‘We live under the M5 and it’s a dark, noisy and messy world we inhabit’
Residents living under motorways have spoken out about the constant noise, litter and lack of sunlight they endure. Those residing beneath the M32 in the city centre and the M5 at Avonmouth Docks, near Bristol, have shared their experiences of life under these flyover bridges.
The locals are subjected to the incessant roar of traffic, falling debris and a dominating structure that overshadows their homes. Jackie Payne, 66, who moved to her home under the M5 in Avonmouth five years ago, deeply regrets her decision.
She expressed: “We want to move somewhere quieter. We can’t open the windows because you can’t hear the TV.”
Homes near the M32 motorway in Bristol (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
“I have got about six fans in the front room because it gets so hot. When the lorries hit a particular drain it makes such a noise.”
“We can’t sit in the garden because you can hear it and hear the lorries all day – it gets on my nerves. I come from a village.”, reports Bristol Live[3].
“I would go out into my garden and all you could hear was the cows mooing.”
Jackie also highlighted the issues caused by the bridge itself, stating: “It blocks the sun to the front room and we get litter in the garden. I am always worried that a lorry will crash through the barrier.”
Philip Jacobs, 84, who lives under the M5 motorway (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
Philip Jacobs, 84, has lived in his Avonmouth home since he was eight years old, even before the M5 bridge was planned. He recalled: “I was here when it was built. They built it in sections.”
“I was doing shift work as a lorry driver at the time, often working at night, and the noise was unbelievable – I couldn’t get any sleep.”
Philip, who still resides in the house with his wife Carol, aged 69, has grown accustomed to the din of traffic but admits the bridge remains an irritation. He commented: “There is a lot of noise, but I have got used to it.
“The bridge blocks the sun and it’s an eyesore. It is convenient for people driving, that is how the world works.”
Homes near the M32 motorway. (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
Also adapting to life amidst the hubbub is Philips neighbour, Joan Seoker, 86, who after over four decades under the bridge, no longer notices the ruckus.
She remarked: “We have got double glazing. We don’t take any notice of it anymore. We got used to it.”
Resident Kelly, aged 40, who preferred not to share her surname, has dealt with items being tossed onto her property from the overhead structure.
She observed: “People throw things from the bridge, which is a problem for the kids. Our conservatory was smashed twice by laughing gas canisters three years ago.”
In Eastville, the M32 carves its path above residential buildings, dominating the north-eastern skyline of Bristol.
Tom Benoy, 27, who lives near the M32 motorway. (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
Tom Benoy, 27, made this area his home five years back and finds the relentless vehicular hum to be the primary downside.
He stated: “The only thing I don’t like is not being able to peacefully sit outside. We have the river, it’s a nice area.
“The only reason I would ever move is to get away from the noise.”
Homes near the M5 motorway. Residents who live near motorways have given their views on what it is like living next to major roads. (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
Despite the disturbance, Tom, a technical consultant by profession, confesses at times he finds the incessant traffic roar somewhat soothing, adding: “The drone can be quite nice.”
Tahir, 64, familiar with the din of the bypass after two decades, shared, “Living here for twenty years, I don’t have a problem with it.”
He further commented on the unavoidable noise saying, “My bedroom faces it. When you open the window you can hear it, of course you hear it.”
Regarding the loudness in his tidy garden, Tahir remarked, “You can’t double glaze a garden.”
References
- ^ Huge half-marathon route change as dreaded section is axed (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Wedding car with pink ribbons stopped by police for illegal window tints (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Bristol Live (www.bristolpost.co.uk)