Stig criticises 'moronic' Whiteladies Road in Bristol

THE Stig has slammed the narrowing of a section of Whiteladies Road – calling it "moronic" and "dangerous".

But the city council insists it will help traffic move more freely.

Ben Collins – best known as the white-suited former test driver on BBC TV show Top Gear – is one of many users of the road who have noticed problems since the pavements outside Clifton Down Shopping Centre were widened at a pedestrian crossing.

It has left the road so narrow that people have reported seeing lorries and buses struggling to pass each other. The pavement at a nearby bus stop has also been widened.

The work is part of the £78 million Greater Bristol Bus Network project to improve 10 "showcase" bus routes across Greater Bristol.

Stunt and racing driver Mr Collins, of Westbury Park, drives down the road regularly.

He said: "These changes are hideous. In my opinion the pavement was wide enough before. Now what you've got is a bottleneck which is causing huge traffic jams – it's a choke point and it's horrendous. Only a non-motorist could possibly have designed it. It really is moronic.

"Then you've got the problem of traffic trying to overtake stationary buses in the bus stops. Buses have to pull out into the wrong side of the road to overtake, and it's just dangerous. Eventually a bus is going to end up having a head-on with a car. You don't ease traffic by narrowing roads.

"When you've got a lorry coming down the hill and a bus going up, there isn't enough room for them to pass at that point outside Clifton Down Shopping Centre. It's dangerous for pedestrians, because at some point someone is going to go up onto the kerb, and it's dangerous for cyclists because there isn't enough space for them.

"It beggars belief – and it's our money the council is wasting."

The Evening Post asked the authority's transport director Peter Mann if the improvements had been designed to slow traffic down.

"No," he said. "The aim is to improve bus reliability whilst reducing overall levels of traffic congestion. Many of the new measures not only benefit buses but also motorists, due to the new traffic signal technology that is designed to improve traffic flow."

In fact, Mr Mann said, the pedestrian crossing had been made smaller to reduce the time traffic has to wait for people to cross.

"This will allow shorter distances for pedestrians to cross the road and therefore shorter red times for all motorists," he said.

Mr Mann said the new width of the road – seven metres – met highway design standards and was wide enough for two lanes.

As for lorries passing buses, he said road resurfacing and new markings due to go down next week will help "improve lane discipline".

Mr Mann said the bus stop had been built out into the road so that buses could align with a raised boarding platform.

"Consequently all traffic, including other buses, may have to wait a short time until the bus pulls away," he said.

"However, the bus cages [road markings] have not been completed and once they have, buses will be able to pull to the front of a stop and allow further buses to pull behind, thereby alleviating the problem."

The work follows other design changes along the busy road, including new traffic islands planted with trees, intended to make crossing safer for pedestrians.

Traders also voiced criticism.

Mark Wilmut, who manages the Clifton Colour photo shop, said: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The road didn't need anything doing to it – what a waste of taxpayers' money."

Kate Ralls, who owns Deli Delish, said: "The traffic is awful now. The back roads are just going to become a massive rat run."

Adam Denton, owner of the butchers Ruby & White and the Cowshed restaurant said: "It has made the traffic a lot slower and safer, which is good for pedestrians. But then it is a major route into the city and slowing traffic along the down means that more stress is put onto other areas."