Big Cafe 3 transport results - please contribute

A day long ‘World Café’ styled workshop was held in Bristol in which local stakeholders, including local government officials, academics, Bristol residents and transport experts, created positive visions of Bristol’s transport system. Participants discussed and drew from global examples of functioning green transport schemes, and explored options for encouraging green transport choices within Bristol, both in terms of improved services and attitudes towards such choices.

This report captures the thoughts and suggestions of the attendees and is submitted for consideration to Bristol City Council with regards to the evolution of Bristol’s transport plan.

The draft write-up is attached to this message. This is the opportunity for those who were unable to attend the cafe to contribute to this important discussion document.

Please read the report and posts comments, additions & queries below for consideration in the final report.

This could be a step towards us creating a city which we can enjoy travelling in.

 Best wishes,

Vala

I am sorry to have missed this event which has produced a good report. Here are some comments:

The excellent train service from Severn Beach is a great facility, but more trains would encourage more people to use it - and it could be better publicised.

I am greatly in favour of cycle banks (and by the way Oslo has an excellent scheme as well as Copenhagen and Paris). However, it must be noted that cycling is NOT the solution for everbody. It  won't work for the elderly, disabled, those in poor health- it is also dangerous in Bristol with the narrow roads and many hills.

So we do also need trains/trams/buses. Trams are best but expensive. So better buses with routes that cross through Bristol and don't all end in the centre would be a first step. FIRST  needs to go back to basics and design a better network with lots of input from users. It IS possible to have one as there was a very good bus service here when I was a student in the 1960s. But it is an absolute bore at rush hour to have to take two buses to get anywhere. Also- as a North Bristol resident - why do all the buses go up Whiteladies Road and only the 8/9 go through redland. Loads of people live in Redland and tend to use cars as it takes 10 minutes (times) to get to the nearest bus stop (Whiteladies or Cloucester Rd). So we all use our cars. Perhaps minibuses would be a good solution if there are not many customers. If a bus came up Hampton Road I would give up my car completely.

Also note the metro systems are a good way to relieve congestion. This is the case withn the Newcastle metro and is currently helping to remove gridlock in Delhi. But of course they are expensive to construct. Perhaps Bristol is too hilly. Lisbon, another hilly city , has excellent trams so if a big investment is available trams might be better.

Thanks Vala

Harriet Bradley

For me, a good public transport system is one where you don't have to check the time-table before setting out on your journey. The train from Montpellier is perfect for me to get to Temple Meads. BUT, it leaves so infrequently that when I go to check the timetable it often works out quicker for me to walk. Its a shame that it does not have its own platform at the station so that it doesn't have to wait for the mainline trains to leave Temple Meads.

Does anybody know if the the development around the station is eliminating the possibility of a future expansion of Temple Meads to include more local services or possibly an intercity bus station?

Hi Vala et al,

Just to say, here's my write-up of the big cafe event, including photos of the posters with all the stuff we agreed, and commentary  on the introductory talk by Mark Bishop.

http://tziteras.blogspot.com/2008/07/big-cafe-on-transport-sustainability.html

Ale

Hi

We can't just make sustainable transport more attractive and hope evreything will be alright. We have to make using the private car less attractive. There have to be sticks as well as carrots - even though this may well be unpopular.

According to a recent survey by the AA and Trafficmaster, Bristol has teh slowest traffic in the country at an average speed of 16.8 mph (as reported in the Bristol Civic Society newsletter). We should be proud of this and aim to make it even slower.

Roads need to be made pedestrian and cyclist friendly, rather than priority given to the private car. Road capacity needs to be reduced by the provision of bus lanes and cycle lanes. Traffic lights should give priority to pedestrians crossing rather than trying to maximise traffic flows. Why shouldn't it be the car driver that has to push the button and wait for the 'little green car' before they proceed?

It is clear that cost is not a major deterrent to car usage. And if it is a deterrent then it will only be for the poor, not the Lotus, BMW, 4x4, second and third car owners. The increase in fuel costs over the last few years and months has not led to any reduction in car usage, perhaps just a slow down in the rate of increase.

Given that once you have bought a car, paid the road fund tax, insurance, service and maintenance the marginal costs of driving it an extra mile (ie petrol) are low – and a lot lower than the bus or train fares. So for car usage to reduce, not just to stop increasing, it has to become less convenient – slower, narrower streets, more congested, harder to park. We need more than just congestion charges.

Not only is slower traffic safer traffic, but the slower it becomes the more attractive walking, cycling and public transport become. Why would somebody get out of their car when they can rush around at 20 mph? Reduce speeds to 10 mph, make car routes more circuitous and parking more difficult – and then suddenly cycling is quicker, more direct – as well as healthier and more environmentally friendly. With plenty of bus lanes, buses become quicker and more attractive to use. And the more buses are used, the better the service and the cheaper the fares.

Bristol has been designated a Cycling City. It has a slow food market. Now we need a slow transport policy.

Last chance to add your comments to the vision document. Many thanks for those who have already contributed.

All parts of town need a bus route to the railway station (T Meads), running frequently at all times of day. How on earth are we supposed to get to the station?

Severn Beach line needs to be frequent, esp early morning and evening ( till about 8pm), so commuters can get to the station.

Bus tickets / books of tickets should be bought in advance, either in newsagents and supermarkets, or a machine at the stop. Tickets should be availbale on board at a higher price for emergencies. This would stop the enormous waiting times at stops, especially those near the city centre.

Transport needs to be highly subsidised as well as fast and frequent to make it the attractive option.

Regards

Certainly looks like they'll miss the opportunity to put a transport interchange at Temple Meads - in spite of the fine talk on the SWRDA's website.  Apparently the development of the area to the north and west of the station - up to the Temple Quay offices - is up for bids now, and details should become public later this year.   There's no binding planning guidance that requires a transport interchange to be included, and the only known commitment is to put a multistorey car park at the eastern end - towards the new footbridge..

This is the perfect spot for a central hub for all Bristol, linking trains, urban buses, country buses, coaches and ferries.  Potentially trams/ ULR too, of course, and the pedestrian and cycling access to the site is improving.

You'd think that First, as the main providers of buses and trains, would jump at the chance - but there's no evidence that their three operating companies even talk to each other, let alone the council or the site owners, about such things.

At the moment, Temple Meads has very little amenity for train, bus, or ferry travellers.  Bringing them all together here with a purpose built interchange would be a great opportunity to make public transport far more attractive.

Peter Goodwin

Previously Dan Stevens wrote:

Does anybody know if the the development around the station is eliminating the possibility of a future expansion of Temple Meads to include more local services or possibly an intercity bus station?

A thought about a transport system for Bristol. It’s a hilly city with crowded roads – not enough room for proper bus lanes, and diggging up roads for a tram system is disruptive and can clog the roads even more.

So why not use cable cars? The modern, decoupling, sort e.g. as made by Poma in France (the same people as made the London Eye cabins). They work on hilly routes in France, e.g. the long one which goes from Brides-les-Bains to Meribel, with intermediate stops. Being counterbalanced, they are cheap to run and could probably operate on sustainable power. You only need a pylon every half mile or so. They are silent. The bigger ones have cabins the size of a bus.

Tom Troscianko

Lots of sensible comments so far.

My angle on this, as a cycle user, is how to increase cycle usage, particularly amongst the majority who don't consider it now. Fundamentally we are trying to alter behaviour, and this requires incentives and removing obstacles.

The main obstacle for most healthy people is that of safety (secondary factors include fitness, weather etc.). I've thought about this a lot, and there is no doubt that urban cycling is relatively unsafe,which is why only a small proportion of relatively risk-averse individuals participate. The main risk is from motorised traffic, and there is not the urban space available to partition off cycles from cars. Therefore the only solution I can see is to be radical. Reduce speed limits to 20mph, and give priority on the roads to cyclists, whereby only if it is safe to do so, can a car overtake a cyclist. The rate limiting step in any urban journey is time at a junction, so the impact on journey time will be minimal - in fact if this removes even 10% of cars from the roads, it will speed up car journey times - I would put money on that!

As for incentives - how about offering employees who cycle to work an extra 1-2 days annual leave. There is plenty of evidence that cyclists take fewer sick days than non-cyclists, so this is cost neutral to employers.

Lots more ideas if anyone's interested....

Moin

Previously Tom Troscianko wrote:

A thought about a transport system for Bristol. It’s a hilly city with crowded roads – not enough room for proper bus lanes, and diggging up roads for a tram system is disruptive and can clog the roads even more.

 

So why not use cable cars? The modern, decoupling, sort e.g. as made by Poma in France (the same people as made the London Eye cabins). They work on hilly routes in France, e.g. the long one which goes from Brides-les-Bains to Meribel, with intermediate stops. Being counterbalanced, they are cheap to run and could probably operate on sustainable power. You only need a pylon every half mile or so. They are silent. The bigger ones have cabins the size of a bus.

 

Tom Troscianko

 

 It certainly makes sense for an alternative transport system to be put in place, but unfortunately the powers that be don't see it like that, and unfortunately we are lumbered with First "Farce" Bus and their extortionate costs.

I have previously suggested to others that buses should have a provision for cycle racks to enable bikes to be transported easily, especially as Bristol isn't the ideal city to promote cycling due to it's number of hills. in addition to this all trains should have a carriage dedsignated to transporting bikes, and alternative modes of transport.

Creating a system which runs above the ground similiar to Japan's monorails, would be ideal, interlinked with underground trains/trams for the higher areas of Bristol. If London can do it, especially being located on the Thames, then Bristol should also be able to do it. 

Bristol City Council have provided a response to the Big Cafe 3 - transport. See below. See previous postings for the original report of the cafe and further inputs from Ecojam members. Please add further comments/recommendations which we can forward to Kate at the Council.

Dear Matt,

As participants in the event we were pleased to see that much of the

vision and the aspirations of the group were largely consistent with

those of the City Council and as set out in the Joint Local Transport

Plan, itself the result of wider public input at a formative stage. 

Good progress is being made on implementing the improvements on many

fronts, in some cases reflecting decisions made some years ago. I would

particularly draw attention to the following using your headings:

Exemplary public transport

The long-awaited government funding originally sought in 2004/5 for

significant improvements to the strategic Greater Bristol Bus Network

began to flow this year. Over about 4 years it will be used to give

greater priority to buses on the existing network in parallel with the

bus company bringing in higher quality vehicles. Early work includes

making a step change to the Real Time Information System at bus stops.

The Bristol Cabinet with our West of England partners has just resolved

to submit a joint bid for government funding for the first segregated

rapid transit route through the city from Temple Meads to Ashton Vale.

See www.westofengland.org.uk for details. As you will recall this is the

first stage of a much wider network proposed to provide a really

attractive alternative to the private car and reduce congestion. It will

also provide an opportunity to consider vehicles using alternative

sources of power.

Cycling and Walking

The Cycling City Project Plan has now been finalised following

extensive public and stakeholder consultation, and I hope that you and

other Café participants took the opportunity to engage in the lively

debate. There were many points of view as you will remember. You will

see some of the suggestions made at the Café in the Plan. These include

looking at opportunities for shared space in the city centre around

Cabot Circus and elsewhere, a network of greenways for cycling and

walking, and a range of bike training, maintenance and secure storage

proposals, amongst others.

Whilst the Plan relates to the 21/2 year timescale of the project, the

longer term strategy for both cycling and walking (and the bid for the

funding of infrastructure to realise it) will be an integral part of the

next Joint Local Transport Plan.

It is also important to note that the new Rapid Transit proposals, like

the new Showcase bus routes before them will also include the creation

or improvement of cycling and walking routes, which could also be

greenways.

Policy

Ahead of the Local Transport Act coming into force, the West of England

councils are creating a Joint Transport Committee to co-ordinate their

joint planning and implementation. A second Joint Local Transport Plan

will be prepared. I must advise you though that decision-making already

assumes a hierarchy which favours sustainable modes of transport.

Information

As well as the RTPI mentioned above, there are already a range of local

maps and sources of information. However I would agree that there is

room for improvement, particularly in making information well-linked,

accessible, ‘intelligent’ and regularly updated. This is a priority

for the coming year.

Reduced Car Use

The local car club is rapidly expanding and the car sharing club is

supported by the council. Together with the other West of England

authorities we have yet to complete our investigation of the merits of

congestion charging in conjunction with a significant package of

alternative measures over and above those described above. It is

important also to remember however that for some, private transport may

remain important, and that action is needed on several fronts, including

the use of alternative fuels and technologies as well as alternative

modes.

Reducing the need to travel

Our spatial planning policies now being developed promote the location

of new development to achieve this. Mixed use at higher densities

providing the opportunity to choose to access local places of work,

education and other services is favoured. There is a further opportunity

to engage in the future shape of the city with the recent publication of

a revised ‘Preferred Options’ Paper. Please see

www.bristol.gov.uk/planning for further details.

Other Behaviour Changes

Some of these aspirations are being met. There are some excellent

walking buses and good school travel plans making a difference but we

have further to go. I should be interested to know whether you think the

Universities might assist by controlling the ability of students to

bring cars to the city?

In conclusion I believe we are seeing some of the aspirations the café

sought being realised, but we need to continue both to seek the

infrastructure and provide the information needed to support more

sustainable travel and to change hearts and minds to take advantage of

it. The Council welcomes the contribution of the transport café and the

whole city to both to the vision and to the strategies and projects to

see it achieved.

Kind regards,

Kate

Kate Hoare

City Development

Bristol City Council