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About 19,000 jobs would be created if planned transport schemes for Bristol and the surrounding region go ahead, an independent consultant has said.
In a report presented to the West of England Joint Transport Executive Committee yesterday, the consultants Atkins said an extra £1.2bn \ year could be unlocked from the local economy.
Schemes such as the bus rapid transit (BRT), Greater Bristol Metro, Temple Quarter Transport package and a new junction on the M49 would help businesses in the region to grow, they said.
The schemes would be of particular benefit to areas such as the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone and South Bristol, as well as Bath and Weston-super-Mare.
Jonathan Foster-Clark, Atkins project manager for the report, said: “Our report shows that investment in these schemes will play a critical role in unlocking new growth and creating jobs in the West of England.
“Local roads are often congested, buses are seen as expensive and slow, rail services are infrequent and only cover certain areas, and some areas have poor access to the motorway network.
“Our modelling shows that increased numbers of people living and working in the West of England will place much greater strain on the network.
“Failure to improve local bus and rail services will constrain people’s travel choices, and significant increases in traffic will cause widespread and severe congestion.
“We interviewed businesses, property agents and representative organisations to explore the impacts of the transport schemes on the West of England. One business told us that if these schemes do not go ahead there will be real limitations on businesses’ ability to grow.”
The package of schemes would deliver a very high return on capital investment, Mr Foster-Clark added, with £3.60 made per £1 spent on the schemes.
