By Clara Bullock & Pete Simson
Monday July 3, 2023
Cayni Sharif said the scheme would make it more difficult for her to do her job
Changing a city area to make it better for cyclists and pedestrians should not be a priority when it lacks other services, a community leader has said.
Bristol City Council wants to turn Barton Hill into a "liveable neighbourhood" with less traffic.
It said the scheme would see the area "improved to be people-centred".
However, the Bristol Somali Community Association's Abdihakin Asir said there were "so many other things the council can do to improve the area".
The council has stated that the project, which is being piloted in the area, was aimed at creating "safe, healthy, inclusive, and attractive places where everyone can breathe clean air, have access to better quality green spaces and safe spaces to play, and feel a part of a community".
It said the improvements aimed to "make it easier to catch a bus and to walk or cycle, with improved infrastructure and less through traffic".
However, Mr Asir said the local Somali community were opposed to the changes as it would make it harder for them to get to their jobs.
"There are so many other things that the council can do to improve the area," he said.
"We haven't got a pharmacy in this area, we haven't got a dentist, we haven't got youth centres - we haven't got a basic service in this area."
Care assistant Cayni Sharif said she and many others could face losing their jobs.
"It makes it very difficult," she said.
"Not only me, but a lot of people are losing their jobs and the benefit is not that big.
"It will be very frustrating."
Don Alexander, the council's cabinet member for transport, said the aim was "to improve local streets for everyone".
"A big part of that is to make them safer and less polluted by preventing traffic from using residential roads to avoid main routes," he said.
"Whilst there appears to be some misleading information being shared on this topic, I am clear that nobody's ability to move around the neighbourhood is being restricted and access to homes and businesses will remain in place."
He added that there had been "a big response to this project" and the council had received "thoughts and feedback" from the Somali community.