Bristol BRT2 route – Ashton Avenue Bridge

As if the trashing of the Festival Way and Stoke Park/Stapleton allotments wasn’t bad enough, it seems the Metrobus scheme involves some, erm, interesting alterations to the centre:

Among the key changes to the city centre include the extension of Baldwin Street across the pedestrianised area by the fountains, allowing traffic to cut across and turn left only towards Park Street.[/url]

Excellent post on the skyscrapercity forum about the ongoing (and mind-boggingly expensive) BRT disaster in Cambridge, and the likely implications for Bristol:

…we are building the shortest and most pointless, BRT in the whole known universe.

BRT2 is part of citywide Metrobus green space grab.

StopBRT2 have produced a map of green space/public areas affected by the Metrobus scheme. As they point out, there are “over 25 affected spaces, being damaged for pitifully few extra passengers and at huge financial cost to us.”

Bristol… the so-called Green Capital. 🙄

Quick bump – the deadline for comments on the BRT3 (Hengrove) route has been extended until the 2nd of June.

Comments/objections can be submitted at the council planning portal website.

The consensus seems to be that nobody wants the damn thing… but it rolls on, regardless.

Quick bump for those who are interested.

The BRT3 Metrobus (NFHG) route is encountering stiff opposition[/url], which will make the planning decision interesting. And Metrobus have responded in typically whinging fashion[/url]… it’s almost as if they are surprised by the notion of public objection.

Between 4-7 pm on thursday 26th june, the Friends of Greville Smyth Park are holding a community meeting about the impact of Metrobus (and other potential developments) upon Ashton Meadows/Sylvia Crowe Park.

It’s being held on the park side of the Ashton Avenue Bridge, beside the Festival Way – or underneath the flyover if it’s raining! It’s on a ‘drop-in’ basis, so feel free to swing by & ask questions if you’re about. I can’t attend, unfortunately, as I will be stuck at work.

Lots of people out enjoying that area during the recent sunny weather… it won’t be the same with a busy bus-lane running thru there, that’s for sure. 🙁

Bump – meeting is later today.

THIS BRISTOL PETITION ENDS ON FRIDAY (TOMORROW)- No confidence in Mayor Ferguson

http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/epetition_core/view/verybadmayor

I dont know how many of the Bristol people know of this petition. There was a previous one that did not get far but this one has legs. Some of you Bristol folk may not wish to support this given the car wording, but personally I feel anything that makes the Mayor feel slightly less god like might be helpful in relation to other projects he is handling.

This page on facebook is also interesting (called Bristol News)
https://www.facebook.com/BristolNews?ref=ts&fref=ts
but I have no idea how accurate some of the reports are about the Mayors property taxes – they may be true or not.

I have to say I find this amusing, but the ego is staggering
http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Bristol-Mayor-George-Ferguson-s-delight/story-21103349-detail/story.html

16 May
Bristol Evening Post
“Bristol Mayor George Ferguson’s delight at no-confidence petition’s lack of support”
http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Bristol-Mayor-George-Ferguson-s-delight/story-21103349-detail/story.html

2 June
BBC
“Bristol Mayor George Ferguson is to face a council debate over his leadership following a petition. The petition, which needed 3,500 signatures to trigger the debate, passed the threshold at the weekend.
Mr Ferguson told the BBC the petition was “not worth the paper it’s not written on”.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-27660226

StopBRT2 highlight the rising costs of Metrobust:

The total cost of the three Metrobus routes has risen from £176m in 2011 to over £200m now, before a spade has hit the ground.

Ker-razy.

Quick update type bump.

There’s a lot going on, not least with the BRT3 (North Fringe to Hengrove) route – although the plans have been amended, it appears that Metrobus are still determined to build through the Stapleton allotments, Feed_Bristol project, Stoke Park etc etc (and not forgetting the pishpoor plans for Bedminster and the Centre…). As this thread primarily concerns the BRT2 (AVTM) route, it’s best to check the new ARM website (Alliance to Rethink Metrobus – a combined effort between the various opposition groups) for ongoing developments elsewhere.

With reference to Ashton Avenue Bridge: if the ridiculous white elephant that is BRT2 makes you angry (and there’s plenty to be angry about – not least the escalating cost), then there will another protest photo-op on the Bridge on Sunday 10th August at 10.30am, for about 45 mins. If you are in the area, feel free to drop by.

Ta for reading. 🙂

The BlueFingerAlliance[/url] have launched a petition against the building of the Metrobus junction over the allotments sited on the BMV (Best and Most Versatile[/url]) agricultural land.

Please sign and share it, if you share their concerns.

Cheers.

Thanks for the updates!

PSA-type-bump.

The photo-op protest meeting is this coming sunday, at 10:30 am, meet on the bridge. It forms part of the wider white elephant weekend[/url]. Drop by if any of y’all are in the vicinity.

Nice little article[/url] (which references this thread 😀 ) in Rife magazine…. plenty of people value the bridge & its environs exactly for what it is: a peaceful, vehicle-free route into the city, with its own particular character. The woeful Metrobust will change all that.

Tanks fer readin.

Date/time of the protest at Ashton Avenue Bridge changed due to probable inclement weather.

It will now take place on saturday 9th august (tomorrow), at 10 am. Meet at the bridge. I’ll be at work, unfortunately, & so can’t attend.

Bump.

It’s today – 10 am at the bridge.

Reminder to sign “stop BR2” petition here
http://stopbrt2.org.uk/sign-our-petition

and while you are at it, sign to save CASTLE PARK from being
built over/40 trees chopped down.
http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/epetition_core/community/petition/2434

Other petitions for Bristol here – some really good eg badger saving, some less so
http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/epetition_core/community/petitions/status/5/page/0

Thanks to all those who turned up – there’s some pics on the RethinkMetrobus site.

Good coverage of the allotment protest… and a despairing editorial – even the Post thinks Metrobus is rubbish. What a ludicrous state of affairs it all is.

And another bump for that petition.

Cheers.

RethinkMetrobus taking it to the DfT.[/url]

There were TV interviews taking place by the bridge at around 8.15 this morning.

There were TV interviews taking place by the bridge at around 8.15 this morning.

I know – I stopped and gave my opinion, in STW-rant style. 😈

I know – I stopped and gave my opinion, in STW-rant style.

Good for you!

Latest is that approximately 50% of CREATE Centre’s car parking, Brunel Lock car park, and the open areas surrounding A-Bond will be used as temporary compounds by the contractors. Given that the area is at parking capacity most weekdays, I expect this isn’t going to go down well. I would also be concerned about contractor vehicle movements and cyclist/ pedestrian safety.

I expect this isn’t going to go down well

The disruption will be significant – it won’t be such a pleasant little corner of Brizzle, that’s for sure. 😕

Good for you!

They were senior WEP types, and did not take kindly to my remarks. They also (ludicrously) tried to deny that the Metrobus scheme was being driven by the designated funding on offer from DfT. It is clear that they do not care one jot about public concerns.

In advance of the council meeting on the 27th August[/url], the planning officers have (as expected) recommended that the BRT3 component of this bludy stupid scheme should go ahead. If all proceeds according to the Metrobust, uhh, vision, work in-and-around the area of Ashton Avenue Bridge will commence this coming autumn.

Here’s another bump for that petition.

Thanks for keeping the updates coming on this, Gums. Sorry I didn’t make it down to the BRT2 protest photo, I’ve lost heart with all these people trying to spoil the nice bits of the city.

Heard the one about a permanent zip wire being installed over the Avon Gorge? The landing stage will probably double as a bus stop. Expect there are laws about taking pot-shots at them from the Portway underpass.

The landing stage will probably double as a bus stop.

Don’t give them ideas…

Destination Bristol chief executive John Hirst: “My dream is that someone who lives in Clifton and works in Bedminster could get there by zip wire!

My dream is that Brunel rises again and smites these fools.

Best theory I can come up with is that an evil consortium is spoiling Bristol in order to make the city less popular thus bringing property prices down. They’ll then buy up lots of houses, turn these into flats, and in ten years campaign against schools taking over libraries / zip wires / pointless bus infrastructure – causing property prices to rise again.

I’m not very good at theories.

an evil consortium the West of England Partnership is spoiling Bristol

The Baltic Wharf Caravan Park will probably be turned into an executive pre-departure lounge for Bristol Airport, especially given the new zip wire/Metrobust interchange. I can just imagine the WEP press release:

“The new zip wire/Metrobust interchange will not only solve the city’s gridlock, it will generate thousands & thousands of jobs, and – most importantly – bring Hope to the deprived and (quite frankly) rather primitive inhabitants of south Bristol. Dear Bristol Post, will this do?”

*** PROTEST EVENT ***

Wednesday 27 Aug – 5.15pm. College Green.

“Come to our Metrobus event 5.15pm College Green Wed 27th August prior to the planning meeting at 6pm. Sit in the gallery to support local residents speaking at the meeting to protect their green space and local Park.”
quoted from https://www.facebook.com/events/344256829032718/?ref=74

“…residents are organising events against three proposed Metrobus schemes… They will destroy 28 green spaces including woodland, common land, Parkland, wildlife sites, footpaths, farmland and allotments (see bit.ly/rethinkmetrobus)… planning application has been submitted for Northern Fringe to Hengrove Package Metrobus and will be heard on Wed 27th August 6pm City Hall [aka The Council House, College Green, Bristol]. This scheme will destroy Grade 1 (Blue Finger) agricultural land at Stapleton allotments and the visionary Feed Bristol project run by the Avon Wildlife Trust and take land from Grade 2 heritage Stoke Park. It will drive a new bus road across the paved area by the city centre fountains and remove pavements in Bedminster Parade, taking pedestrian space for massive new Metrobus stops.”

Please share the Facebook page for the above Wed 27 Aug protest if you can.

https://www.facebook.com/events/344256829032718/?ref=74

Thanks for the PSA, Midnighthour.

Again, if anybody is free to join ’em – for about half an hour at 5.15pm, Wed 27th, College Green – there will be a protest by Bristol residents against Metrobust, in advance of the BCC Planning Committee meeeting.

Meanwhile – and in a manner which exemplifies the fugging arrogance of the WEP[/url] – Peter Mann (BCC transport big cheese), appears to pre-empt the outcome of the planning process by stating that Bristol residents will just have to accept this wretched scheme… the very scheme that trashes valuable green and vehicle-free space, whilst doing sweet FA for the communities thru which it passes, and to the tune of an escalating price tag, with Brizzle liable for most of the overspend. Suffice to say, he is given no mercy in the comments. 😈

On the opposing team, the BlueFingerAlliance[/url] make an impassioned case for rejecting Metrobus. Although this concerns the BRT3 route (i.e. NFHG, which stomps on FeedBristol, Stapleton Allotments, Stoke Park, etc ) and not Ashton Avenue Bridge (i.e. AVTM BRT2) per se, it neatly summarises why this gawdawful scheme is such a millstone for Bristol, and the growing public anger:

Our message to the planning committee… Saying no to MetroBus is an opportunity, not a failure.[/url]

Oh, and another bump for that petition.

Cheers for reading, me babbers. 🙂

Press-release from the Alliance to Rethink Metrobus.

Another bump for the protest tomorrow, at 5.15pm, Wed 27th, College Green.

And also that petition. 🙂

Even though only very low numbers are predicted to use the £200m Metrobus scheme, there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for it from Bristol Council:

““It should be noted at this juncture that transport models are commonly arranged around the need to ensure that a robust base year model is constructed and accurately reflects not only existing conditions on the highway network, but also ensure that the correct existing situation is imported into the model in relation to land use zoning and current travel demand.

“Consequently where a defined zone or area has either low, or very low existing demand, an uplift in this demand is accordingly factored into this low base, which in this case has generated low patronage results that are contained in the supporting analysis. This is directly attributed to the base line model.”

http://www.bristol247.com/2014/08/27/bristol-metrobus-can-understand-explanation-71350/%5B/url%5D

@Jolsa – a stunning example of technocrat speak, ain’t it?

RethinkMetrobus were thinking of submitting it to Private Eye for inclusion in ‘Pseuds Corner’. 😈

There was a good turn-out for the photo-op. And whatever the outcome (and there’s no doubt that this thing is being steam-rollered thru planning), I can report that the opposition speakers (a combination of of angry Lockleaze residents, Bedminster locals, impassioned allotment-holders, FeedBristol supporters, the Civic Society, StopBRT2 campaigners, and sundry others) absolutely demolished the Metrobust camp – a pathetically-small huddle of suits who dispensed platitudes about “transport connectivity”.

I couldn’t stay for the planning committee meeting, but I ain’t holding out much hope. What a fugging disaster it all is.

Watch it live!

Watch it live!

I’m on an NHS library computer (in my own time, I hasten to add) – all social/streaming media is blocked… and rightfully so. 🙂

*Pretends to do some more studying.

It’d only make you really, really, really mad.

That’s a really big chair or is he really small 🙂