Bristol connections: Metro, Bus Rapid Transit, PTE, ITA and local councils - discussion

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

On other matters, I have had my eyes turned towards Roadworks.org, where I read that roadworks are scheduled from 25 July 2013 to 25 January 2015, including a full week closure:

High impact, delays likely
 Location :  Berwick Road to number 358 Stapleton Road
 Description :  Structural and masonry repairs to railway bridges. Road closure for 1 week within this period.
 Current status:  Advanced planning
 Traffic lights, etc:  Road closure
 Queries should be addressed to Bristol City Council quoting reference QF010TC1266
 Work info last modified 13:00 on 23/05/2013
 Last updated on roadworks.org 18:03 on 07/06/2013
 Data source Bristol City Council

Four Track, Now?

I don't like to quote myself, but this has now come much closer. Stapleton Road is to close for a week from 28 October. Scaffolding went up yesterday in the space between the two bridges, mainly against the east side of the "live" bridge, between Stapleton Road and the M32. The whole interpontal section has been fenced off to included the "dormant" bridge. The cycle path is to close in two places for up to 6 weeks. I'm around there weekly, and will keep an eye.

I'm loving the plural "bridges".

[JayMac]

"interpontal"

My word for the day. 

[TonyK]

"interpontal"

My word for the day. 

I toyed with "interpuntal", but saw the obvious problems. Pint?

[JayMac]

Pint?

Well... if you're offering....

But I think it's my round. 

[TonyK]

I was working in the Stapleton Road area today, and given the road was closed at the bridge, I decided to leave the car at home. It was a bit of a schlep from FT,N Towers, so I decided to get the train back to BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains), then the bus, rather than walk it again. By carefully planned chance, I had a camera in my pocket...



Quite what was being done with the digger, I could not tell. The scale of the scaffolding is apparent, as is the interpontal compound.

From the footbridge, one can see the car park and storage compound set up by Carillion in what was the southern bit of Eastside Roots...



...although thankfully, to the north, they still grow an  ingredient for my favourite beverage.



I saw men on the old metal bridge, although I could not tell if there had been any clearance work done:



This is new:



Now, I'm no Renzo Piano, but I don't think I would have put this so close to the bottom of the steps from the footbridge. Not good feng shui, they tell me.

For all the signs and publicity, there was a steady stream of cars, presumably looking to see if they can really get through, turning around when the truth becomes apparent. But for them, the place was eerily quiet - so quiet, indeed, that one could hear the birds coughing.

[the void]

This is new:



Now, I'm no Renzo Piano, but I don't think I would have put this so close to the bottom of the steps from the footbridge. Not good feng shui, they tell me.

it's not actually new, it used to be under the old bridge, but when they built the new bridge further down the platform and knocked the old one down it found itself in this rather unfortunate and unsightly position.

[SandTEngineer]

I'm not going to tell you what its for but I can assure you its been there since at least 1971......

[chuffed]

Just make sure the newts have their sponsors names rubbed off first !

http://tinyurl.com/p9wkoe8

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

Government approves Bristol 'rapid transit' metrobus scheme

The government has given its approval to the planned "rapid transit" bus route through Bristol.

The Secretary of State for Transport rubber stamped a transport and works order for the Ashton Vale to Temple Meads metrobus.

The West of England Joint Transport Executive Committee, made up of local authority partners, has been developing the scheme since 2006.

It is part of a wider plan to improve public transport across the west.

A spokesman for the committee said: "This is a hugely significant milestone for metrobus and a compelling endorsement of the project."

Earlier in the year, Bristol mayor George Ferguson amended the route so that the rapid transit buses no longer run along the Harbourside but along Cumberland Road instead.

He said he did not want to see buses "clogging up" the bridge or compromising the harbourside area "ambience".

This change in the plan will still need planning permission if the ^50m project is to be delivered by 2016.

[chuffed]

I put this under the Bristol commuters thread so you might like to merge them Chris.

I think the last branding on the great crested newts said Co-op Portishead as they were found very near, where work on the new Sainsburys is about to start !

[TonyK]

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

Government approves Bristol 'rapid transit' metrobus scheme

The government has given its approval to the planned "rapid transit" bus route through Bristol.

The Secretary of State for Transport rubber stamped a transport and works order for the Ashton Vale to Temple Meads metrobus.

The West of England Joint Transport Executive Committee, made up of local authority partners, has been developing the scheme since 2006.

It is part of a wider plan to improve public transport across the west.

A spokesman for the committee said: "This is a hugely significant milestone for metrobus and a compelling endorsement of the project."

Earlier in the year, Bristol mayor George Ferguson amended the route so that the rapid transit buses no longer run along the Harbourside but along Cumberland Road instead.

He said he did not want to see buses "clogging up" the bridge or compromising the harbourside area "ambience".

This change in the plan will still need planning permission if the ^50m project is to be delivered by 2016.

A dark day indeed in th e history of Bristol transport. One small step for a man, one huge leap backwards for a city. The Bristol Post has slightly more on this historic millstone. Shan't bother quoting, so click the link.

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

South Bristol link road: North Somerset Council gives approval


The combined road and bus route also includes new cycle and pedestrian paths

Plans for the proposed south Bristol link road have been approved by one of the two local authorities involved with the scheme.

North Somerset councillors has voted in favour of the 3.1-mile (5km) road linking the A370, near Long Ashton, to the Cater Road roundabout in Hartcliffe.

Bristol City Council will decide on the plan at the end of November.

If it too approves the proposal, the road is due to be built by 2017.

The West of England partnership said the road would alleviate congestion.

The combined road and bus route also includes new cycle and pedestrian paths.

Bristol City and North Somerset Councils are contributing some ^15m towards the cost of the road with other funding coming from the Department for Transport.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I put this under the Bristol commuters thread so you might like to merge them Chris.

Thanks, chuffed: I've now done so. 

[TonyK]

That picture is just missing a few swaying palm trees, a group of happy children of various ethnic origins, and maybe a dodo and a unicorn for balance. The truth will be nose to tail cars and lorries through the day, with two or three empty buses an hour trying to tempt people from Hengrove to the centre via Long Ashton

[Chris from Nailsea]

Indeed: that rather rosy artistic impression of what purportedly will be a "combined road and bus route" which "also includes new cycle and pedestrian paths" features neither buses nor cycles.