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2011
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Sideshoots - associated subjects / Campaigns for new and improved services / Re: Bristol Undergound
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on: August 03, 2019, 09:26:28
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Incidentally, Amanda Cameron had another piece published in both the Bristol Post and Bristol 24/7 today: AMBITIOUS PLANS TO DOUBLE NUMBER OF BUS TRIPS IN BRISTOL BY 2036
Transport bosses have laid out their vision for a “radical” new bus network for Bristol.
An “ambitious” draft bus strategy, which aims to double the number of bus trips in the city by 2036, was revealed to a council committee last week.
Under the strategy, a redesigned bus network would see several main routes radiating out from the centre and a series of orbital routes linking them together.
The “interchange network” model would open up more destinations but would require some people to walk further to catch a bus and to catch more than one bus into the centre.
And, to run reliably, the bus network would also require cars to have less road space so that more can be allocated to buses.
[...]
“It is really, really ambitious and it will take some pretty radical interventions,” Adam Crowther, Bristol City Council’s head of strategic city transport, said.
Full article: https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/ambitious-plans-to-double-number-of-bus-trips-in-bristol-by-2036/How this bus strategy fits in with the rapid transit strategy (and MetroWest) isn't quite clear to me, but one would have to hope that this is under consideration... I read that piece too. It seems that the idea is to replace, for example, the X39, 349, and 1 with buses running along big roads like Bath Road, and connected to places like St Annes by buses like the current number 36. Services such as the 75 and 76, running from Hengrove and Hartcliffe via the A38 to town, would also be replaced by buses. To make room for these new bus routes, we would need to ban all cars, and hope they don't find alternative routes. This passes for radical in Bristol. Too many changes. I mean too much need to change buses on any one journey, not too many changes in what's going on. A direct journey on a slow bus almost always beats two fast buses: it's simpler, you don't worry about missing your connection or having to wait a long time in the rain, or whether you'll get a seat on the second bus, or indeed which bus it will be. And especially difficult for eg wheelchair users, parents with prams, people with loads of shopping, etc. |
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2012
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Sideshoots - associated subjects / Campaigns for new and improved services / Re: Bristol Undergound
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on: August 02, 2019, 17:05:14
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I haven't given the matter any detailed thought, but some rapid transit systems around the world are elevated, such as in New York. Would that be an option in Bristol? I doubt it would be more expensive than tunnelling.
I remember hearing a rough estimate that building an elevated road, railway or similar structure costs around twice as much as building it on the surface. But building it in a tunnel costs four times as much. I'm not sure I've remembered the ratios correctly, and in any case it's bound to vary with geology, topography and so on, but underground is definitely more expensive than elevated. |
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2014
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Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Re: Where was Robin Summerhill in July 2012?
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on: August 01, 2019, 21:06:38
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I was on a predominantly off-road bike ride from Chippenham to Manchester (not all in one go of course!)
Anyone whose interests include cycling and railways could check out the Great Western Randonnees series of rides. They won't be to everyone's taste, they're from 60 miles up and be warned that some include ferocious hills (but some are quite flat), but most have some sort of railway connection and could be used as inspiration for your own ride ideas. One was organised not so long ago to coincide with the last HST▸ from Paddington and included a helper on the station concourse dressed up as Brunel! (it was about 3 o'clock in the morning so this didn't interfere with passengers). http://www.pedalution.co.uk/blog/gwraudax/The organiser is a friend of mine. |
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2017
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Sideshoots - associated subjects / Campaigns for new and improved services / Re: Bristol Undergound
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on: July 30, 2019, 20:55:57
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But certainly the programme to find out how far people are willing to walk to the bus could be something new. But who will they ask? Hopefully not only bus passengers.
Judging from how far from temple meads the new bus stops are, they think we could all do with some more exercise. That would be my fear. Though in fact most of us could do with more exercise, but... The article talks about (in broad terms) increased frequency on fewer main routes or "radials". Which is great in some ways, such as speed and frequency of service, but not so good in terms of geographic coverage and reaching people who are less able to walk (such as elderly, disabled, parents with small kids) and I'd have guessed those are the people most reliant on the bus service. They might, however, not be a significant enough part of the current bus passenger population to have a voice equal to their numbers. But maybe they will, as elderly passengers seem to be quite numerous at least. |
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2020
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All across the Great Western territory / Looking forward - after Coronavirus to 2045 / Re: Calne branch - past, present, future
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on: July 30, 2019, 08:30:39
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Another question is to what extent commuting patterns are determined by available transport links and vice versa. I know several people who commute from Bristol to Cardiff, Bath, Gloucester and even Reading, but no one who commutes to Oxford. Is this because it's a bit harder to get to Oxford or because Oxford's job market is less attractive? Or something else?
People I know commute to Oxford. It's just that from Swindon they do not use the train. I am sure some people commute to Oxford by train e.g. from Didcot or Banbury or Bicester (that was after all the reasons for reopening the Bicester line). Obviously, if you change the starting point you change the likely destinations. I don't know anyone who commutes to Newcastle but I quite likely would if I lived in Sunderland! |
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2022
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All across the Great Western territory / The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom / Re: Climate Change Emergency - Implications for UK Transport Strategy
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on: July 26, 2019, 16:46:48
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More plastic bottle news: on closer inspection, the bottle the tailor gave me is from Costco. Comparing it with a bottle of Evian I had at home (empty, relic of an ill-prepared wander in Sea Mills), there is a curious legend on the Evian: "Package not designed for long distance transportation outside Europe." Why on earth not? I mean, it must get transported long distances from the French spring to its retail outlets. Presumably the "outside Europe" is some sort of legal distinction but what? why? Is it that legal advice or requirements inside Europe say it should be transportable or that outside Europe some other hazard has been identified (presumably but not necessarily in the USA)? Or... I don't know. Any ideas?
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2023
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All across the Great Western territory / The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom / Re: Climate Change Emergency - Implications for UK Transport Strategy
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on: July 25, 2019, 18:16:59
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Coincidentally,* I went to the tailor's today to pick up some garments that had been altered/mended. I didn't go by train(!), I went on my bike, but the hot weather encouraged me to ride a little bit too hard and I was coughing when I got there - frog in my throat (odd expression!). Having paid and collected, I asked if I could possibly get a glass of water - and I really only wanted a glass of water to clear my throat, but the tailor gave me a small bottle of water from his fridge. But hey, I'd already paid for his work, I guess that covered the cost of a small bottle of no-brand water!
*But perhaps not really that relevantly.
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