Chancellor George Osborne yesterday announced the Ashton Vale to Temple Meads rapid bus link will go ahead.
Aim: The link will aim to provide a high-quality alternative to private cars with a fast, frequent and reliable public transport service. Services will run on a largely segregated route, separate from cars, and will get priority over other road users at traffic signals.
The scheme will link:
Temple Meads Station’s planned transport interchange
Redcliffe
Temple Quay
Cabot Circus and Broadmead
The Centre (for interchange with buses)
M Shed and the planned Wapping Wharf development
Spike Island and the SS Great Britain
Long Ashton Park and Ride.
Buses: Low-emission vehicles that provide the quality and feel of a high-quality, metro-style system. Bristol City Council says it is committed to exploring use of alternative fuels.
Extension: There is potential for an early extension to Bristol Airport.
Benefits:
Improved journey times and reliability into Bristol city centre.
A high-quality, more sustainable choice of travel – rapid transit and cycling
or walking.
A shift to more environmentally sustainable transport modes, reducing carbon
emissions and local pollutants.
Improving physical activity and quality of life by encouraging walking and cycling.
Improved connectivity between existing centres of activity with new and proposed development.
Improved accessibility to the existing public transport network particularly at Temple
Meads station.
Better use of an under-used existing transport corridor and retaining road network
capacity.
