Great Western Coffee Shop

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/construction-bristols-mass-transit-system-6916221?utm_source=bristol_live_newsletter&utm_campaign=daily_newsletter2&utm_medium=email

perhaps Bristol could sell itself as a late C20th public transport theme park.

Mass transit: Bristol’s underground studies

The mass transit plan, including going underground, is Bristol and our wider region’s only real option for a future transport system that works. Bristol has been left behind on transport while all other big British cities have built and modernised mass transit: our city has delivered nothing in recent decades.

Those of us old enough can remember the endless announcements for tram lines, the announcements of transport systems of the future, and political promises that offered 21st century travel options. The reality is nothing was delivered and Bristol commuters continue to crawl.

We have made real progress since first announcing our aspirational plans, and remain unapologetic about our ambition for Bristol. There is no time to fail and no time to delay.

Today, ahead of the Strategic Outline Business Case and a West of England Combined Authority consultation on options, we’re publishing the executive summaries of two major studies into the potential of mass transit for our city and region. The next stop on our journey to mass transit follows on from us securing further funding in February for more studies to continue building the detailed case for mass transit in Bristol.

The first study, by CH2M and Steer Davies Gleave, agreed that the idea was worth pursuing. It said that an underground system moving around 3,000 passengers per hour per direction would be deliverable. For a growing city of 472,000 people, with 1 million people here during the work and school day, this is not at all a big ask. We should rise to the scale of the challenges we face, not limit ourselves with the failed thinking of previous administrations.

The second study, by Jacobs and Steer, said that an underground is a reasonable prospect, which could deliver value for money and “transformational” economic benefits for the city and region. It emphasised that an underground, unlike un-deliverable above-ground trams which councillors forewent in the early 2000s, would avoid the disruption and destruction of having to knock down one side of buildings along key yet narrow arterial routes like Church Road or Gloucester Road.

These expert studies demonstrate that delivering an underground transport system for Bristol isn’t some grand design. It’s us punching at, not above, our weight, in line with Newcastle, Liverpool, and Glasgow. We’re a core city, and a global city, not a village. We need a modern, low carbon transport system, yesterday.

159 years after London opened the world’s first underground, they’re still expanding its network through the £19 billion Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) across the capital. It’s more than time for Bristol and the West to get our fair share too.

We are part of the combined authority and are working with Metro Mayor Dan Norris and his team, as well as the leaders of South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset to deliver a genuine transformation of our transport.

We must keep this project on the rails and finally transform the way we travel in and around our city.

Excellent idea! But not limited to the late C20th. We've got ...

“We have continued the work to build a mass transit system that will transform the way we move around the city region,” said Rees.

“Economic and geological assessment work is done. We are about to commit a further £15 million with our neighbours to take this work to the next stage.

https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/mayor-promises-to-steer-ahead-with-underground-railway/

The guy is delusional

Always nice to get a straight answer from a politician: https://twitter.com/i/status/1628071652159283200

…I think we can officially declare the Marvin Metro dead.

To be fair, it wouldn’t would it.

Good spot though, TonyK! Did you like the bit about four-tracking from Keynsham to Bath?

I did rather, although I am struggling to take it seriously yet. Parson Street to Bedminster looks easier, and will surely ensure an appearance on Great Railway Journeys of teh World.

“The lack of ambition of both Bristol city opposition councillors and the combined authority is staggering,” Rees said.

“I remain committed to the mass transit system including the use of underground in central areas.”

The study, by multinational consultancy giants WSP, concludes that an overground mass transit network would cost between £1.5bn and £1.8bn, but an underground would set taxpayers back ten times that amount – £15.5bn to £18.3bn.

A spokesperson for Rees said: “We totally reject the report and its content.

“It was commissioned by the West of England Combined Authority and their brief for WPS was initially challenged by Bristol City Council.

“The costs are far removed from previous estimates and are a response to the flawed approach that some in WECA have taken to this point.

“Buses alone are not the answer to Bristol’s decades of transport failure, which we set WECA up to solve not ignore.

“Bristolians need and deserve a mass transit system, so the Mayor of Bristol will continue to strongly argue for the next tranche of delivery.

“Failure of leadership to deliver a mass transit system fails our city and our region.”

Rees, who will be making the case for another £15m to be spent developing mass transit at the next WECA committee in March.

Norris has declined to comment.

Has anyone actually managed to connect to the site

Future4West

Because I have not.

Just a it seemed to me that WECA or more specifically our Metro Mayor had put the whole issue of underground mass transit out of the question, along comes this different take on matters from New Civil Engineer:

https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/tunnelling-work-for-planned-bristol-underground-would-be-relatively-easy-22-03-2023/?tkn=1

So, is it back on with WECA or isn't it?  I'm confused (as regulars to the Coffee Shop will likely already know).

Not very exciting at the moment, but maybe it’ll change with time. I presume the ‘4’ refers to the four proposed rapid transit lines, as well as being a homonym of ‘for’.

Bristol Live claim to have seen a report by senior WECA transport managers regarding the feasibility of a mass transport system for Bristol.  It doesn't rule out an "underground system" entirely but clearly leans towards most of it being above ground.  Article link below.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/exclusive-report-bristol-underground-says-8756011?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target

Despite the reports in the previous post regarding mass transit in Bristol, Metro Mayor Dan has once again poured cold water on the "underground" scheme and instead seems here to confirm that he'll tackle the problem with buses. 

That should solve it.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/bristol-underground-plans-ruled-out-8779052

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F6qKGPaW8AATGSk?format=webp&name=small)

Honest question: Can anyone explain the point of the 'guided busway' sections of the m2 bus route?
The (specially equipped!) bus slows to a crawl, enters the busway, dawdles through it, then speeds
up again when it gets to the end. #bristolrail

Given the width of the guidedbusway rails on the m2...I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Marvin ordered some broad gauge trains to replace the buses.....as a parting shot to a certain WECA mayor.

Maybe not broad gauge, but light rail would fit nicely. The skew bridge could be an issue though.

Given the width of the guidedbusway rails on the m2...I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Marvin ordered some broad gauge trains to replace the buses.....as a parting shot to a certain WECA mayor.

And today, the Liverpool Region has announced that it plans to copy the Manchester Region in franchising bus services.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/oct/06/liverpool-announces-it-will-bring-buses-back-under-public-control (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/oct/06/liverpool-announces-it-will-bring-buses-back-under-public-control)

Hopefully WECA will pick up the challenge and follow!

Hopefully WECA will pick up the challenge and follow!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-64965693

That won't be easy though since the WECA lacks the council tax precepting powers which the other combined authorities have.  It would appear that South Gloucestershire Council will not agree to the introduction of such powers.

It seems we reached the stage of everyone blaming everyone else in March, then.