// CITY_ASSESSMENT
How smart is Bristol?
Bristol, United Kingdom, scores 78% against the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework in 2026 — ranked #31 of 388 cities assessed, with every finding traceable to a public source.
Smart score
78%
Rank
#31 / 388
Criteria present
59 / 86
Evidence coverage
87.2%
Bristol's smart city score by area
9 present · 3 partial · 1 absent · 2 not assessed
11 present · 0 partial · 1 absent
9 present · 1 partial · 0 absent · 3 not assessed
5 present · 5 partial · 1 absent
9 present · 1 partial · 3 absent
6 present · 2 partial · 0 absent
10 present · 4 partial · 0 absent
Where Bristol is strong
- ▸Active & Shared Mobility
- ▸Smart Traffic & Electric Vehicles
- ▸Air Quality & Monitoring
- ▸Food Security & Urban Agriculture
- ▸Governance & Smart-City Operating Model
Where the gaps are
- ▸Climate Action & Emissions
- ▸Solid Waste & Circular Economy
- ▸Education & Digital Skills
- ▸Inclusion & Civic Participation
- ▸Digital Government Services
Evidence highlights
Open Data & Transparency · Official open data portal
The platform is titled "Open Data Bristol" and is accessible via opendata.bristol.gov.uk, indicating an official open data portal.
https://opendata.bristol.gov.uk/api/search/v1Open Data & Transparency · Programmatic API access
The "Open Data Bristol" platform provides programmatic access via an API, with an OpenAPI definition available in both JSON and HTML formats.
https://opendata.bristol.gov.uk/api/search/v1Urban Data Platform & Digital Twin · Live city data dashboard
The Bristol City Office website mentions the 'One City Plan and Dashboard', indicating the existence of a city dashboard related to the One City Plan.
https://opendata.bristol.gov.uk/Public Transport & Real-Time Information · Public transport network
Bristol has an extensive bus network, with First Bus operating over 100 routes in Bristol, Bath, and the West, and network maps available for planning journeys. There are also plans for a Portishead to Bristol railway line.
https://www.firstbus.co.uk/bristol-bath-and-west/plan-journey/network-mapsFunding Bristol can bid for
123 open calls — grants, tenders and innovation competitions Bristol is eligible for, including UK-wide schemes any place can apply to. Every entry links to its source.
- NationalgrantCloses 15 Sept 2026Help The Homeless Grant Scheme
Help the Homeless
up to £5kApply → - NationalcompetitionCloses 16 Sept 2026Accelerating adoption of quantum enabled sensing and PNT
Innovate UK
up to £14.3m24 month projectEnds 30 Nov 2028 - NationalgrantCloses 16 Sept 2026Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure 2: Energy Efficiency
Innovate UK, Department for Transport (DfT)
- NationalgrantCloses 16 Sept 2026Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure 2: Electric Power
Innovate UK, Department for Transport
- Nationalinnovation-callCloses 16 Sept 2026Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure Two (ZEVI 2): Alternative Fuels
Innovate UK, Department for Transport
- Nationalinnovation-callCloses 16 Sept 2026Quantum computing applications for large scale impact: CR&D
Innovate UK
up to £13m - NationalgrantCloses 16 Sept 2026Healthy Heart Grants 2026
Heart Research UK
- NationalgrantCloses 17 Sept 2026Researcher Challenges Grants 2026
British Council
- NationalgrantCloses 18 Sept 2026Coastal Communities Fund Grant Scheme 2026
Moray Council
£10k–£50kApply → - NationalgrantCloses 18 Sept 2026Lowland Peat Water Implementation Grant
Environment Agency
- NationalgrantCloses 18 Sept 2026Second Year Of Moray Coastal Community Fund Opens For Bids
Moray Council
£10k–£50kApply → - NationalgrantCloses 18 Sept 2026Moray Council’s Coastal Community Fund
Moray Council
£10k–£50k
Showing 12 of 123 — see them all in the explorer.
About this assessment
Bristol was assessed against the 86 criteria of the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework on 2026-09-03 by AI agents gathering evidence from official public sources. Each criterion is marked present, partial or absent, and every finding links to where it was found. Scores refresh continuously as cities publish new evidence.