What s happening with Transport in Bristol?

Transcription

1 What s happening with Transport in Bristol? Bristol Local Transport Plan Update Autumn 2002 getting Bristol to work

2 Bristol s five-year Local Transport Plan was published in July 2000 after extensive public consultation. Along with strong public support, the government has shown its endorsement for the city s transport strategy by increasing our transport funding year on year. This year they awarded the council million to which we added extra money from the council s resources and bids that we had won to make a grand total of million. This money is being spent from April 2002 to March There are numerous transport projects happening all across the city and this leaflet gives a flavour of where we up to. Copies of the full Local Transport Plan are available from: or ring At Work Motorists from South Gloucestershire, Somerset and South Wales now have the option of using the A4 Portway Park & Ride at Shirehampton. This opened in April 2002, providing a vital public transport link from the M5 motorway network into central Bristol for local residents as well as commuters and shoppers. For the first time the council is financially supporting the Bristol Ferry Boat Company so that they can retain and enhance this popular method of transport. There are now more services going to and from Temple Meads and Hotwells to meet the needs of city centre commuters.

3 Businesses are agreed that congestion is currently costing the Bristol economy over 1 million each week. Along with other cities, both in this country and across Europe, the council is therefore still researching the implications of road user charging. No decisions will be made about introducing any charging schemes until public transport has improved dramatically. We are continuing to make progress with the bid for the first line of a modern tram system, linking the city s northern fringe with the city centre. We are also putting in place a comprehensive monitoring programme to track just where the city s traffic is growing. This is the first step of a Road Hierarchy Review that will help to protect residential streets and improve signage on key routes. Pride in a new park & ride site for Avonmouth We will be signing a Freight Quality Partnership with a wide range of freight, commercial, retail and other interests, together with our neighbouring authorities. This aims to develop with local businesses the safe, efficient, economic and environmentally sustainable delivery of goods. Plans are being laid for better-signed access routes, and a lorry driver s handbook.

4 The Railways Proposed Bristol rapid transit scheme The council spends 120,000 a year helping to provide services on the Temple Meads to Severn Beach line. With our neighbouring authorities we are talking to local rail companies about bidding for government money to improve local services. We have also set aside money for station improvements, starting new shelters, seats and signing at Clifton Down and Bedminster stations. The buses Each of the main bus routes into the city is being improved on a route-by-route basis to make them into "Showcase" routes. Bus users on route 76/77 from Henbury along Gloucester Rd to Hartcliffe have already begun to see improvements with new accessible bus stops and shelters. Bus lanes, new low floor buses, real-time service information will all follow. Travel Plans A growing list of local companies and organisations are seeing the benefits of travel plans, including the BBC, Southmead Hospital, Orange, DAS Legal Expenses, Bristol University and Debenhams. These schemes aim to cut congestion by providing people with more choice about how they get to work. The council has recently established a new car-share scheme in partnership with local employers and Bristol University at Temple Quay. Over 4000 employees can now access this online system to find car share partners.

5 At School A Walking Bus in Westbury Road accidents are currently costing Bristol over 1.8 million each week this equates to an average of cost of 63,000 per accident. The council has a wide range of schemes to tackle this issue and improve road safety. Preparations are under way to introduce advisory 20mph zones outside all schools in Bristol. Around 30 schools are included in this year s programme. Walking buses groups of children accompanied by two volunteers to help them get to school safely are now up and running in Westbury and Kingsdown. Our Safer Routes to School programme continues apace, with eight more schools getting improvements including better road crossings, secure cycle parking and flashing amber lights. The scheme involves consultation with parents and pupils to discover what traffic management measures would encourage more walking and cycling to school. The council has employed a child pedestrian training co-ordinator (funded by central government) to work with children in deprived areas of the city to improve their pedestrian safety skills. We have also successfully bid for a School Travel Plan officer.

6 At Home Building upon pioneering work in Henbury, Brislington and Bedminster Down, Bristol is developing innovative ideas for residential areas. Our first official Home Zones where residential streets are remodelled to share space more equally and safely between children, pedestrians and vehicles are being designed jointly with local residents in The Dings, Southville and Horfield. Sharing streets more equally in residential areas The council works in partnership with the police to design out crime in residential areas such as closing subways and alleys as well as providing safe parking. We have allocated 180,000 this year to close subways in Easton.

7 After extensive public consultation, a residents parking scheme for the Kingsdown area is proposed for the coming year subject to further statutory consultation in the autumn. This scheme is similar to those that have been in existence for a number of years in London and in cities such as Norwich, Cardiff and Oxford. A volunteer-driven local community bus scheduled service for Lawrence Weston has proved its popularity and has now received a government Urban Bus Challenge grant. Another scheme is being planned for Hartcliffe and Withywood. Car Clubs Community bus Bristol s first car club has proved so popular it has now expanded to Kingsdown and Cotham after its success in Knowle and Totterdown. The club is a really easy way for people to enjoy the benefits of a car without the associated costs and hassle of repairs, servicing or insurance. Cars can be booked 24 hours a day over the phone or the internet

8 In town Bristol is a thriving regional capital and the council has to be creative when managing commuter traffic for large commercial developments. Major office developments such as Temple Quay are developed close to the main transport links, and care is taken to ensure that all large developments around the city are closely served by bus. The council also works closely with organisations across the city to develop travel plans. The council is currently investing 800,000 in major refurbishment works to Trenchard Street multi-storey car park, and the Maritime Heritage and Cottage Place car parks. The works include the installation of CCTV to ensure safer and more secure surroundings fro motorists. Trenchard St car park will be completed at the end of the summer and the new-look car park will include pay-on-foot machines to make parking as easy as possible. Air pollution continues to exceed government targets in cities across the UK, with the main cause being traffic. In May 2001 the council declared two Air Quality Management Areas, one for central and inner Bristol and by the M32, another for Avonmouth by the M5. In order to tackle pollution, the council now has to produce an Air Quality Action Plan for the government. The council will be consulting on measures that could be included in the action plan over the coming months. We plan to submit the action plan to the government by March Tollgate, now with Secure Car Park status

9 At Leisure The night buses continue to prove popular with those coming home from the city centre in the evenings. For those with more rustic interests, our new leaflets prepared in partnership with the Bristol Ramblers, Countryside Agency and the Forest of Avon describe countryside Night bus awareness campaign walks accessible from the city by bus, and also walks through the many attractive suburban parts of Bristol. New Legible City way-marker and street map

10 This year, visitors to the city benefit from more award-winning Legible City street maps and signs in the city centre. In addition, the scheme has also produced a walking map to the same attractive, innovative design for pockets and handbags. There are also further i-plus information points offering a useful range of on-line services at convenient locations. The city s network of cycle routes continues to expand, including further stretches of the National Cycle Network. Bristol s Biggest Bike Ride Bristol s first "In Town Without My Car" day-event was a great success. A large part of the city centre was closed to traffic and given over to entertainers and exhibitions. This year s event will take place on Sunday, September 22. Our annual Bristol s Biggest Bike Ride again attracted record numbers of participants. This free event, now in its ninth year, promotes cycling as the healthy, fun and environmentally friendly alternative to the car.

11 The Future 2002/3... The 2002/3 transport spending programme includes some key projects to get Bristol moving: Over a million pounds will be spent on the bus network. This will include completing the showcase bus route on Gloucester Road and starting schemes on Whiteladies Road and Church Road (A420). 1.8million in resources has been allocated to continue the development of line one of the tram network. 700,000 will be spent on preparatory work for new Park and Ride schemes across the city, 900,000 will be spent making Bristol s roads safer around schools including Safer Routes to School schemes and 20mph zones. Another 850,000 will go on citywide safety schemes aimed at cutting road casualty rates. 480,000 will be spent on improving pedestrian routes including replacing subways in Easton with surface crossings. Nearly 5 million will be spent on maintaining the city s roads, bridges and street lighting.

12 For a copy of the full Local Transport Plan and the 2001 Annual Progress Report, contact , or visit Produced by Transport Planning team and designed by Visual Technology, DETL, Bristol City Council (0205/189/DN). The image of the Rubik s Cube is used by permission of Severn Towns Ltd, London, England. getting Bristol to work