Great Western Coffee Shop

I noticed a few days ago this interesting article

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/apr/15/luton-airport-ends-bus-transfers-fast-track-rail-link (http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/apr/15/luton-airport-ends-bus-transfers-fast-track-rail-link)

If a town the size of Luton can commit to a ^200M light rail solution, why can't cities around the West (Bristol, Bath, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Swindon, Exeter, Plymouth) implement similar plans part of integrated transport plans for their communities.

Do they own an airport from which they can extract revenues to pay for it?

It's nothing to do with the size of the community, it's the fact that they have an airport which is growing rapidly (12m pax increased by around 18% a year), and they reckon that the investment will make the airport even more attractive.  Fairly uniquely, they still own their airport, which means that it's arguably a lot easier to justify the investment in surrounding infrastructure.

Little chance of that at Bristol though, as it's even more on a hill and further away from the railway so the cost would be enormous. Now if only...

Actually, this was required investment by EasyJet who wouldn't sign up to stay at the airport without it.

All good reasons, shame that Bristol Airport, Bristol, Southmead Hospital, company behind the Mall, the company behind Aztech West, company behind Bradley Stoke and the company behind Emerson Green couldn't come to a deal!

The key to my point, not well formed, is that urban development and redevelopment happens in phases, and each development could add 'a bit' to a light rail/metro solution.

All of the cities and urban areas of the west should initiate long term metro/light rail schemes. The initial projects would be laughed at as white elephants, but as time progresses and new schemes added a viable system would evolve. Long term planning is needed.

More a shame that Bristol's transport needs are decided by the unelected unaccountable self-serving oligarchy that is the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership. That has two councils dedicated to road building outvoting the major conurbation.