M32 motorway along the viaduct, while surveying work was carried out in 2016 during the Metrobus junction refurbishments. The M32 has been criticised for severing longstanding links in Bristol. Older residents have claimed that formerly close-knit communities such as Easton have been shut off by the imposing concrete barriers next to the motorway. It has been criticised for running alongside the grounds of Stoke Park, spoiling the local atmosphere and requiring part of the estate including the Duchess Pond to be demolished. In 2008, Jeremy Isaacs claimed the motorway was a reason that Bristol did not win the European Capital of Culture
M32 motorway Stoke Park estate. The project is part of the North Fringe to Hengrove MetroBus rapid transit route package, and involves creating new slip roads, a connecting route to Stoke Lane and a new bridge over the M32 to be completed by mid-2016. The bridge was lifted into place in June, which required closing the M32 to all traffic. The M32 is a relatively lightly trafficked route compared to neighbouring motorways such as the M4 and M5. In 2001, the average daily traffic flow was 40,400 vehicles northbound and 39,900 southbound, while in 2014, the combined flow for both directions averaged