Ambitious plans to develop sustainable transport routes around Bristol to persuade commuters to leave their cars at home have come a step closer following a £1.5m investment.
The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) said the money would be used to identify options for a ‘high-frequency mass transit’ scheme – a high-capacity network that could be made up of several different types of transport. 
West of England Mayor Tim Bowles described it as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to transform the way people travel around the region.
Over the next few months potential routes will be investigated across Bristol and South Gloucestershire with the potential to connect the people with the city centre and employment hubs. Similar routes will be studied for Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset.
These routes will connect with existing and planned bus and rail services bringing benefits to people across the region, said WECA.
A variety of transport options are being assessed to understand which technologies might work best for the region. Meanwhile businesses and local communities will be consulted to make sure the scheme meets their current and future needs.
The scheme was first announced two years ago at the same time as a report on the economic impact of traffic congestion on businesses across Bristol and the West of England revealed that 70% of businesses said lateness was the key impact of congestion, while 15% saying it impacted on recruitment and retention.
Some 80% wanted better integration between transport modes and 60% said existing public transport links were not suitable for their businesses. 
WECA says a mass transit system would dramatically improve transport across the region and lead to lower carbon emissions and improved air quality.
It describes mass transit as a high-capacity public transport network that provides fast, frequent and reliable services, often segregated from other traffic. It could include over or underground routes, potentially made up of several different types of transport, with links to existing rail and bus services.
It would link the city centre with its suburbs, with spurs going north and east, a separate one to Bath and one to Bristol Airport to the south-west via the south of the city.
Mayor Bowles said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform the way people travel around our region, so that people can live, get to jobs and education right across the West of England and not have to rely on cars.
“That will cut congestion, improve air quality and cut our carbon emissions so that as we recover from the pandemic, we build back better,” he said.
“Over the next few months we will be talking to communities and businesses to make sure that our plans meet the needs of the people who live and work here in the West of England. Mass transit is part of our ambitious plans to get our region moving and deliver a better connected and greener future.” 
WECA said the project was still at an early stage, with the latest investment aimed at investigating what the mass transit system might look like, how much it would cost and what the most appropriate mass transit technology would be. A public consultation will then be held this summer.
Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees, pictured, said: “This exciting project will transform the transport network in the region and contribute to our plans to build back an inclusive and sustainable economy.
“Despite the pandemic and the changes to the way people travel, we must look ahead to tackling the challenges of air pollution, traffic congestion and climate change while planning for population growth in the city region.
“We are ambitious about delivering a world-class public transport network which will better connect people to employment opportunities as well as shopping and leisure facilities.
“An investment of this scale in our future will help us rebuild from the coronavirus crisis by generating jobs, developing local supply chains and a low carbon transport system.
“Mass transit systems vary across well-connected cities around the world and we’re also seeing new technologies emerge. Every city and region is different and I look forward to working with local people, groups, businesses and organisations as we investigate what options will most benefit people in Bristol and the West of England.”
The West of England, with a population of 1.1m, is growing at a faster rate than other regions, sparking a need for new homes and jobs.
WECA says better transport will support the delivery of these new homes as well as improving access to jobs and linking new homes and communities with employment areas.
The mass transit scheme is being considered alongside significant investment in the rail, cycling, walking and bus routes outlined in the WECA’s Joint Local Transport Plan.
