Learner, it would be “impossible to do” and “probably have zero impact” because it is hard to enforce ANPR cameras.
- Proposed Solutions: Green Councillor Rob Bryher noted that it would make sense to place a bus gate in order to limit access by other means of transportation and possibly promote bus services, although it will probably require funding from the council.
- Permanent Scheme: The City Council of Bristol has promised to invest GBP 500,000 into traffic mitigation solutions in order to transition the EBLN trial into a permanent scheme together with dropped kerbs and pedestrian crossings installation previously.
Crews Hole Road (Bristol Express News) September 24, 2026 – Making a new rat run in the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood residents-only would be “impossible to do” according to a transport planner at City Hall, following complaints from locals regarding a sharp surge in traffic.
People living along Crews Hole Road and Troopers Hill Road have raised concerns about traffic volumes after the route became an alternative cut-through for drivers heading from the eastern end of Feeder Road and Brislington. This shift occurred because the liveable neighbourhood scheme led to longer traffic queues on Blackswarth Road, even though Crews Hole Road remains narrow and resembles a rural country lane in several areas.
Bristol City Council is currently planning to make the route safer as part of transitioning the liveable neighbourhood trial into a permanent scheme. However, local councillors on area committee six, representing St George, were urged to consider a residents-only option to alleviate congestion.
As reported by Alex Seabrook of Bristol Live, local resident Jane Randall stated that “the increase in traffic caused by the EBLN is huge especially at rush hour causing jams and tailbacks on this already poorly-maintained road.” Furthermore, Jane Randall noted that “many residents can only drive as there are large sections without pavements, street lights plus there is no public transport nearby.”
Jane Randall added that
“this is especially dangerous in the winter when the unlit river path is the only walkable route. I feel the people of Crews Hole and Barton Hill have been targeted at the expense of wealthier parts of St George. I’m furious about these changes and would like Crews Hole Road to be made residential access only.”
This feedback mirrors statements made by a couple living on Troopers Hill Road earlier this year. David and Joanna Parfitt previously complained that their road had transformed into a “dangerous rat run” since the introduction of the liveable neighbourhood trial, noting that the formerly quiet residential road now experiences significantly higher traffic volumes.
Parts of Crews Hole Road lack a pavement and are only wide enough to accommodate one vehicle at a time, requiring drivers to use passing places. While a separate footpath runs along the River Avon close to the road, it remains unlit and can feel unsafe after sunset.
Why Are Council Officials Claiming Residents-Only Access Is Impossible?
As part of making the liveable neighbourhood trial permanent, the council intends to carry out works on sections of Crews Hole Road to enhance pedestrian safety. Nevertheless, these plans are unlikely to encompass restricting driving access exclusively to local residents.
Speaking to the area committee, local transport manager Josh Learner explained:
“You obviously can do that but it would probably have zero impact because you can’t enforce it. I haven’t been made aware of any schemes where that’s been effective. The police won’t enforce it, you can’t enforce it via camera. It would be impossible to do.”
Josh Learner further stated:
“It’s not been done before and I think that’s for a reason. Trying to manage the ANPR cameras in that respect would be very, very challenging. Our advice is it’s probably not a very effective tool. You can of course do it, it could be more of a gesture.”
In other parts of the liveable neighbourhood and wider Bristol area, the council restricts vehicle access through sections of roads using bus gates. These feature painted red surfaces and camera monitoring that permits buses, taxis, and Blue Badge holders while issuing fines to general traffic. However, applying this system to a residents-only rule presents considerable operational difficulties. According to the transport manager, buses and taxis are registered vehicles that cameras can easily identify, whereas a broad local resident exemption would conflict with the core objective of the liveable neighbourhood to reduce overall driving.
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Could a Bus Gate Provide an Alternative Solution?
Green Councillor Rob Bryher, representing St George West, offered a different perspective during discussions. As reported by Alex Seabrook of Bristol Live, Green Councillor Rob Bryher stated: “It feels like to me the only solution for Crews Hole Road is to put a bus gate on one end.”
Green Councillor Rob Bryher added that “that’s the only way that you could make it residents-only and that’s a proper measure. That might encourage one of the bus companies to put in a bus route along there.”
Additionally, Green Councillor Rob Bryher noted that any such bus route would likely necessitate financial backing from the council. Currently, the nearest bus stops for the neighbourhood are located either at the top of the steep Troopers Hill Road or across the River Avon in St Anne’s.
Specific details regarding the new safety measures for Crews Hole Road remain limited. In July, when the transport policy committee voted to approve the permanent scheme, councillors committed to allocating GBP 500,000 toward “mitigations.” This follows council installations last year of additional dropped kerbs, tactile paving, ‘give way’ road markings, and improved pedestrian crossings.
Background of the Particular Development
The ongoing discussions around Crews Hole Road stem from Bristol City Council’s broader implementation of Liveable Neighbourhood trials designed to reduce through-traffic in residential areas, promote active travel, and lower carbon emissions. While these schemes successfully reduce traffic in targeted zones, traffic displacement often forces motorists onto alternative peripheral routes. In east Bristol, traffic diverted from Blackswarth Road found its way onto narrow, rural-style paths like Crews Hole Road and Troopers Hill Road, exposing infrastructure deficits such as missing pavements and inadequate lighting that pre-dated the trial.
The refusal to implement residents-only restrictions on Crews Hole Road is likely to sustain local friction between east Bristol residents and council planners as the trial transitions into a permanent scheme. Without physical road closures or strict access filters like bus gates, traffic volumes are expected to remain high during peak commuting hours, continuing to pose pedestrian safety risks along unpaved sections of the route. Conversely, if the council eventually pursues funding-heavy interventions like a bus gate as suggested by local representatives, it could trigger separate debates regarding public transport subsidies and displaced traffic impacts on neighbouring communities in St George and Brislington.
