Zoo Car Parking on the Downland

Parking should not be allowed on the Downs except for transient events, and even this needs to be carefully monitored - look at the damage caused to the Downland by the Fireworks Display of November 2nd 2008.

We were delighted to hear that the Council has thrown out a plan to allow Zoo car parking for another three years, 'on a temporary basis'. The Zoo has been given one more year and told to find another solution to visitor parking. Not using a wildflower meadow! In particular the use of Downland was opposed strongly by sections of the Bristol Ramblers, and several other groups. {Press reports September 2008}

This is particularly apposite now that the Council is pushing for a Residents Parking Zone (RPZ) which will come right up to Zoo Bank, and will almost certainly increase parking problems on the Downs roads, that is Ladies Mile, Circular Road and Stoke Road. (See the map of the proposed parking zones on James Barlow's Blog). Whilst the Council consulted widely about the RPZ, they did not take into full consideration the effect of the zone on surrounding regions.