Stop Zoo car parking on the Downs

bristol | the environment | announcement

Tuesday January 26, 2010 15:00

by Roger Yates - Bristol Downswatch

downswatch at yahoo dot co dot uk

45 Coburg Road Bristol BS6 5HU

0752 783 8648

Important planning decision pending

A campaign is underway and an e-petition has been mounted to stop Bristol Zoo using part of the Downs as a car park.

The Downs were designated in the nineteenth century for the people of Bristol and surrounding areas to enjoy. Since 1969 the Zoo has been given a series of temporary permissions to use one of the best parts for parking on the busiest days of the year. The number of days and the number of cars have increased. In recent years the Zoo has used the Downs to park up to 660 cars on up to 60 days. This interferes with people’s enjoyment of this wonderful green space. Use of the Downs is bad for Zoo visitors too, who have to negotiate a steep stony path and cross a busy main road. The days on which the car park will be open are unpredictable, causing congestion and confusion. And the Zoo's parking is bad for wildlife: surveys have shown damage to the attractive and interesting grassland.

The Zoo's use of the Downs is contrary to all the national and local planning policies put in place to protect this precious part of Bristol's heritage. Successive planning committees have made it clear to the Zoo that permanent use would be unacceptable. In Oct 2008 committee gave the Zoo a year 'To allow the Zoo sufficient time to investigate alternative parking and transport solutions'. Instead the Zoo is seeking permission for a further five years' 'temporary' use, bringing the total to 46 years.

The Zoo should provide proper, safe parking for its visitors and return the Downs to the people of Bristol.

Please sign the e-petition below.

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Comments (4 of 4)

zoo park and ride?

by 2wheel

Wed Jan 27, 2010 00:08

They could find an alternative more suitable car park further away and have free shuttle buses. if it was organised and advertised properly it would be a practical solution and it might even be more convenient for visitors- less congestion easier to park etc

please no..............

by illegalsec

Fri Jan 29, 2010 19:49

Please not more screaming kids on buses. Not more goddam buggies and queues of ankle-biters! Can we not stop and think about this one for a minute.... perhaps keep parking for families/OAPs only? Or the zoo provide a family-only shuttle bus.. soundproofed of course.

Simple solution

by Animal lover

Fri Jan 29, 2010 22:15

Close the Zoo, send the animals back to their natural environment, demolish the zoo, use the land for growing organic food for local consumption!

People will stop all their whining and complaining, there will be less traffic and therefore less pollution, and the animals will be happier too.

End of.

Bad example

by redlandresi

Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:40

The Zoo needs to come up with a proper solution to its parking problems, not this makeshift , 'park across the road on the grass' approach, which has just been allowed to drift on for too many years.

They want us to take them seriously as Bristol's premier tourist attraction; they need to start behaving like a responsible, grown-up, local business. By using the Downs as a car park they set a bad example to everyone, as the Downs is meant to be an open parkland space for people to enjoy on foot. No cars should be allowed to park on the grass anywhere.

The Zoo should spend some time and money implimenting an alternative parking plan - for example, they could encourage visitors to use the huge new car parks down at Harbourside and then provide a free shuttle bus service up the hill and back.

It's not like the Zoo has only just moved to Clifton - they've been there for years and it's their own fault if they've failed to plan for increased visitors numbers and the need for more parking space. The Downs are a unique and valuable asset, owned and maintained by us (via our council tax) and we should be protecting them from damage and abuse.