Tardis - the latest way to travel around Bristol?

[whole diary]

[Western Pathfinder]

Let me know if you want to use my sonic screwdriver .

[eightonedee]

I think it might be the retro-fitted diesel engine and generator fitted to enable it to travel through the parts of the space and time continuum not yet equipped with power sources compatible with your on-board crystal

[TonyK]

You might be right. It was supposed to be electrified in the 1990s.

[Christina Biggs FOSBR]

Well I hope it won't just be me turning up on Friday!!! I don't think they listen to the usual suspects any more - but they do definitely like it when new faces - "real people" who actually live near the proposed rail stations - actually come.

Not too late to put in a statement, even if you can't attend to speak to it.

Email democratic.services@westofengland-ca.org.uk by the Thursday 26 July 12 noon deadline.

I like the suggestion of suggesting consultation questions - great idea. Why don't you wise men come up with some and submit them as a statement (too late for formal questions now I'm afraid!)?

Re your TransWilts statement, Grahame - why don't you just email James White direct? Or you could come to a meeting with the new WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) Infrastructure head once the WECA Head of Transport has been appointed - he's interested in meeting with the rail people - he's even been to Tytherington and started to think about Westerleigh Junction!

Tina

[grahame]

We do seem to be getting somewhere by simply turning up time after time over almost ten years in my own case, and trying to tailor our statements to current issues, if only in terms of personal trust and mutual respect with both officers and elected members.

Well I hope it won't just be me turning up on Friday!!! I don't think they listen to the usual suspects any more - but they do definitely like it when new faces - "real people" who actually live near the proposed rail stations - actually come.

Err ... I find that a it inconsistent. Or have I missed something?

The truth is probably somewhere between the two extremes.   On one hand, respect and understanding is built up, and a re-assurance of continuity should the future be routed in the direction you advocate.  But there is also an desire to see the wider support for what you're suggesting to double-clarify that you / we / whoever are not just noisy pressure groups who's volume is disproportionate to their size.

Yes - "they" like it when they get new (and strong and overwhelming) inputs in a particular direction.   The wider base of inputs from both old hands and new helps decisions along where there's a real choice, and bearing in mind that those decisions really have to stack up and make the grade.  And that latter is hugely difficult to achieve in suggestions put forward by interested and bright people - but people who don't and can't have the total picture prior to making their inputs.

I am - relieved - that the "red franchise" and "blue franchise" split proposed in the GW^▸ (Great Western) Franchise consultation has been decided against.  Lots of reasons, amongst them I'm sure that there was a flood of inputs saying "no" to only a trickle saying "yes please"; had the balance of inputs been the other way, I suspect the decision would have been a different one.  So these various inputs do make a difference.  Look also at the Severn Beach line; as I recall, the service step to 3 trains every 2 hours was very much a community supported / suggested idea and it's worked a treat, and on my own local line I suspect we would not  have had a service improvement without support displayed from the terriers amongst us who keep at it, and the greyhounds who sprint through - briefly seen between long periods of sleep, but there in the background at other times (I am writing this with a greyhound asleep - head on my feet!)

[Christina Biggs FOSBR]

Thanks for the encouragement Graham - yes, I think I meant what you said - they like the continuity of attendance but they also like getting confirmation that the outside world does indeed care about what they do.

Thanks also for the acknowlegement of the 40 minute service win in 2008 - something I was not part of as I arrived the year after the instatement of the service - in fact was recruited by attending the 1-year anniversary party. I do hope though that we will see further wins, though they seem to be taking a long time in the pipeline.

But as I said to James White, I guess if I stay in Bristol I'll be making statements into my nineties - such is the timescale of rail!

Tina

[grahame]

But as I said to James White, I guess if I stay in Bristol I'll be making statements into my nineties - such is the timescale of rail!

Oh - I intend to be around encouraging public transport use into my 90s.  That's because I believe in good, sustainable mass transit with micro connections, because I enjoy doing it, and because I want to re-assure anyone I come across who picks up the things I'm helping advocate that I'm not just a fair weather friend.

[Christina Biggs FOSBR]

Well, in the end only the usual two of us (DR and me) turned up to WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) despite lots of emails - though two of our allies put in statements and questions, I know from past experience that there will not be a lot of impact from that.

Next WECA meeting is Friday 28 September - it will be where WECA will publish the consultation draft of the Joint Local Transport Plan. We'll be checking the online agenda a week in advance and hope to have some real people shovel-ready (as such) though it will fall between the stools of interacting upstream of WECA and having time to put together a proper business (and public support) case for the stuff not included. We will hopefully have recruited our two MSc students from UWE by then so at least they can attend.

Tina

[martyjon]

I was there too, where, the WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) meeting.

[TonyK]

Next WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) meeting is Friday 28 September - it will be where WECA will publish the consultation draft of the Joint Local Transport Plan.

Expect more MetroBust, following the soaraway success of the one that actually opened.

[martyjon]

Next WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) meeting is Friday 28 September - it will be where WECA will publish the consultation draft of the Joint Local Transport Plan.

Expect more MetroBust, following the soaraway success of the one that actually opened.

That should read ;-

Expect more MetroBust, following the "soaraway success" of the one that actually opened.

Actually mention was made at the WECA meeting of a deal being done to provide some support to First to operate the Long Ashton - South Bristol Link Road - Hengrove section and for making an approach to the charity that will be running the M1 route to run the 10 which is being abandoned by the withdrawal of Wessex from September.

[Bmblbzzz]

Re: people who turn up at these WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) meetings. I've never been to one but I have a feeling the majority of people there (apart from those attending on a professional basis) were men in their 60s. If they didn't schedule these meetings during the working day, they might get a wider and more varied input.

[grahame]

Re: people who turn up at these WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) meetings. I've never been to one but I have a feeling the majority of people there (apart from those attending on a professional basis) were men in their 60s. If they didn't schedule these meetings during the working day, they might get a wider and more varied input.

I've attended a couple of WECA meetings and the 'public gallery' is far less biased towards recently-senior males than many meetings of other groups - even those that meet at weekends or in the evening. I was a bit surprised.

I'm not sure how you best get wide engagement on pretty technical stuff from people who are not doing it as a profession. Your railway/bus societies (including some "user" groups) have a club / old buddies / social element and atmosphere which is absent from WECA meetings.   And your WECA meetings need considerable reading in and preparation if you're going to use them as an effective input tool.

[Bmblbzzz]

Re: people who turn up at these WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) meetings. I've never been to one but I have a feeling the majority of people there (apart from those attending on a professional basis) were men in their 60s. If they didn't schedule these meetings during the working day, they might get a wider and more varied input.

I've attended a couple of WECA meetings and the 'public gallery' is far less biased towards recently-senior males than many meetings of other groups - even those that meet at weekends or in the evening. I was a bit surprised.

Okay, that sounds encouraging.

I'm not sure how you best get wide engagement on pretty technical stuff from people who are not doing it as a profession. Your railway/bus societies (including some "user" groups) have a club / old buddies / social element and atmosphere which is absent from WECA meetings.   And your WECA meetings need considerable reading in and preparation if you're going to use them as an effective input tool.

I don't know. Clearly the more technical the item under consideration, the more engaged and knowledgeable you need to be to give any useful input. The non-technical attendees can still be useful to give a sense of what end-users would like; subject to all the caveats about representation.

[TonyK]

I don't know. Clearly the more technical the item under consideration, the more engaged and knowledgeable you need to be to give any useful input. The non-technical attendees can still be useful to give a sense of what end-users would like; subject to all the caveats about representation.

Often, it isn't the pure technical side that is being discussed, if the papers for the meetings are anything to go by. And after all, you don't need to know why there are 24 blades in a Rolls Royce Trent 900 engine* to tell easyJet that their Croque Monsieurs stick to the cardboard in the packet when heated.

(*I don't know either.)