It’s come in to play, whether it prevails remains to be seen 😉

Gutted for the Bunker Bikes crew. What an utter waste. 😐

the most sensible* route to the centre is via Hotwells

Yeah, this is what I’m hoping… George seems to be up for a wide-ranging review of transport, including increased emphasis on rail, links with TM etc – but the status of the New Cut remains something of an unknown. Needless to say, the StopBRT2 group are continuing to campaign on this and other issues.

Also, these lot are doing some good work: Friends of the Avon New Cut.

Pump bump up the [traffic] jam…

According to StopBRT2 Facebook site:

“Mayor confirms 3 route options for BRT2: Cumberland (using Ashton Ave Br); Coronation; Hotwell Rds. Cumberland Road and Coronation Road could be in combination. New cut rail line safe. Review of route options expected to be completed in May.”

I really hope they don’t put it over the Ashton Avenue Bridge (Hotwells makes far more sense for an improved/priority bus route, IMO), but at least the New Cut/Choc Path now seems to be safe. Hooray for that! 😀

The new cycle path leading onto the Ashton Avenue bridge can make for a fairly busy intersection. If they do put buses (or, indeed, light rail) over it – perhaps BCC will build a lovely separate pedestrian/cycle bridge? Especially for those of us who stagger/wobble back from the Nova… 😉

Next public meeting: 7.30pm, Tues 5th March, Hen and Chicken, North Street.

Here endeth the bump.

at least the New Cut/Choc Path now seems to be safe. Hooray for that!

Hooray indeed! 😀

So the BRT is going to run down the road? Sounds much like the existing bus service…

Sounds much like the existing bus service

Indeed. I guess GF is looking to retain the Gov funding, via a re-jigged route.

Sounds like good news to me:

But at a meeting in London yesterday Mr Ferguson was told by transport minister Norman Baker and government officials he could make changes to the route without losing the money.

Yeah, it seems so – fingers crossed they do something sensible with the money…

So, it does look like the Chocolate Path and M Shed/Docks are probably safe (all looking fine in the sunshine today, I might add) – but if the re-jigged route goes along the Cumberland Road, that may involve the Ashton Avenue Bridge.

The StopBRT2 group are pushing for the BRT2 funding to be put towards improving the existing Hotwells route and they have produced a detailed briefing note for the mayor, ahead of any decision.

Next public meeting: 7.30pm Tues 5 March, Hen and Chicken, North Street (I might not be able to attend this one).

Bumpity-bump.

Unfortunately I can’t attend this one, but the StopBRT2 group will be meeting tonight, 7.30 pm, at the Hen & Chicken, North Street (in the Comedy Box room), if anybody is interested.

It seems like the West of England Partnership are still pushing for a guided bus route (to avoid loss of face, maybe?), which may or may not involve the Cumberland Road, Ashton Avenue Bridge etc…. so, it rumbles on.

Eh oop noteeth, unrelated but I think Stoner wants to get in touch. Possible beers on the weekend of Bespoked on the cards. 🙂

Stoner wants to touch

Does he? Ooh, I’ve come over all shy… 🙂

I don’t know which day I’ll be going to Bespoked, but I’ll be around for the whole weekend – STW beers would be good (and let’s face it, there will be a large conference venue crawling with STWers… the horror).

OK, so after the Mayor ruled out the use of the Harbourside/Prince St Bridge, it looks like the Council are now considering two main options for the BRT2 route – from the StopBRT website:

1. A guided route from Long Ashton Park and Ride to the Create Centre and then along Cumberland Road to Temple Meads station. This would not be acceptable to StopBRT2. Our concerns relate to the impacts at Ashton Avenue Bridge; Butterfly junction; Colliters Brook; Ashton Vale fields, coupled with excessive cost and over-engineering. It also pre-empts future use of the old railway formation for future rail use.

2. Cumberland Basin/Hotwell Road without guideway. This is the only option we find acceptable and the better route for existing passenger demand (as does the existing 903 park and ride service). We believe that this option should be supplemented with complementary integrating measures including the use of ‘plot 6’ at Temple Quay for rail/bus interchange; cycle measures on the inner loop in tandem with the proposed bus priority measures and possibly improved access to Temple Meads from South Bristol.

So, whilst the Harbourside/Choc Path seem to be safe for the moment, there is still a very real chance that pedestrian/cycle/horse users of the Ashton Avenue Bridge will be having to contend with buses (unless a separate bridge is constructed). Historically, of course, this bridge has carried rail (and vehicular) traffic – but (IMO) it would be a damn shame if it was to be incorporated into what still seems like an expensive, poor-value & somewhat unnecessary scheme. I get the feeling that the West of England Partnership wants to push ahead with a guided bus route at all costs, and some BCC interests appear intent on wrong-footing the Mayor.

Whatever – I think the BRT2 lot are right to be campaigning for improvements to the existing Hotwells route + increased investment in other transport infrastructure. They are still asking people to sign the petition, in case BCC try & sneak those plans back in.

So, watch this space… and tanks for listening. 😀

North Somerset Council seem to have other ideas…

http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/Transport/News/news-20130314-rapidtransitschemeupdate.htm

Particularly like the classy ad hominem attack from loopy helicopter-fan Elfan Ap-Rees.

North Somerset Council seem to have other ideas…

Like a badly-driven bendy bus, this thing rolls on… 😕

Glad to see that the Brizzle Post are having none of it:

IF WE have to settle for the so-called Bus Rapid Transit system it must be prevented from using Prince Street bridge. On that mayor George Ferguson is absolutely right and he must not give ground.

Somebody in the comments has a dig at the Mayor for “pandering to the the luvvies and transport anoraks who live in Southville” – it’s the Islington of Bristol, you know. 8)

(And here’s the – IMO, eminently sensible – StopBRT2 statement to Bristol City Council regarding potential routes.)

it’s the Islington of Bristol, you know.

To be fair, that’s kinda true.

On a brighter note, here’s an actual sensible transport proposal: https://photos-1.dropbox.com/t/0/AAB9rJ7jBfbverNFmSGcyTTn6qUzGN-YpZHJqCyKIfcZQQ/12/25249283/jpeg/1024×768/3/1363428000/0/2/Inner%20loop%20cycle%20map%20DRAFT%20v3.jpg/viRfaZFfZJXYMf_XL0jc_bFsG3ZBRfrLHCzkHT1RQAw

The Evening Post comments section really needs some sort of equivalent of Kittenblock.

The Evening Post website is not exactly user friendly at the best of times!

To be fair, that’s kinda true.

I live on the Ashton Road – so technically still Bemmy, but with easy access to all the aspirational shopping on North Street. 😉

As for BRT2, what a clusterfug it is.

Here’s another go at that route map:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BFeNxmwCUAEekXs.jpg:large

This could be created with £10 million from the Cycling Ambitions Fund the DfT have just announced (£10 million coincidentally being the amount that BRT2 has already cost in consultant’s fees). It’s being proposed by Bristol Cycling Campaign.

It’s being proposed by Bristol Cycling Campaign

Good on ’em. It would make sense.

Much friction between Bristol and North Somerset Council, with the latter pushing hard for the original BRT2 scheme (i.e. through the Docks & over Prince Street Bridge, regardless of whether it’s actually wanted 😕 ).

Right, sorry for the huuuge cut n’ paste job.. but for any of you who might be interested, the Council is currrently consulting on two different routes – with the BRT2 funding to be allocated to either improvements to the present Hotwells route, or a new (and probably guided) bus route along the Cumberland road. Needless to say, the latter would go over Ashton Avenue Bridge & thru Butterfly Junction, etc – not an especially brilliant (or good value) prospect, IMO. 😕

Anyway, StopBRT2 have published 22 reasons why they view Hotwells as the better option:

22 reasons why the Mayor should choose the Brunel Way/Hotwell Road option

published by John Knee on Sat, 06/04/2013 – 20:46

22 reasons why the Mayor should choose the Brunel Way/Hotwell Road option for AVTM/BRT2 rather than the Cumberland Road option

Right for passengers

1. It is the right route for most of the passengers. It will be a more comfortable ride along the main road rather than through six sections of concrete guideway, over three embankments and four bridges within a 2 mile journey. From our own passenger surveys ( we don’t trust the Promoters’ own) 81% of the passengers in the am weekday peak get off at two stops Anchor Road and the Centre so why would they want to go via Temple Way and Broadmead first? Using the Cumberland Road route we believe will lead to a reduction in the number of passengers using the service, as the journey for most passengers will be longer than at present.

Right for Council Tax payers of Bristol City and North Somerset Councils and achievable in timescale

2. Using the Hotwell Road route would be far, far cheaper than Cumberland Road with or without the guideways. No need to construct six sections of concrete guideway, three embankments and four bridges (including one over the rail line) plus work to Ashton Ave bridge next to Create. Only bus lanes and bus priority with integrated traffic management measures would be required. Leaving money to spend on better accompanying cycling facilities along the route, new Park and Ride buses, ticket machines, Real Time information, construct a bus/rail/cycle interchange at Temple Meads..

3. The Hotwell Road route removes the risk of a capital cost overrun which would require unlimited additional funding by Bristol and North Somerset taxpayers, due to the very much simpler works avoiding all high risk engineering.

4. Due to far less engineering works Hotwell road is more achievable in the timescale allowed.

5. No future maintenance, repair and access costs for the guideways and maintenance track section. Nor the cost of bus retrieval and disruption to bus services caused by bus breakdown or accident on the guideway section as happened on similar schemes such as the Cambridge Guideway.

6. No need for further costs and delay associated with Town Green land replacement, legal agreement with bus companies for access to the guideway, further Transport and Works Act requirements, negotiations with Network Rail and land owners over access to work near and over Portishead rail line.

Right for protecting local amenities and green space

7. Does not interfere with Ashton Ave bridge which is a listed structure involving English Heritage.

8. No impact on the Harbour Railway – the rail line does not need to be removed and shortened, the current platform at Butterfly Junction can remain.

9. No impact on green and recreational space at Butterfly Junction and the Avon New Cut.

10. No impact on green space Ashton Vale Fields (Town Green site) or the ex-Alderman Moores allotment site – both are floodplain and prone to flooding so require embankment.

11. Far lower CO2 impact from construction works – avoids emissions from concrete and other construction engineering.

Right for Bristol’s Public transport system

12. Big improvement to existing route gives positive message to existing passengers and to bus users generally. Much higher profile route into the City than via Cumberland Road.

13. Leaves rail alignment over Ashton Ave bridge and available for future rail use to link with Portishead rail line if needed.

14. Time savings for all buses using the route including all North Somerset and Portishead buses. Portway Park and Ride buses which could use new bus priority measures along Brunel Way and Hotwell Road.

15. The opportunity can be taken to improve to improve life for residents and bus users from Hotwells and Cliftonwood by cutting down on rat runs, better traffic management, re-introducing First bus stop at Dowry Square as part of an integrated traffic management strategy.

Right for Bus operators and thus for passengers

16. Existing and new buses can use the route without the need for guidewheels to be fitted and drivers given guideway training.

17. No access charges or other guideway costs.

Right for sustainable transport modes (cycling and walking) and recreational routes

18. Does not interfere with peak hour pedestrian and cycle flows at Gaol Ferry Bridge crossing of Cumberland Road and at Ashton Avenue bridge. Does not introduce bus traffic into the recreational area around Ashton Ave bridge and the Create Centre by cyclists and pedestrians (cycle route to Pill and Ashton/Southville).

Right for local residents

19. More popular with local residents, environmental and transport groups involved in the Public Inquiry who heard evidence on all aspects of the proposal. Supported by our transport consultant who gave evidence in support of Hotwell Rd after analysis of the Promoters’ 4 transport models.

20. Avoids introducing new bus route on embankment at the back of houses on Silbury Road.

21. Avoids impact on Cumberland Road residents’, visitors’ and coach parking.

Right for the credibility of the West of England Partnership and Bristol City Council

22. The Promoters’ consultants themselves demolished the case for the Cumberland Road route at the Inquiry on grounds of too high cost and too low benefits. How can they now promote the precise same scheme with an even longer return route round Bedminster Bridge?

Note: If the Cumberland Road option is proposed with the segregated section as a bus only road and not with guideways, points 5, 16 and 17 above do not apply.

Feel free to email the Council, Mayor, etc, if you have any strong views.

And this is the map of the two revised (Hotwells versus Cumberland Road) route options:

The Cumberland Road option is probably going to be far more costly (especially if they use a guided busway) than improving the existing Hotwells route, with no proven improvements in journey times…. so Lord knows why the BRT-backers are so keen on it. No doubt it will be a nice consultancy/construction gravy train.

Anyway, StopBRT2 belives that the Mayor will be under considerable pressure to agree to the Cumberland Rd route – which will mean buses running over Ashton Avenue Bridge, through Butterfly Junction and adjacent to the New Cut. It would be a real shame, IMO. 😕

Excellent letter on the Bristol 24/7 page:

This started as a tram proposal which was badly managed by the councils concerned, with the help of a local MP, then got worse. It is now a battle of wills between the unelected and shadowy entity that is the West of England Partnership, and those whose interests it falsely claims to represent.

as a Bristol Council tax payer I resent my money being wasted on this rubbish*. Just like the ‘improvements’ to Whiteladies road.

(*assuming this is being paid for by the council, if not then my normal taxes if it’s being paid for by the government)

According to the StopBRT2 Facebook page, Bristol Airport have confirmed that their buses will be switching to the BRT route. In combination with the park and ride service, that’s an immense amount of bus traffic going over the Ashton Avenue Bridge. Short of huge infrastructure upgrades, I’m still struggling to understand why this represents a better option than the Hotwells route.

It was very busy yesterday evening around the bridge & Butterfly Junction – with plenty of walkers, runners and cyclists out enjoying the sunshine (sublime trail conditions, btw!). I wonder how many of ’em know what might be coming their way… 😕

The next public meeting is at 7.30 pm, Tuesday 7th May, at the Hen and Chicken Pub (Greville Room), North Street.

I probably won’t be able to attend this one, as I’m on a night shift. The Mayor’s review decision is due in May. Crossed fingers it’s a sensible one…

the council that improved cycling in North Bristol by chaining old cycle frames painted silver to the railings on the cycle routes – which are now just rusty cycle frames. Thanks for that waste of tax payers money as is most of the cycle routes which are cluttered with hundreds of bollards and signs.

PSA-type bump.

Public meeting is tonight, 7.30 pm, at the Hen and Chicken Pub (Greville Room), North Street.

The review of route options is expected to be on the city council website on 23 May and reported to the Cabinet 30 May. I have a nasty feeling that the interests backing BRT2 will be using their clout to push through the Ashton Av/Cumberland Road route (and – incredibly – they are still gunning for the docks and Prince Street swing bridge), regardless of the Mayor’s decision, or any local opposition. Hotwells might (arguably) be the better value option, but they obviously need their monstrously over-engineered bling scheme to qualify for the Government funding gravy train. In my view, it is an outrageous waste of money – not least given that it will fail to deliver significant improvements in journey time.

From the perspective of south bristol cycle/pedestrian commuters, this will mean a huge volume of bus traffic (including the airport buses!) running over Ashton Avenue Bridge and through Butterfly Junction – needless to say, this will have a huge impact upon what is currently a pleasant & vehicle-free run into town. It will also considerably disrupt the riverside park environment. I wonder what Dame Sylvia Crowe* would make of it?

StopBRT2 are urging anybody who has concerns to email the mayor ( mayor@bristol.gov.uk ), and they list a number of reasons why Hotwells would be a better option for an improved bus route.

I suspect this is going to be another Bristol City Council screw-up… 😕

* This is a one-piece-designer-landscape created by an expert, Dame Sylvia Crowe… Scroll down the Neighbourhood Partnership document for an account of how it came into being.

I attended the meeting – the omens are not good. StopBRT2 suspect that the Mayor’s review will favour the Cumberland Road option over improvements to the existing Hotwells route. 🙁

Furthermore, the BRT2 bendy-behemoth appears to be rolling over what passes for political localism. In answer to the Mayor’s insistence that the buses would not be going along the Choc Path and thru the Harbourside, BCC’s big projects cheese Alun Owen proclaimed that it would be going ahead as planned. And following the cancellation of ground survey work (along the Choc Path), the contract was then re-instated… without the Mayor’s knowledge! The WEP and other BRT2 backers clearly want their white elephant of a project to go ahead, at whatever cost.

Again, if this was to ease Bristol’s snarled-up transport situation, I’d take the knock. As it is, it offers negligible improvements in journey time – and at huge financial expense, with considerable impact upon both the local environment and a popular non-vehicular route into the city (and it runs counter to recent transport successes, such as the Festival Way). Instead of improving existing bus services, it appears that the WEP and BCC are desperate to avoid loss of face – and the scheme’s consultants are equally desperate for the Government-funded gravy train. Basically, they just want to slap down some infrastructure.

What does this mean for anybody who uses Ashton Avenue Bridge? Well, some kind of pedestrian and cycle access will be maintained… but you will now be contending with a large volume of bus traffic (including the Bristol airport buses!) – and it will be a pretty hazardous intersection, judging by how packed that area was over the sunny bank holiday weekend. Suffice to say, it won’t be such a quiet & pleasant route into town….

StopBRT2 are in the process of arranging two events focused on Ashton Avenue Bridge:

1. At 6pm on Wed 22nd May they will be having a group photo on the Ashton Avenue Bridge – i.e. something which the Post might feature, given their stiff editorial line on BRT.

2. Between 2-4 pm on Sun 26th May there will be a meeting on the bridge, so as to raise awareness of what is (likely to be) coming.

If any of y’all enjoy cycling/walking through there – whether commuting or rolling back from Leigh Woods – PLEASE consider attending or stopping by…. if only to stick two fingers up at the council! 😈

Thanks [again] for reading.

Bad news. 🙁

E-mail from StopBRT2 as follows:

_______________________________________________________________

Dear all,

We have been told by the media that the Mayor will announce the BRT route tomorrow and it will be Cumberland Road. Once we have full details of what is being proposed we will put it on the Stop BRT2 website. We need your help to persuade the Mayor that this route is unpopular and pointless. Please help with :

Leafletting on Sat 18th May19th May Ashton Ave bridge (near Create) and around the Cut for a couple of hours (with others).
We need help between 11 and 3pm.Copy of new Ashton Ave bridge leaflet attached. We will send you our new poster for you to display on Wed or Thurs.

Take part in a protest/ Photo-opportunity to get media coverage
Ashton Ave Bridge at 6pm Wed 22nd May – we intend to hold a media photo-opportunity of groups opposed to the use of the bridge and the loss of the rail alignment over it. We need a lot of people in the photo. It will take half an hour only. Come and collect leaflets to give to your friends and family.

Ashton Ave bridge event Sun 26th May 2-4pm – come and talk to passers by and hand out leaflets and operate our stop/go sign (the plan is for the bridge to have traffic lights holding up pedestrians and cyclists when a bus is due). As it is single track buses cannot pass on the bridge. Buses will operate 7 days a week, 22 hours a day as they include airport buses relocated from South Bristol, probably about 100 a day. Five bus services (42 buses an hour in the peak) will run over the bridge.

The date of the next Stop BRT meeting is Tues 4 June 7.30pm, Hen and Chicken pub, North St.

Best wishes
Stop BRT2

__________________________________________________________________

Once again, if anybody is able to attend either/both the events on Ashton Avenue Bridge, then please do so.

Bristol City Council and West of England Partnership, you suck.

Poster available for download on the StopBRT2 website.

And another bump for the photocall – 6 pm, wednesday 22nd May.

Cheers.

Will try to get down there on Wednesday, despite a deep dislike of being in photos. I emailed the Mayor pointing out the irony of celebrating the opening of Festival Way one week, then condemning it to death the next. Response was disappointing.

This is not a bus route:

despite a deep dislike of being in photos

Cheers Wordnumb – you could wear a mask. 😀

I think the main thing is getting some attention drawn to all this – there’s still a lot of people who have no idea what’s coming…

This is not a bus route

Amen to that – especially given that it is likely to be single-lane & light-controlled (to manage the pedestrian intersections). And with a predicted 42 buses per hour at peak time… 😯

It’d be nice if Bristol riders could make a little time for this on Wednesday. A photo with masses of objectors will speak more loudly than signatures.

And I really do hate being in photos and would prefer to hide behind people, which is difficult when only three people and a stray dog turn up.

difficult when only three people and a stray dog turn up

I’ve just spent a couple of hours handing out leaflets on the Bridge & there seems to be a fair amount of support.

I’d say that 60-70% of the people we spoke to had no idea about BRT2 being routed through there – and they (almost universally) thought it was a daft idea. And the two people who were for it seemed unable to explain why it would be better than the existing Hotwells route – or how the whole shebang would offer value for money.

Some very angry locals, too – especially the guy who (rightly) pointed out that the Bridge needs a hefty amount of structural work.

Good article:

This superficially neat compromise is designed to secure the gover nment’s promised BRT capital grant. On closer inspection this isn’t really a good wheeze at all.

Nail > head.