An 8 week consultation giving people the opportunity to feedback on the proposals for South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhoods (SBLN) has opened today (4 September 2025). The consultation on the proposals will remain open until midnight on 30 October 2025.
The South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhoods (SBLN) project covers a large area of the Bedminster, Southville, and Windmill Hill electoral wards.
Liveable Neighbourhoods aim to make streets healthier, more accessible and more pleasant by:
- putting people first – reducing traffic and lowering vehicle speeds to create safer, more welcoming and accessible streets. Vehicles would still be able to access all properties at any time, though some routes may change
- prioritising health – improving air quality and allowing more people to choose physically active travel options, like walking and cycling, and be safe doing so
- making better community spaces – designing calmer streets and greener areas where people can relax, children can play, and families feel safe travelling to school
The proposals for South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhoods cover the 11 neighbourhoods in SBLN area, however, this phase of the project also has a particular focus on the Totterdown, Southville and East Bedminster neighbourhoods. These neighbourhoods have been prioritised due to a number of traffic concerns, the level of support expressed in the 2024 engagement stage, their closeness to the city centre and strong links to the existing transport network.
The proposed measures across the 11 neighbourhoods in the SBLN project area include introducing parking measures, changes to traffic movements, improving local transport options, better road safety and improvements on high streets and places where there are schools and local centres.
Feedback from last year’s engagement, which was used to inform the proposals, can be found in the SBLN Engagement Report.
The consultation survey is split into two parts: part A covers the area-wide proposals across all 11 neighbourhoods and part B focuses on specific changes proposed for Totterdown, Southville and Bedminster East.
Councillor Ed Plowden, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee, said: “Thank you to all residents and businesses that took part in our engagement period last summer. Your feedback has been instrumental in us developing the proposals for South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhoods.
“I am pleased to say that the proposals are now live and a consultation to gather your views on them is now open.
“The proposals we are putting forward aim to make South Bristol a safer and healthier place to live, with quiet streets that are less congested and polluted. They would make it easier to travel by bus, walk and cycle, with a particular focus on making sure children can get to school safely. These proposals would still see all areas of the neighbourhoods accessible for motorised vehicles and Blue Badge holders, but routes may change.
“We recognise that the topic of Liveable Neighbourhoods generate strong and differing views. While some welcome the changes, others have concerns about how Liveable Neighbourhoods might affect daily life. This is why we’re taking all possible opportunities to learn from previous projects in the city, observe how these schemes are being introduced elsewhere in the country and gathering as many views as possible to evolve designs to meet the community’s needs.
“We want to hear from as many people as possible during this consultation. Evidence from other schemes in the UK shows that, although these schemes can take time to settle in, they often bring lasting benefits to communities.
“We want the South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhoods project to be shaped by the community. I encourage everyone to take part in the consultation to share their thoughts on the proposals. Your input will play a vital role in how the project comes to life.”
Helen Godwin, the Mayor of the West of England, said: "Now is the time for people in south Bristol and beyond to have their say on the council's Liveable Neighbourhoods proposals. Your voice needs to be heard in this consultation – whether you live or work in south Bristol, or if you visit including City and Bears fans heading Ashton Gate every other week.
"People's feedback over the next eight weeks will be a key part of how the combined authority assesses this bid. Lessons need to be learned from the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood trial and other similar projects here in the West."
The proposals and consultation survey can be found on the South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhoods Ask Bristol website. The consultation closes at midnight on 30 October 2025.
Accessible formats of the survey are available, including Easy Read versions, British Sign Language video, large print, braille, and translations. To request an alternative format, email liveableneighbourhoods@bristol.gov.uk or call 0117 903 6449.
Information sessions to find out more about the proposals are also taking place across South Bristol during the eight-week consultation.
To receive the latest information on the SBLN project, subscribe to the project’s newsletter.
The South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood consultation is being funded by the UK Government through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, secured by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.
The South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhoods (SBLN) engagement report has been published following the engagement stage which took place in the area last summer. The engagement stage saw a high number of people take part, with over 1,500 people submitting responses.
pdf South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood Engagement Executive Summary(1.15 MB)
pdf South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood Engagement Report(16.35 MB)
The engagement was the first step in the SBLN project and gave people the opportunity to express their thoughts as well their ideas for the area.
The SBLN project covers the majority of Bedminster, Southville and Windmill Hill wards. The idea behind Liveable Neighbourhood projects is that streets are for everyone. The SBLN project aims to make streets healthier, more accessible and more pleasant by putting people first. Less traffic and slower vehicle speeds, streets will be safer and more accessible, and there will be greater consideration for pavement space and condition. Liveable Neighbourhoods prioritise health so everyone can breathe cleaner air and have the opportunity to choose physical active travel options like walking and cycling and be safe doing so. They also allow for better spaces for communities, so people have calmer streets and green spaces to enjoy and play.
Last summer, South Bristol residents and businesses were asked to give their views on the area using an interactive map. Thousands of comments were received on the interactive SBLN map, and at the end of the engagement the map had received 6,081 comments from 1,562 people. The online survey which went alongside the interactive map had a further 513 submissions. Over 12,000 open text responses were also submitted.
The comments left on the map suggest the top three issues are:
- Speeding traffic
- Problems with car parking
- Not safe for cyclists
And the top suggestions from participants for how the area could be improved are:
- Safe crossings and junctions
- Managing unsafe vehicle speeds
- Managing on-street car parking
- Wider / clearer pavement
- Priority to cyclists and pedestrians at side roads
The feedback received during the engagement stage is currently being used to develop proposals for addressing the issues raised. These proposals will include measures to reduce, slow and redistribute traffic away from residential streets, as well as measures to make walking and cycling safer, easier and more enjoyable.
The date for the next stage in the SBLN project, which is a public consultation on the proposals, is to be confirmed.
To receive the latest information on the SBLN project, subscribe to the project's newsletter.
11 July 2024
We launched the South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhoods engagement on 11 July 2024.