THE RAPID TRANSPORT ROUTE TO BEAT THE GRIDLOCK
(See bolded points for the important stuff - it doesn't look good for the Severn Beach line
let's hope these plans get scrapped!)09:53 - 24 September 2005 from the Western Daily Press
Radical plans to tackle Bristol's chronic congestion problems and end the daily misery of hundreds of thousands of commuters, by completely reshaping the way people travel around the region, were given a mixed reaction yesterday. Experts yesterday unveiled the fine print for an ambitious ú500million scheme to beat gridlock on the roads and improve poor public transport links.
The Greater Bristol Transport Study (GBTS) outlines a number of short-term and long-term strategies to stop the region's roads and railways grinding to a halt over the next 25 years, during which time the area's population is expected to grow by 250,000.
But politicians, business leaders and pressure groups were divided yesterday over the plans, some of which are certain to spark widespread controversy.
Key proposals include transforming Worle, near Weston-super-Mare, into a major transport hub where trains, long-distance coaches and local buses will connect to provide passengers with improved links - particularly with Bristol International Airport.
Experts see the Worle hub as one of a number of short-term goals that could be in place by 2016.
A more controversial, longer-term proposal is to consign the suburban rail line between Bristol Temple Meads and Severn Beach to history, replacing it with a bus-based Rapid Transit scheme that would allow more frequent journeys than the railway can offer.
The limitations of the largely single-track railway and problems of fitting trains into the crowded network between long-distance services means, at best, only an hourly service can be run on the Severn Beach line.
But experts from consultants Atkins, who carried out the study, said the bus-based Rapid Transport scheme would increase the frequency to every 10 or 15 minutes.
A number of other Rapid Transit routes dissecting Bristol from north to south and east to west are among the proposals, as is a link between Bath and Cribbs Causeway.
Rapid Transit is also the favoured method of improving connections between Bristol and Portishead, which makes it even less likely the railway line to Portishead will be resurrected.
But David Redgewell, spokesman for pressure group Transport 2000, said Atkins was wrong to dismiss plans for investment in railways and a tram scheme in favour of the busled scheme.
Mr Redgewell said: "Rapid Transit buses won't work - they won't encourage people out of their cars.
"These plans would be laughed out of any other city in England or Europe. Nowhere relies on buses as much as these awful plans."
Another controversial proposal in the GBTS is to charge big businesses on the northern fringes of Bristol premiums to allow staff to park at work in a bid to cut down on the number of rush-hour car journeys.
About 500,000 car journeys are made in and around the city every day and, unless more people can be encouraged to car-share or use public transport, traffic in the area will grind to a halt, the experts warned.
However, business chiefs hit back yesterday at the plans. Nigel Hutchings, of Business West, formerly the Chamber of Commerce, labelled the scheme "unfair".
He said: "It's yet another tax on business. We all use transport, it does not seem fair that it is going to hit businesses."
Tim Pearce, of Bristol and England Properties, developers of the Bristol Business Park in Stoke Gifford where about 2,000 people work, said: "It would be disastrous. People travel to the north fringe from a 20- to 50-mile radius, so using improved public transport would not be the answer."
In South Gloucestershire, the Winterbourne bypass could finally become a reality and Bristol Parkway railway station could get a fourth platform to improve the frequency of services between the West and London Paddington.
A proposal to complete the A4174 ring road south of Bristol would "take an enormous amount of traffic off the congested A4, A37 and A38 roads", an Atkins spokesman said.
That idea was welcomed by politicians at Bath and North East Somerset Council.
Speaking about the planned Worle transport interchange, Mike Roe, of North Somerset Council, said: "If the Government wants the West of England region to grow, the Government must fund it."
Members of the public are invited to comment on the study. Booklets outlining the proposals will be available at libraries, or residents can log on to www.gbts.com
Atkins will deliver a final report to the Department for Transport and the four local unitary authorities, who will then decide which schemes should be taken forward over the next 25 years.
ROADS
Major boost to commuters in south Bristol with the extension of the A4174 Ring Road. The new section would link Hicks Gate, near Keynsham, with the A370 at Long Ashton. Experts say this will help ease congestion on the gridlocked A4, A37 and A38 to the south of the city.
The study includes plans to move junction 21 of the M5 at Weston-super-Mare further south to ease congestion experienced when local traffic on the A370 meets with motorway traffic heading for the resort.
New road planned between junction 20 of the M5 at Clevedon and the A370 near Long Ashton, to provide a new link between the motorway and south Bristol.
RAIL
Worle station, currently just a rail halt on Weston-superMare's single track loop line, to be transformed into a major regional transport hub.
The proposals would sound the death knell for Bristol's historic suburban railway line between Temple Meads and Severn Beach. The line would be ripped up and replaced with a more flexible, bus-based Rapid Transport system.
New infrastructure at Yate and Weston-super-Mare railway stations, together with re-signalling across the Bristol area, to create scope for a major increase in cross-city rail services linking Yate and Weston.
Other key infrastructure improvements to improve rail travel across the region.
BUSES
The study backs a busbased Rapid Transit system to transform public transport in the area. The Streetcar - a bus and tram hybrid - is seen as a likely contender. Initial routes would dissect the city, running between Long Ashton and Emerson's Green, and Hengrove-Cribbs Causeway/Aztec West. Other routes are planned, including BathCribbs Causeway and, controversially, Whitchurch to Portishead, replacing the Severn Beach rail line.
New park-and-ride facilities planned across the region, with improvements to existing sites also mooted.
A number of Showcase Bus Routes, similar to the existing successful HartcliffeSouthmead route, are planned.
CHARGES
Congestion charging in the city centre is seen as a much longer-term strategy and one that the study's consultants, Atkins, say would have to be linked to a national, Government-led scheme. But if introduced, it could cost up to ú2 a kilometre (0.6 miles) to use the city's main roads.
The GBTS favours increased parking charges for motorists driving into city centres, especially for long stays.
Controversially, the study includes plans to hammer big businesses in the northern fringes of the city with premiums for allowing staff to drive to work. Staff at Aztec West, for example, would be forced to pay to park at work - a move that has already been criticised by business chiefs.
Where are these pics!! 
