as he does not like it being called that as well it sounds like the place in Texas.

Dan Norris wants a new name for WECA,I thought he had better things to get on with that finding a new name for the outfit

Cuba?

Clearly Understating Bristol Always

If I capitalise it - CUBA - the abbreviations page should sort it out for you (VickiS - I have updated the live and developement copies)

What's in a name? I want to put the West of England on the map, the awful acronym WECA doesn't actually let anybody know where we are, let alone describe what a wonderful place it is.

WECA?

CUBA is used within local government to mean Counties that Used To Be Avon so it cannot be used for WECA unless North Somerset joins.

West of England Combined Authority

The West of England Combined Authority was created on 9 February 2017. Covering Bristol and the rest of the old Avon county with the exception of North Somerset, the new combined authority has responsibility for regional planning, roads, and local transport, and to a lesser extent, education and business investment. The authority's first mayor, Tim Bowles, was elected in May 2017. One of the first actions of the new authority was the announcement of a new train station to be built at Portway.

Why do I keep thinking that "Big Bristol" would be good - snappy, rather than wordy or worthy. If you favour grammatical logic over memorability, I guess it would have to be "Bigger Bristol".

But then ... is regional political correctness a thing? I suspect so.

Wikipedia confirms

I've never associated WECA with Waco. Isn't the Texan place pronounced "way-co"?

Why do I keep thinking that "Big Bristol" would be good - snappy, rather than wordy or worthy. If you favour grammatical logic over memorability, I guess it would have to be "Bigger Bristol".

But then ... is regional political correctness a thing? I suspect so.

The best suggestion I've heard recently is that it should be renamed 'Bristol and Bath City Region'. People in North Somerset won't like it, and people who live in that part of Bristol known as South Gloucestershire might not like it either, but at least everyone would know where it was!

I see it now.

Western Urban & Rural Zones Legislature Executive.

Sporting a Brand New Combine Harvester logo.

I know. Let's call it Avon  Image not available to guests

Out! Get out! And don't come back!!!  Image not available to guests

Wikipedia confirms

Anyway, I can't help but notice that WECA is now referring to itself as the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. So presumably, instead of not referring to it as WECA, we must not refer to it as WEMCA..?

So all the issues he will promise till he stands down next year(2025)won't carry much weight.

He previously told ITV West Country that there was "precedent in politics" for MPs to have a second job, specifically referring to MPs who are also Cabinet Ministers.

I do wonder if the greens have a shot at this.

No incumbent, they weren't that far away in 2021 and have had a pretty big boast in the area (obviously getting an MP in Bristol central, but also doing very well in some of the other local constituencies and obviously did well in the Bristol council elections too).

Whilst WECA is a lot more than just Bristol, I'd expect low turnout and a general dissatisfaction at Labour (both locally aimed at Rees and Norris, and nationally given the government are having to make some hard decisions that will upset people) to help the greens more than anyone else.

Mayor hopefuls reject Park Street restriction plan

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None of the candidates vying to become the next leader of the West of England have supported plans to restrict cars from a major Bristol road.

During a BBC election debate the six mayoral candidates for the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) were asked if they were in favour of closing Park Street to through-traffic.

Bristol City Council's Green councillors approved the £15m plan to limit Park Street to only buses, cyclists and pedestrians at a meeting in March.

Not one of the candidates raised their hands in support of the plan - including Green Party hopeful Mary Page.

Reform candidate Arron Banks described the scheme as a "terrible idea", adding that businesses on the street had been forgotten.  Pointing to a scheme banning through traffic from part of central Thornbury, where he lives, Mr Banks said it has created "a ghost town".  "You've got to have some consideration for the people who trade there and it kills the vibrancy of it," he said.

Labour candidate Helen Godwin said she was "very unsure" about the scheme, raising concerns about traffic instead being directed past the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and the Bristol Royal Infirmary which she described as "already one of the most polluted streets in the country".  She added that she was "not convinced" of the need for a bus gate on Park Street, having travelled through the area by bus during the morning rush hour without seeing heavy traffic.

On 1 May voters will head to polling stations to pick their new mayor of the West of England Combined Authority.  Made up of Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset (Banes) and South Gloucestershire, the combined authority holds power over transport, skills, economic development and planning in the region.  Decisions made by Weca, however, require the agreement of other council leaders.

During the BBC election debate, some of the candidates set out their transport plans if they were to be elected as Weca mayor.

(Article continues)

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The six West of England Combined Authority mayoral candidates (from left): Arron Banks, Steve Smith, Helen Godwin, Mary Page, Oli Henman and Ian Scott

Most of the candidates standing in the election to run the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) are calling for the franchising of buses.

That would mean turning the clock back on 40 years of private control.

If it happens, the new mayor would decide on routes, fares and timetables. But there are warnings that it could mean an increase to council tax bills.

It was 1986 when buses around Bristol and Bath were put into private hands. Over the following decades passenger numbers declined, and dropped sharply amid the Covid lockdowns.

The main operator, First Bus, says since then there has been progress. Passenger numbers have risen in the past two years, though are still below pre-pandemic levels.

Partly funded by Weca, it now runs more services on the most popular routes. But a shortage of council funding led to many subsidised services being cut.

May's election could herald big changes. Five of the six vying to be mayor favour franchising. That would see control of routes, fares and timetables taken out of the hands of private operators, and given to Weca.

Recent changes in the law have made it easier for mayors to do this. Manchester finished its move to franchising in January 2025. Liverpool, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire are also aiming to make the change. But it all comes with a warning: it will cost taxpayers.

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Bus campaigner David Redgewell said the scheme could either be financed through taxes or higher fares

The transition would come with a price tag; there would also be yearly running costs.

"It's the right way to go, but we've got to have the finance to do it," cautions bus campaigner David Redgewell.  "There are only two ways to pay for it. One is through the taxpayer, and your local taxes and government grants, and the other way is through fares."

However, it is not just down to who wins on 1 May. Any such change would take time – several years in Manchester's case. And with set-up costs of tens of millions of pounds, it might be difficult at a time of such stretched budgets.

The legal name of the Authority is set out in the West of England Combined
Authority Order 2017 as “the West of England Combined Authority”.

The legal name has not been changed.  There is therefore no correspondence
to HM Government requesting the change of the name of the authority. 

However, their use of the WEMCA name throughout, even before it was made public, makes it impossible to know whether December was the public launch of the name or a relaunch!

Dan Norris has made it clear that he doesn't like people calling the West of England Combined Authority 'WECA'. The trouble is that you can't stop people calling things what they want to call them - I'm sure Mr Dyson doesn't like people referring to his hoovers as - well, hoovers, and Google would really prefer you not to google things as that damages their right to the trademark.

Anyway, I can't help but notice that WECA is now referring to itself as the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. So presumably, instead of not referring to it as WECA, we must not refer to it as WEMCA..?