Great Western Coffee Shop

A bendy bus scheme is to be introduced in Bristol within the next two years.

The government is to fund the ^42m project for the city as part of its overall future transport strategy for England.

The route planned for the bus is from the Long Ashton park-and-ride site and along Cumberland Road before heading through the city to Temple Meads.

Bendy buses have been phased out in London, with the capital's mayor calling them "much-loathed vehicles".

Money for the scheme has been set aside as part of the Regional Funding Allocation - a process of prioritising major transport schemes across the whole of the south west region over the next 10 years.

Maybe they could buy the bendy buses from Boris?  ;)

Bristol bridge to be closed to cars, vans and lorries

A bridge used by commuters and visitors to Bristol's harbourside is set to be closed to cars, vans and lorries.

Within four years the Prince Street Bridge, which spans the docks near the Arnolfini arts centre, will have one lane used by the proposed bendy buses from Long Ashton park and ride into the city centre, while the other will be restricted to pedestrians and cyclists.

One lane was closed earlier this year, which led to an outcry and fears of traffic jams in nearby streets, particularly at peak times.

It will also mean motorists will have a lengthy detour to reach Prince Street or car parking in The Grove or Queen Square.

But Bristol's transport leader Jon Rogers said the volume of traffic using the Grade II-listed bridge was "not high" and he does not believe that full closure will lead to traffic chaos. He said: "The levels of traffic using the bridge are not high and predictions of traffic chaos following a trial reduction in traffic did not turn out to be at all accurate. The chaos was in fact non-existent and I don't expect to hear that word connected with this bridge any more. Motorists are keen that we provide the kind of high-quality public transport that will tempt them out of their cars and well, this is it. It's time to bite the bullet. We're opening the bridge to a high-quality fast and efficient mode of public transport never seen before in Bristol. I am confident that many people who currently drive over the bridge will use it."

The bridge closure will be part of a Transport and Works Act Order to be submitted by Bristol and North Somerset councils early in the new year. The order will provide the legal consent to build the ^48 million first rapid transit route in Bristol, which is hoped to be up and running by 2013.

Transport experts looked at various ways to route the bendy buses over the docks, including building a new bridge. They also considered widening and strengthening Prince Street Bridge.

The council spent ^40,000 on alterations to the bridge to make it a one-lane system in January, with traffic lights controlling cars and cyclists.

The rapid transit is intended to provide an affordable, fast and reliable solution to Bristol's congestion.

Stops on the route would include Ashton Gate, the proposed site for Bristol City's stadium near Ashton Vale, Spike Island, the soon-to-be renovated Museum of Bristol, Cabot Circus, Broadmead and the Arnolfini.

Bendy Buses carry far more people as far as I know!

Bristol is one step closer to benefitting from ^48m worth of improvements to its public transport system, Transport Minister Paul Clark announced today whilst visiting the city.

The plans, which have received initial Government approval, involve creating a new express bus service ^ called a Rapid Transit Route ^ from Long Ashton Park and Ride to Bristol Temple Meads and on to Cabot Circus, Broadmead and the Centre.  A significant part of the route would be on dedicated roads and bus lanes.

There are also plans to increase bus services on the Ashton Vale to Temple Meads route.

The aim of the scheme is to ease congestion and reduce journey times for commuters and it is part of a series of bus improvements planned in the West Country.

Transport Minister Paul Clark said:

^An efficient and reliable transport system is the lifeblood of every local community. This is why we^re investing significant amounts of money in Bristol's infrastructure. Today's announcement seeks to tackle congestion in the city, whilst presenting real alternatives to the car. The West of England is a prosperous area with a good standard of living and its reputation is growing internationally. So it is only right that it has a world class transport system to match."

Also included in proposals are:
^ parallel cycling lanes and routes for pedestrians between the Museum of Bristol and Long Ashton Park and Ride
^ additional bus services to provide faster journey times and improved reliability for services to Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon and Nailsea
^ ticket machines at bus stops and user-friendly electronic information displays

Today's decision means that Bristol City Council can move forward with detailed planning for the scheme.

If Brunel was alive today, I wonder what he would do?

Not spend the money on yet more buses! They just don't get it do they, people won't get out of their cars to get on a bus but many would to get on a tram. Just looking at the success of tram networks around the country. Shame it will probably never happen in this part of the world.

Bristol tram plan may replace bendy buses

A planned ^42m bendy bus scheme for Bristol could be replaced by a cheaper tram scheme.

The bus plan was originally announced in 2009 and would have linked Long Ashton park-and-ride with Temple Meads.

Bristol City Council has met with tram consultants Sustraco who claim switching to trams could save the authority money.

The council will now meet with a government minister to discuss whether either scheme is viable.

Councillor Gary Hopkins, the council's transport spokesman, said the authority was aware that funding was a big issue. "We are aware the government are reviewing the costings on these schemes and the different viabilities," he said. "As some of the money will come from government then we have to be sensitive to their views. If government decides we'd much rather support a different type of technology then what we're saying to them is we're happy with what we've bid for but if you feel there's a different way forward we'll listen."

Bristol had planned a city-wide ^200m tram scheme nine years ago but it was scrapped in 2004 because of escalating costs.

So are these proper rail based trams, or trams that can run on the road and rails?

Trams plan unveiled for Bristol harbour

Plans have been unveiled for a pioneering tram system in Bristol which its backers have said will help cut congestion on the city's roads.

It would use ultra-light trams which campaigners say are cheaper and cleaner than buses.

Would be interesting to see a class 66  running along a tramline through Bristol

Plans in place for bendy bus stop outside station

Fears Bristol's proposed ^50 million bendy bus route will fail to adequately serve passengers at Temple Meads railway station have been eased.

A public inquiry into the much-criticised project yesterday heard plans were being drawn up to ensure buses travelling on the route between the city centre and Ashton Vale would stop directly outside the station.

One of transport campaigners' main objections to the guided bus route, known as a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, was its lack of a dedicated bus stop serving the station. They complained that the proposed stop for Temple Meads was located 400m away and across the Temple Way dual carriageway at Temple Circus roundabout.

But at the public inquiry, which will decide the fate of the Government-backed project, it was announced plans are in place to move the stop to outside the Old Passenger Shed in Friary, Temple Quay.

Under the plans, buses would travel along Friary and back again to reach the passenger shed, which could house the station's new entrance when it is turned into a terminus for services using the planned high-speed electric train service to and from London.

Speaking at the inquiry at Armada House in Bristol city centre, the city council's service manager for major projects Bob Fowler said another option would be for buses to go along Friary, past the Wetherspoons pub in Temple Quay, along Temple Back East and back onto Temple Way.

But Mr Fowler told the hearing that the plans to locate the stop in Temple Circus may have to go ahead regardless, because the other proposals to have a closer stop had not been agreed. He said they were part of negotiations over the creation of a new transport hub on a piece of land next to Temple Meads called Plot 6.

Mr Fowler said the plans for a bus stop in Friary "were still the ambition of the project". He admitted that the Temple Circus stop would involve passengers having to cross at two crossings to reach Temple Meads.

On Tuesday, objector Sue Flint, of Transport for Greater Bristol Alliance, told the inquiry the BRT route was "not a good example of connectivity" because it failed to serve the city's main railway station. She said: "The bus stop isn't near Temple Meads. It will require passengers to walk over a number of road junctions to reach the station and the Enterprise Zone."

At yesterday's hearing, Mr Fowler said the city could take confidence from the success of a BRT route recently set up in Cambridge. But he conceded that creating the guided busway in Bristol would lead to the loss of many on-street car parking spaces in Cumberland Road.

The inquiry, which is being heard because objections were made against the plans, started on Tuesday and is set to last six weeks. The route involves buses travelling on the road as well as on sections of guided concrete track from 2015. It is not clear whether bendy buses, double deckers, or other vehicles will be used.

If Brunel was alive today, I wonder what he would do?

It is true that it requires two parallel rails sunk into the road and the provision of a power supply ...

If Brunel was alive today, I wonder what he would do?

Transport minister: "I'm looking forward to working with Bristol mayor"

Transport minister Patrick McLoughlin was in Bristol today for David Cameron's Cabinet meeting - and afterwards met bosses from First Great Western and Network Rail at Temple Meads station.

The minister said that he is looking forward to working with the city^s first elected mayor.
 
He went on to say that the problems surrounding the tendering process for the Great Western franchise should be ironed out by the end of the year.

Mr McLoughlin said: ^This is a fantastic facility and a fantastic station and there has been a big increase in demand for rail travel in recent years. It is fantastic that such a great city as Bristol is going to get a great city to match its aspirations.^

The minister said he saw the new mayor as a vital role for the city in terms of transport and business.

He said: ^It will be a great help for me to be able to speak to one individual voice in the city. The elected may will be one clear single voice that we will be able to speak to directly.

^The mayor will be a major voice for Bristol. When I want to speak to someone about transport I can go directly to Boris and hopefully it will work the same way in Bristol.^

The city has been awarded ^130 million to help pay for a new Rapid Transit System but some of the of the candidates have voiced objections to the scheme.

However, Mr McLoughlin is said he is willing to talk directly to the new mayor on a number of issues. He did not rule out moving the cash to another scheme but added that he was keen to work with the new mayor as soon as the election has been settled.

The row over the West Coast Mainline franchise has left a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the bidding to run train services between London and Bristol.

The bidding process has been put on hold after the Government was forced to admit it had made serious mistakes in the process.

Mr McLoughlin said: ^We are holding a number of inquiries which are due to report by the end of the month. The hope is that once we have the findings then we will be able to continue in the bidding process.

^At the same time we want to make sure that Bristol and the south West will continue to get the train service it deserves.^

'Mr McLoughlin said: ^This is a fantastic facility and a fantastic station and there has been a big increase in demand for rail travel in recent years. It is fantastic that such a great city as Bristol is going to get a great city to match its aspirations.^'

I take it, FTN, you did not notice this, as reported, ridiculous mangling of the English language.

Apart from that, I do not see how you could read into it that BRT was up for change.

The city has been awarded ^130 million to help pay for a new Rapid Transit System but some of the of the candidates have voiced objections to the scheme.

However, Mr McLoughlin is said he is willing to talk directly to the new mayor on a number of issues. He did not rule out moving the cash to another scheme but added that he was keen to work with the new mayor as soon as the election has been settled.

by Brizz_Tony Monday, November 12 2012, 5:42PM
^I think I like Patrick McLoughlin. He has just driven a stake through the heart of the last desperate reason offered by the Lib Dems for not messing with BRT, and the stupid ^50 million BRT2 route. Doubtless Gary Hopkins will disagree, but me and my new mate Pat know what's best for this fantastic city.^

I noticed it - and, to be brutally honest (personal opinion) I merely put it down to sloppy journalism.

Apart from that, I do not see how you could read into it that BRT was up for change.

Hmm.  From that Bristol Post article:

Note also one of the comments added to that Bristol Post article:


I'm not taking sides, merely pointing out the context.  ;)

Because the valley lines have a more intensive service, with four tph or more on much of the network thus making electrification more cost effective than a service which at best is unlikely to be more than 2 tph.

That's the simple answer, but sometimes branches with a less frequent service can merit electrification if the amount of running under the wires is a significant part of the route (as will be the case for the Maesteg line), or if it eliminates the need to maintain a small fleet of different stock.  Neither of these is likely to be the case for the SB line for many years, as there will still be a significant DMU presence in the Bristol area.

Though never say never, and I may be proved wrong, such is the impetus towards electrification at the moment.

The plans for the Greater Bristol Metro, at least as published earlier, would see 2 tph Portishead to Severn Beach, 2 tph Bath to Severn Beach, or a minimum 4 tph from Temple Meads to Severn Beach. That would certainly merit electrification to enable a true Metro style service with EMUs, because of all the advantages that brings over diesel power when running services with short distances between stations.

Montpelier is very handy for, well, Montpelier. There are many homes within a few minutes' walk of the station in its present position, particularly when you include the Cromwell Road side of the footbridge. Moving the station towards Chelthenham Road would risk upsetting more people than would be pleased.

Regarding electrification, the government plans to have an electric route from Derby to Avonmouth via Birmingham.  That would see the Henbury loop energised. As the Severn Beach line is occasionally used by freight - I have seen empty coal trains heading down there - it would make sense to do that too. None of this is likely before 2019. The electrification train is not due to be built until next year, yet its every move will be planned by then for the next 6 years. Once the current planned electrification is done, it would make sense to see it continuing its work, until the whole network is done.

I agree about the Henbury dog-leg to the Mall. That should be a condition of any planning consent for Filton Airfield - due to close on 21 December 2012 in one of the worst ideas mooted for the Bristol area. Incidentally, the whole of the equipment there is for sale in an  grandiose eBay style sale. (http://www.go-dove.com/en/event-16773/BAE-Systems-Filton-Airfield-Air-Traffic-Control-Systems/lots?AP=1&Auction_ID&CF&EventID=16773&HideReserveItems&LastSortBy&LF=Filton%2C+Bristol%2C+United+Kingdom&PP=50&UserName&Show=All+Assets+by+Close+Date&SortBy=paddedinventoryid&SortDir=asc&SortAction) If you've ever wanted a radar system, now's your chance.

anthony215,

I am obliged. I didn't know there was a second train. I am aware of the cement train, which will do the bases for the gantries - not that, is it?