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Author Topic: 7th to 11th August 2019 - Bristol International Balloon Fiesta  (Read 5925 times)
rogerw
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« Reply #15 on: August 11, 2022, 11:51:01 »

First have stated that the non-provision of shuttle buses is down to the ongoing shortage of drivers
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« Reply #16 on: August 11, 2022, 11:55:39 »

First have stated that the non-provision of shuttle buses is down to the ongoing shortage of drivers

Having seen copious provision of buses at the Commonwealth Games, one has to wonder why something cannot be done for the Balloon Fiesta which - I think - is a bit smaller in spectator numbers than The Games?   I guess the question is whether those-who-decide actually want to provide a service.
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bobm
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« Reply #17 on: August 11, 2022, 16:37:56 »

I think one of the issues is it has been left so late that the services could not be registered with the Traffic Commissioner and so no fares could be charged for those using the buses.
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eXPassenger
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« Reply #18 on: August 11, 2022, 19:05:20 »

I think one of the issues is it has been left so late that the services could not be registered with the Traffic Commissioner and so no fares could be charged for those using the buses.

Did the Balloon Fiesta this weekend just drop in from the sky with no notice?
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« Reply #19 on: August 11, 2022, 20:44:50 »

No but I think the implications of First not being able to provide the shuttle buses wasn’t fully appreciated until too late.
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #20 on: August 11, 2022, 21:17:38 »

https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2022-08-11/weather-sees-first-mass-ascent-of-bristol-balloon-fiesta-cancelled
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« Reply #21 on: August 12, 2022, 00:05:34 »

Only in Labour controlled Bristol can you have a Mayor who declares a climate emergency, flies to Canada to talk about climate change, then has a festival that burns huge amounts of gas, and has no bus service to serve the people who wish to attend. Just look back at the great organization that happened for the commonwealth games, then look at what happens, or didn't happen in Bristol. 
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broadgage
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« Reply #22 on: August 12, 2022, 15:44:53 »

No wonder that there is a shortage of propane, it is all being used for balloons.
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« Reply #23 on: August 12, 2022, 18:39:04 »

I think one of the issues is it has been left so late that the services could not be registered with the Traffic Commissioner and so no fares could be charged for those using the buses.

Did the Balloon Fiesta this weekend just drop in from the sky with no notice?

Yes, a bit like Easter or bank holidays.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
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« Reply #24 on: August 12, 2022, 18:58:13 »

Just look back at the great organization that happened for the commonwealth games, then look at what happens, or didn't happen in Bristol. 

The general organisation was pretty good, though I wasn’t especially impressed with the 100s of diesel buses required for transport to the main stadium from central Birmingham and the Bescot Park And Ride, as well as other venues. 

The nearest station to the main stadium being an off-putting 25 minute walk away.
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« Reply #25 on: August 12, 2022, 21:45:53 »

Just look back at the great organization that happened for the commonwealth games, then look at what happens, or didn't happen in Bristol. 

The general organisation was pretty good, though I wasn’t especially impressed with the 100s of diesel buses required for transport to the main stadium from central Birmingham and the Bescot Park And Ride, as well as other venues. 

The nearest station to the main stadium being an off-putting 25 minute walk away.

https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2022-08-12/weather-sees-evening-mass-ascent-at-bristol-balloon-fiesta-cancelled
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Red Squirrel
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« Reply #26 on: August 15, 2022, 10:39:32 »

Only in Labour controlled Bristol can you have a Mayor who declares a climate emergency, flies to Canada to talk about climate change, then has a festival that burns huge amounts of gas, and has no bus service to serve the people who wish to attend. Just look back at the great organization that happened for the commonwealth games, then look at what happens, or didn't happen in Bristol. 

We're all guilty of climate hypocrisy from time to time, though Rees' handling of the scrutiny he received after his Canada trip has been widely condemned.

However the Balloon Fiesta is an independently organised event which takes place in North Somerset. Rees has made it fairly clear that it's not something he considers important. Bristol's politics has very little to do with it.

The Fiesta organisers take a lot of stick every time the event takes place, usually because they've failed to arrange the right kind of weather. It's a shoestring operation, several orders of magnitude smaller that the Commonwealth games, so it really isn't fair to try to compare it.
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TonyK
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« Reply #27 on: August 15, 2022, 20:59:50 »

We're all guilty of climate hypocrisy from time to time, though Rees' handling of the scrutiny he received after his Canada trip has been widely condemned.

However the Balloon Fiesta is an independently organised event which takes place in North Somerset. Rees has made it fairly clear that it's not something he considers important. Bristol's politics has very little to do with it.

The Fiesta organisers take a lot of stick every time the event takes place, usually because they've failed to arrange the right kind of weather. It's a shoestring operation, several orders of magnitude smaller that the Commonwealth games, so it really isn't fair to try to compare it.

It may be in North Somerset, but isn't the estate owned by Bristol City Council?

I do indeed recall the early days, when Cameron Balloons was based in Cotham, round the corner from the grubby bedsit I inhabited in 1977-78. Curious as to what was going on in this old church or school, I stuck my head around the door, and was given an early guided tour of a single hall, a couple of sewing machines and a lot of fabric. The company followed me when I relocated to Bedminster. At the first fiesta in 1979, it was easy to chat to the balloonists, as there weren't that many. It did rather grow out of control for a while, with the infrastructure adapting just a little bit too far behind the pace, and I haven't been there since about 1995. It was always just as spectacular from the back garden, and the food was cheaper.

I was in Bristol on Sunday, and was surprised by the lightness of the traffic. I wonder if attendance was down given that the hot weather forced cancellation of the evening ascents, and the lack of buses was compounded by a lack of railway traffic on Saturday. Mayor Marvin's attitude to the event is poor - it is historic and the best known thing about Bristol in some parts of the world.


and please don't bring your family pet,the dog. I have heard there will be plenty of H2O points around the sight

I would be more worried about K9P.
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