My e-mail:
Dear Kay,
May I offer you my congratulations on delivering the first Mayoral address to grace my doormat ^ such enthusiasm is commendable! I have read the address, and write to ask for a little more detail. I look at planning and building issues as a keen layman, but my special interest is public transport. I firmly believe that this is the very cornerstone of everything else that local ^ and national - government does, and that success here will help bring everything else to bear fruit. It is on this single subject that I ask you to put flesh on the bones of your address.
The bus services seem to be improving greatly. I live on the number 1 bus route, now served by micro-hybrid vehicles with workable wifi. Despite being 60 next month, I use the m-ticket facility if I need more than one ride in a day, and a ^three stop hop^ takes me to Temple Meads in as little as 5 minutes from Arnos Vale cemetery. I very much agree with integrating local rail fares into the zonal system that exists for buses. The real problem with buses is the queue of people waiting to pay the ^drive^. You say you will argue for an Oyster▸ card form of payment, but that is going out of fashion in London in favour of IPSO compliant contactless payment. The last time I was in the Metrolopse, I simply tapped my credit card on the machine on the bus for a ^1.50 standard fare. I knew that the maximum for the day would be ^4.40, took full advantage, and registered my card to be able to see an account of my journeys. Would this not be far better than a simple smart card?
^A good park and ride scheme near the northern end of the M32^ is one idea, but would not decent public transport from that end of the city be a better idea? Unlike the three existing park and ride schemes, a decent form of public transport near the end of the M32, or at Cribbs Causeway / Emersons Green / Aztec West would be bi-directional at peak periods, taking people from, for example, Patchway to work in Bristol, and from Bristol to, for example, work in Aztec West.
^New stations around Bristol such as a stop at the Portway A4 Park and Ride with good commuter trains around Bristol and a better Temple Meads^ I seem to recall Cllr Tim Kent announcing that the Portway P&R▸ station would be built by September 2014 at a cost of ^400,000. I gather the current stumbling block is the Port of Bristol, who feel the additional closure time of the level crossing is an issue. The site itself is seldom more than half full, and was arguably built in the wrong place. Closer to Shirehampton station may have solved the matter before it became an issue. You omit mention of the putative stations at Horfield, Ashley Down, Ashton Gate, Henbury and Filton North, despite the platforms still being in place. ^Good commuter trains^ seem to have already been organised with MetroWest Rail (or is it MetroRail West?), although I will believe it when I take the first train to Portishead. A better Temple Meads is already on the cards. What are you proposing for rail that has not already been put on the table with reasonable chance of being brought to fruition within CP6▸ ?
Whilst we are one the subject (I am anyway) you do not mention MetroBus at all, despite this being signed off by the previous Liberal Democrat administration. What is your view of MetroBus, historic, present, and future?
You mention a Transport Authority. Had we had one like Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, Greater London, or the West Midlands to name but a few, we would probably have a state of the art tram system joining the major residential areas to the major employment areas across boundaries marked only by a change in the colour of wheelie bins. How do you aim to achieve this, given that the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership holds sway over all of public transport, and Bristol is heavily outvoted by the two of the three other local authorities who seem to be dedicated to building roads to get their council tax payers to work in Bristol, and in any case by the other 9 votes on the Joint Transport Executive Committee?
I am not picking on you for belonging to a particular political party. I am not, and never have been, a member of a political party. I intend to ask exactly the same questions of every other candidate, and, with your permission, will share the replies with friends to save you having to do so over and over again. This is not a trap, and I am truly a floating voter, although a little weary of the party political format. I will evaluate your pitch with all the others, however many they may be, and will probably rate public transport as my top priority. My passion is for Bristol, a great city which I want to become greater, having lived her for over 38 years.
Best regards,
Four Track, Now!
The candidate's response:
Dear FT, N!,
Many thanks for your detailed and sensible comments. Unfortunately not everyone is as aware of the issues as you are. It is not possible on a short leaflet to discuss many of these things and space necessitates simplifying things down.
1. Regarding the oyster card, you are completely right about techniques moving on. However I have had phone calls and emails from some people in Bristol who don't understand the card payment system, which is why I simplified it in the first place. They don't realise that that is what a bas pass is. A card which can be used on both trains and buses (as in London) could really help if we get improvements to railways around Bristol. Some people may well be reluctant to use debit cards for small amounts. I have heard of problems in London of multiple readings of cards in wallets causing overpayment difficulties.
2. I didn't have the room to mention all the new stations which would really help solve traffic problems. The Henbury loop is one such improvement. The new station at the Portway Park and Ride may now be back in the budget plans and would help to improve use of the car park. The train ride to Clifton is so quick that supplementing the existing bus services would be a great improvement. I use this train to visit members of my family close to Sea Mills station and am aware that a lot of the fares go uncollected.
3. The current plans for the metrobus do not include any parking facilities at the northern end by the M32. The new metrobus system is an improvement but will not help travel across the city from a NW to SE direction and the many commuters from outside the city need a solution which will work for them..
4. A new Temple Meads is on the cards but for when? I realise that refitting Temple Meads is not an easy job but even Bath, a much smaller station, has seen a facelift.
5. The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership is supposed to be a partnership and needs someone with really good negotiatiing skills to make it work. It is not surprising that the other local authorities are wary of Bristol dominance after their still strong recollections of the old Avon county system. The experience and skills of getting people to work together are what I offer.
To make progress so much depends on the transport companies, devolution of power and getting companies and leaders together to get change.
Like you, public transport is my top priority since it addresses many of the other problems Bristol faces, such as lack of access to employment in parts of the city and air pollution causing poor health by increasing illness from respiratory diseases. It even affects inclusion of minority groups who find travel across the city expensive and difficult.
Thank you again,
Kay Barnard
Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of Bristol
And my own response:
Dear Kay,
Thank you for your detailed answers. I am glad that public transport is high on the agenda.
I am a fan of the Severn Beach line, and us it regularly to Shirehampton. I favour the conspiracy theory that the improved service from 2007 was intended to prove it was not viable. The huge increase in passengers since then shows what is possible, and I would like to see capacity increased by bring the junction at Clifton Down to Montpelier, and at Avonmouth to Shirehampton, effectively doubling much of the line relatively cheaply. I am looking forward to the new rolling stock, due to begin arriving in May.
I am not a fan of MetroBus, which is our punishment for not agreeing on the route for what would have been a very efficient tram route. At best, it is a 2005 solution to a 1995 problem, out of step with current technology and with little or no public support. At worst, it is a Trojan horse road building scheme. It is going to cost Bristol dearly and will do little or nothing to help. Because of this, I am also no fan of the LEP» in its dealings with transport. Things will improve in spite of the LEP, not because of it. I favour transferring transport to a proper independent transport authority, with a proper remit and funding for truly integrated public transport, not the disjointed hotch-potch we have now.
I share your frustration at the stalled redevelopment of Temple Meads. As I understand it, Network Rail has come up with less than a third of what the LEP thinks needs spending. Work will be needed because of the electric trains, which I hope will prove to be the catalyst for action. I hope to see the new platforms built as soon as the signalling has been transferred to the Thames Valley Signalling Centre, and access in place direct to the new arena as soon as it opens.
Again, my thanks for your reply ^ you are the first to declare your hand.
I make no recommendation - I just wanted to know a bit more than what was in the leaflet.
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