Bristol tram plan may replace bendy buses plan (merged topics)

[whole diary]

[John R]

So is that curtains for the line alongside New Cut to the Create Centre then?

[paul7575]

The notes to teh announcement explain:

Today^s announcement grants the Ashton Vale to Temple Meads and Bristol City Centre Bus Rapid Transit major scheme ^Programme Entry^ status in line with the Department for Transport^s local major scheme guidance approval process, meaning the Department expects to fund the scheme subject to availability of funds, costs remaining the same, and the relevant planning permission being obtained.

So no money has changed hands. These and other recent DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) announcements are very much initial approvals - wonder why they are so common all of a sudden...

Paul

[John R]

Can't possibly imagine. 

[Adrian the Rock]

What gets me about Bristol is that, if they put their minds to it, they could probably have a jolly decent tram network given the various ex-rail trackbeds and other lightly-used lines in the area.

First, Lawrence Hill (High Level!) to Mangotsfield, or maybe even as far as Yate.  Second, the Severn Beach branch looks to me like the sort of line that should have been chosen in the first place for those tram-train experiments they originally had the mad idea of trying on Sheffield - Huddersfield.  It seems to me the Severn Beach line has always struggled as a heavy rail line - a service at most half hourly is not going to be very attractive within a conurbation - but if the passenger services were converted to trams (with the route remaining its capability for freight and other diversions) - a more frequent service could be provided, perhaps with additional stations, and that'd probably make a huge difference.

In the other direction, do the same with the Portishead line and include Parson St and Bedminster in the tram services.  Same calculus applies - the line is probably too short to be a really viable heavy rail passenger route, but trams would probably be a huge hit like NET is in Nottingham.

Okay, I don't have a grand plan for the central section, but I'd have thought something could be worked out - if not on-street running then at least sharing NR^» (Network Rail - home page) tracks between Lawrence Hill and Parson St.

Otheer possibilities would include running up to Filton Abbey Wood and Parkway (with the main lines between Dr Days Bridge Jvt and Filtoon reinstated and used as the NR lines, or even re-opening Severn Beach to Patchway and possibly beyond.

[John R]

Go back 30 years and there was indeed such a plan. "Avon Metro" appeared in a 1980 Modern Railways and was heavily promoted by Richard Cotterell. Sadly nothing ever happened, for reasons that will be known to many, and are far too long to go into here.

[Cruithne3753]

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

[Chris from Nailsea]

He would probably be shaking his head over such a lost opportunity. 

See http://www.tramdev.clara.net/hist.htm for some background on the Avon Metro. 

[Timmer]

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.

[Brucey]

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.

Having spent my life living in Portsmouth before moving to Bristol, we've had out fair share of elaborate tram system proposals.  All that happens is they end up building more bus lanes and buying new buses, which are just as underused as the previous ones. 

Bristol certainly needs a public transport link (not buses) to the city centre.  The lack of this connection could be one of the factors which causes the congestion around this area.  An underground system would probably be needed, otherwise the trams would cause even more chaos on the roads.

[TheLastMinute]

Oh, if only we still lived in Avon...

[dog box]

Severn Beach Line struggling??.....well if you think full and standing at peak times equals struggling

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

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.

[standclearplease]

I'll believe it when I see it! 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-11499496

[anthony215]

If Trams are cheaper than the FTR^▸ (Fitness To Run) bendy bus then maybe someone at Swansea council should look at a tramlink betwen Swansea & Mumbles.

Wasnt the problems with the Bristol tram scheme that the  local aunthorities couldnt agree on the proposals or somthing?

[Chris from Nailsea]

I've merged a few topics here - as usual, in the interests of continuity and clarity ...