'Flawed and biased' Criticism over traffic trial survey

A COUNCIL survey asking residents and businesses whether the controversial East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood (EBLN) should stay for good has been called “fundamentally flawed” and “biased” because it does not ask whether or not it should stay for good.

- Adam POSTANS

Instead, questions in the public consultation, which ends today (Friday), ask about people's travel habits and priorities for the area, such as whether they want clean air, if it is difficult to cross the street, and if “streets are peaceful with little noise from traffic’

Opposition Conservatives and local campaigners have hit out at the questionnaire on Bristol City Council’s website, which will feed into the local authority's final decision, saying it is skewed towards the Green-led administration’s desire to make the scheme permanent.

Transport and connectivity committee chairman, Cllr Ed Plowden said in response to a public question at a meeting of full council on Tuesday that the survey aimed to capture people’s thoughts on the changes but that it was just one way of doing that.

He said there was also independent polling of hundreds of residents, analysis of traffic and travel movements, and that all messages to the authority about the EBLN pilot would be considered before a decision was made by the committee in March.

The Tories tabled a motion to the meeting demanding changes to how the consultation was worded.