Delib : Dialogue App

The Avon Gorge is one of the most naturally beautiful and diverse assets Bristol has to offer, constantly used in photos and well known inside & outside the West Country.

So why are we as a city not making more of it? Think of Stanage Edge, Symonds Yat or even more locally the Cheddar Gorge. Think of the myriad of well used facilities in Devon & Cornwall such as the Eden Project, the Camel or Tarka Trails. Other authorities and their partner businesses actively market these natural resources bringing in tourists such as climbers, walkers and cyclists, all of which are hugely valuable to the local economy.

All that is currently along the Portway is a noisy dual cariageway, but think of the all the space and opportunity it represents. Regeneration could be simple by making the gorge a mecca for heritage & outdoor sports enthusiasts, actively marketing the gorge as a destination, and improving public transport and cycle links from the city centre.

The Gorge has a rich ecological diversity, maritime and industrial heritage, with no interpretation along the Portway. What if we were to make it a 'hub' for heritage an outdoor pursuits for climbers, walkers and cyclists? What about abseiling the gorge or bungy jumping the Suspension Bridge?

By improving transport links to the Portway and providing a visitor & outdoor centre, operators could lead tourists on climbs or abseil the gorge providing a cafe and/or restaurant for hungry participants after their actvity sessions. It could become a real resource for people in Bristol and for tourists alike, generating a massive income for the local hotels, pubs and cafes.

Transport links could include bike hire from Temple Meads and or the bus station, an upgrade to the park & ride along the Portway, a couple of new bus stops on the Portway itself and provision of signalised crossings. You could easily upgrade the Portway cycle route with better quality materials to make it more of an asset, allowing greater access to the cliffs along the Portway and even the steep 'public rights of way' up to the Downs.

This would allow better access to the climbing facilities, where we could market specific climbing routes in a published book. This could be written with the help of stakeholder involvement from the likes of the British Mountaineering Council, or local indoor climbing centres getting 'by in' from key partners etc. We could do a similar booklet with Sustrans or the CTC showing the local cycle rides around the gorge, such as the Ashton Pil Path, Chocolate Path or the new Cycling City Festival Way to Ashton Court. If there was funding, an iconic cycle and pedestrian bridge further West over to the Ashton Pil Path and mountain biking facilities in Leigh Woods could be a wonderful way of linking the Portway to the other side.

What about making the Portway a single lane of traffic each way and/or reducing speed limits? This could be feasible as vehicular flows along it are relatively small in comparison to other arterial routes into the city. Lessening traffic issues would allow for a more pleasant environment for outdoor activity. This could allow room for a 'shared use' boulevard along the cliff side of the Portway accessing new facilities related to climbing, cycling, heritage or cafes in the recesses near the cliffs.

The ecological aspects of the gorge could also be a big pull for tourists and bird watchers alike. By installing viewing points to see perigrin falcons, such as those in Symonds Yat this could also create further use and diversity on the opposite Leigh Woods side.

This may all sound like pie in the sky but Bristol we could and should make this happen! Rather than being expensive this could actually be an investment in the city, bringing in valuable income by marketing 'the gateway to Bristol' and the most lovely of natural resources right on our doorstep.