MetroBus

[whole diary]

[simonw]

The Greater Bristol area as so many options

• New Arena in Temple Quarter
• No clear plans for BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) upgrade, no parking

or

• New Arena in Cribbs Causeway, New Snow Centre and Mall extension
• Clear plans for rail link to Henbury in the area, Clear plans for Bristol Parkway/Metrobus link and 10K parking spaces

Whilst sense dictates that the central Bristol option is better,  I'd not bet against Cribbs Causeway team and SGC.

The recent successful completion of the South Bristol Link should have been a mark of success for the project, but the protests in Bedminster show that Metrobus have learned nothing in working with communities to reassure them.

[Bmblbzzz]

Arena at Filton or Cribbs could run into political problems precisely that it is not in Bristol City. And then there's the Bristol City (other one!) "super stadium" idea.

[TonyK]

I was talking with someone yesterday about the Metro Mayor idea and how it interacts with projects such as MetroBus. We concluded that one of the prime things any likely Metro Mayor is going to want to do is make it easier for people to live in SGlos, N. Som and rural parts of BNES while working in Bristol and Bath; and the way they (the commuters, ie voters) are going to want to do that is by driving. So any excuse for road building (though self-defeating in the long, or even short, term) will be a mayoral vote winner.

I'm not voting for you then!

...some new car parks will "have" to be built, eg for Teh Arenal...

Will they? Who says? I am aware that the local Flat Earthers have been shouting that at their teddies, but then they don't seem to have noticed that said Arenal is within a few metres of a large railway station - not to mention its proximity bus routes, cycles paths, ferry stops and - hey - car parks.

I have made those very points elsewhere. Unless you have a Justin Bieber concert at the Arenal at the same time as the start of late-night Christmas shopping, there is ample parking within a 10-minute walk (or 15 minute bus ride) of the place. Adequate information about public transport on event booking sites will help greatly. Daytime events will be slightly more problematic, but don't forget that people want to come to events and will find a way to get there. The economic case for building a large car park that will stand empty for much of the time is not easily made - you would need the warped logic that got us MetroBust to make it look viable.

As an example, look at the annual Balloon Fiesta. That attracts ten times the number of people who will be going to the Arenal. Not only is parking extremely limited (and expensive) but local roads are closed even to pedestrians.

[simonw]

I think we have reached the point in Greater Bristol that new road schemes are dead, except for a few schemes lie the Stoke Gifford Bypass, South Bristol Link road.

Anyone advocating a car based transport policy in Greater Bristol will not be elected. We need a funded transport policy with train, light rail, bus and safe cycle routes.

[John R]

Regarding car parking at the arena I'd make the following observation. In the last couple of years I've been to concerts in Cardiff, Birmingham and Manchester. Although a great advocate of public transport, on every occasion I've driven. Why? Because the time evening concerts end (and the uncertainty over precisely what time) is not conducive to guaranteeing public transport home. And there will be a sizeable proportion of attendees for whom it won't be a sensible option at any time of day, eg Forest of Dean, the rural parts of Somerset, and so on.

[Bmblbzzz]

I think we have reached the point in Greater Bristol that new road schemes are dead, except for a few schemes lie the Stoke Gifford Bypass, South Bristol Link road.

Anyone advocating a car based transport policy in Greater Bristol will not be elected. We need a funded transport policy with train, light rail, bus and safe cycle routes.

I think – unfortunately – that the Metro Mayor will not be elected by the votes of Bristol but by Yate, Yatton, Keynsham and Clutton, and moreover that what we need is not what we want. Politicians rarely get elected by offering what we need.

[chuffed]

that the Metro Mayor will not be elected by the votes of Bristol but by Yate, Yatton, Keynsham and Clutton,

Not Yatton or anywhere else in North Somerset for that matter. NSC have in their wisdom, have decided not to have anything to do with a Metro Mayor in any circumstances.

[Bmblbzzz]

Good point! And that's one (or two) of the curious things about this 'Combined Authority'. We were told that it required the agreement of three out of the four UAs, but I don't remember it being explained whether this was a majority decision or a case of individual areas opting out. As it turns out to be the latter, what if Bristol, or even Bath, had said no while the others had agreed? That would have left a curious hole in the middle of the area.

The other point is that there's a widespread feeling in Bristol (and Manchester and Liverpool... ) that this is an attempt to reduce the influence of cities by 'diluting' them with their rural surroundings (some view this in strict party political terms, I'm inclined to see it as a cultural/attitudinal move which goes beyond party politics), while at least some of those rural areas fear it will mean their dominance by the nearby cities. 

[ChrisB]

THe latter is being felt in Oxfordshire too, with the County wanting a UA with their Districts. Although currently, Oxford City are *against* the scheme....

[TonyK]

The other point is that there's a widespread feeling in Bristol (and Manchester and Liverpool... ) that this is an attempt to reduce the influence of cities by 'diluting' them with their rural surroundings

I'm not so sure that is the sentiment in Bristol. Here, the tail is wagging the dog. MetroBust is far from popular in the city, but very much flavour of the month in North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. A metro mayor may have been able to get improvements to public transport instead.

[simonw]

I can assure you that Metrobus IS NOT POPULAR in South Gloucestershire.

What would be popular is a 10 minute service that despite being timetabled does not exist. Frequently as I cycle to BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) in the morning I am passed by 2/3 buses in five minutes. How is that possible at 0620, unless drivers are leaving late or early?

All Metrobus is offering is a faster 73 service. Unless they can get buses to start on time, it is pointless.

[grahame]

All Metrobus is offering is a faster 73 service. Unless they can get buses to start on time, it is pointless.

Oh ch***t - is that the "73" I used from near the RAC tower overlooking Almondsbury to Parkway Station the other week and seemed to have a rather circuitous route and I could almost have walked as quickly.  I saw that it carried on to Temple Meads, but I'm sure there was a misprint of an hour in the timetable as it seemed scheduled to take 60 minutes longer than it should.

[TonyK]

I can assure you that Metrobus IS NOT POPULAR in South Gloucestershire.

I meant the council, not the poor bloody council tax payers. My apologies for the confusion.

[simonw]

Yes, the 73 that is

Cribbs Cuaseway - Patchway - Aztec West - Bradley Stoke - BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) - Filton Ave - Gloucester Road - Centre - BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) and frequently takes 2+ hours and is not uncommon for it to be terminated mid route because drivers have reached their hours.

Once Metrobus started I gave up using the bus and decided to cycle from home to BPW, and catch a train to BTM. So for the same money I get 5 miles cycling, and 2 miles walking for 45 minute journeys each way. A definite improvement!

If First Bus had any sense they'd split the route in two for a BPW-BTM service and Cribbs Causeway - BPW. Both services would be more reliable, less likely for drivers to exhaust their hours due to traffic jams and encourage passengers to use trains.

[Red Squirrel]

Took some pictures around Ashton Swingbridge the other day, showing progress on the guided bit of MetroBus:

Looking from the Long Ashton side towards the Ashton Swingbridge:



The wraps are off the swingbridge, though the path over it has not reopened:



This is looking towards the Floating Harbour, with my back to the swingbridge. The overbridge straight ahead accommodated the branch to Canon's Marsh; a junction at this point gave access to the branch to Wapping Wharf, now used by the Bristol Harbour Railway.



Edit: I realise I've posted this in the wrong thread - if anymody wishes to move it, that'd be fine by me!