Strategic Transpost Authority receives Cross-party Support

[madhattie]

From the Bristol Evening Post

TRANSPORT BODY WINS BACKING

13:24 - 25 July 2007

City councillors have backed a unified transport authority to control and improve road and rail networks in Bristol.At a full meeting of Bristol City Council last night, it was agreed to support and push forward with the new strategic transport authority (STA), which will involve the four councils of the former Avon area.

The STA received cross-party support in the council chamber.

Neighbouring councils South Gloucestershire, Bath & North East Somerset, and North Somerset have all indicated they are keen on improving the area's transport network, although they have yet to back the STA in a vote.

Also at the meeting yesterday, a motion on congestion charging in Bristol was passed but with an amendment which means a referendum will not be held on it.

Lib Dems and Labour were against the referendum, which had been tabled by Tory councillor Barbara Lewis of Brislington East.

Richard Eddy's motion urged the council to support the idea of setting up a Greater Bristol strategic transport authority. It also asked officers to report on the likely advantages and consequences to full council and the West of England Partnership - Bristol, North Somerset, B &NES and South Gloucestershire councils - as soon as possible.

The motion follows publication of the Government's Local Transport Bill, which it says will "improve powers over bus services and related matters".

Mr Eddy said: "If there's one issue which every Bristolian will have an opinion on, it's the state of Bristol's transport and transport systems.

"I do not believe this is a party political issue.

"I'm asking officers to prepare a report and come back to this council chamber.

"Let's move forward and get Bristol moving."

Bristol's STA would be similar to schemes already in place in areas such as the Midlands, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Manchester, which have transport authorities that cover both their bus and rail services.

But it would take a further step and also be responsible for Greater Bristol's road network - governing issues such as the ring road around south Bristol and congestion charging in the city centre.

Council leader Helen Holland (Lab) said that the STA would enable the authority to have more influence over bus operator First Group.

She said: "Time and time again in this chamber we hear pleas from the public gallery about being able to control First Group in terms of their fares and cutting of services. This would give us the powers to do it."

Pip Sheard, spokeswoman for pressure group the Transport for Bristol Alliance, said: "We support the motion because we believe the next generation has enough problems, without putting transport to the top of the list."

[Roger]

It would be a major step forward if these politicians actually managed to deliver, but thinking about how the light rail system was de-railed I cannot be very positive at all.

I would like to see Portishead re-opened, a light rail system running through to Bath via Mangotsfield, a branch into the Chipping Sodbury/Yate conurbation, the Avonmouth - Henbury - Filton line re-opened but it seems money can never be found for rail systems that would benefit so many people.

If we were in Wales or Scotland money would probably not be a problem.

I just hope someone proves me wrong!!!!

[Shazz]

would be nice if they linked up the old branch from yate > thornbury as well. as thornbury is primarily a commuter town for bristol, a park and ride with a regular bus (such as cam & dursley) would work well, and get a fair abmount of traffic off the road if publicised well etc

And i know its out of the region a bit, but it would be ncie to see a station opened up were the bristol > birmingham line joins the "golden valley line" near stonehouse, as people who can to go to bristol, currently cant, without changeing at gloucester!

[madhattie]

It all sounds so easy doesn't it. The railway network could be, and always used to be, something that could easily shift most of Bristol's workforce to and from work. If the network of the 1960s had been allowed to survive, or if closed, not built on, then Bristol & Bath would have a fantastic commuter infrastructure.

Hopefully a new transport body will recognise this, but I'm not holding my breath.

[horace]

Been here seen it got the tee shirt, this is bristol city council having dreams again. I can remember the 1965 vision of bristol with all its los angeles type roads zooming over under and through bristol, another transport dream that came to nothing. The city owned royal portbury docks that nearly bankrupted the city. The Avon metro that went on for years and years and came to nothing another dream. The plans for the ring road in 1937 that got ruined in the 1950's by the brabazon, two transport dreams gone in one move. The portion of the ring road left near tesco brislington and at hengrove. Yes the avon ring in disjointed bits that caused the contractor to go bust. Oh how bristol has transport dreams, how it wastes tax payers money. Please please bristol no more transport dreams, it costs the taxpayer millions in defunct ill thought out non functional schemes. If they want transport for bristol that works employ a tarnsport consutant and then stick with the plans they give. Not as i know employ a transport consultant and then argue with, tamper with and change every thing they tell them will work.
What worries me is that they want to jump into bed with the other authorities in the area to come up with these schemes, my god, Banes and the bath spa should be an example of why not to.
As you can see this frightens me to death, my confidence in BCC is about the same as the turkey has when it is told the oven at Christmas is a cosy little home for it.