Bristol Walking Alliance events during Bristol Walk Fest explore the walkability of Bristol

How walkable is Bristol? This is the question at the centre of Bristol Walking Alliance (BWA) events for 2019’s Bristol Walk Fest, which runs throughout May.

BWA, with partners Living Streets Bristol and Bristol Health Partners, will be running several guided walks in Bristol’s neighbourhoods, followed by a culmination event that brings together the findings on the evening of 29 May. Many of the guided walks are being held twice, during the day and in the evening, giving everyone a chance to attend.

Events include:

• Walkability Westbury-on-Trym
  Tuesday 7 May, 10am-12pm or 6-8pm
  A short walk around the centre of Westbury-on-Trym, exploring good and bad walking environments in the area. It will cover what it feels like to walk around the village and how it could be made better, including for those with disabilities and sight impairment, finishing at a café to discuss our findings.
• Walkability Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze
  Wednesday 8 May, 10am-12pm or 6-8pm
  A two-mile walk joining up three shopping centres – Westbury-on-Trym, Stoke Lane shops and Henleaze. It will cover what it feels like to walk around the three centres, and how it could be made better. We will finish at a café to discuss our findings.
• Walkability to Broadwalk Shopping Centre
  Wednesday 8 May, 6-7pm
  This short one-mile walk on the streets around Broadwalk Shopping Centre includes various crossings on the way. It will look at the barriers to people going to and from the Centre on foot and what we might recommend to the powers-that-be to improve the attractiveness of the area to the pedestrian.
• Walkability Easton
  Monday 20 May, 10-11am
  From the Railway Path to Easton’s terraced streets, this one and half mile guided walk will explore good and bad walking environments in the neighbourhood. The route will cover some of Easton’s key school routes and is an opportunity to discuss the challenges faced by parents who walk their children to school.
• Walkability to Broadwalk Shopping Centre
  Saturday 25 May, 2-3pm
  A repeat of the 8 May walk.
• How ‘walkable’ is Bristol?
  Wednesday 29 May, 7-8.30pm
  This event brings together the findings from the guided walks, with presentations from the walk leaders. There will also be an opportunity for discussion. Light refreshments will be available.

All these events are free to attend, and booking is only required for the evening event on 29 May. For the guided walks, you can either book ahead or turn up on the day.

Alan Morris, chair of Bristol Walking Alliance, said:

“Walking is the cheapest, most accessible form of transport there is. Our events are all focused on the walkability of Bristol’s neighbourhoods, exploring the barriers and enablers to walking in three very different parts of the city. We hope local people will join us for this important exploration.”

Bristol Walking Alliance is a consortium of organisations and individuals campaigning to improve Bristol’s walking environment, including Bristol Health Partners as a member via our Supporting Healthy Inclusive Neighbourhood Environments Health Integration Team (SHINE HIT). The alliance wants to create an environment for pedestrians that is welcoming, safe, convenient and inclusive.