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Good Transport Plan for Bristol - protected cycling routes a key part, says SustransThe future of cycling in Bristol (CC BY-SA 2.0 licensed by Sam Saunders:Flickr)

Good Transport Plan for Bristol - protected cycling routes a key part, says Sustrans

Bristolians invited to think about how they travel and contribute to the debate
by Laura Laker
Thu, Jul 23, 2015 16:33
6

A "Good Transport Plan" for Bristol has been launched by Sustrans in a bid to tackle the city's air pollution and congestion problems, and investigate sustainable transport infrastructure that will help keep the city's growing population moving without adding to those problems.

The plan, which is at present a vision designed to inspire people to think about the way they travel and contribute ideas, identifies nine key transport areas to improve upon, including bus and train services, protected walking and cycling routes, low emissions vehicles and a reduction in city traffic, including fewer lorries.

Suggestions to improve sustainability of each area vary, from car sharing to the use of more "poo buses", a Bristol bus run on human waste. To reduce city centre lorries the charity suggests using more freight consolidation centres, like an existing example in Avonmouth, where large vehicles drop off long-distance freight on the city outskirts to be moved onto smaller vehicles for the last leg of the journey.

Ian Barrett, Sustrans Regional Director said: "Bristol’s roads are already full. We need to invest more in other ways of getting around as the population grows, or congestion and air pollution will get worse."

“The plan sets out how we can improve transport in Bristol and help create a city with vibrant public spaces and thriving community streets.”

According to Sustrans there are 200 premature deaths in Bristol per year from air pollution, and congestion that costs the Bristol economy around £600m per year. With 90,000 new homes planned for the West of England, and almost 70,000 new jobs, substantial strain will be placed on the existing transport network, the charity says.

Barrett says the charity wants to move beyond the "transport tribal mentality" and agree a vision everyone can get behind for the benefit of the city.

"The plan shows that walking, cycling and public transport are not just better for people's health and the environment, but will be essential in moving growing numbers of people around the city over the next 10-15 years," he says.

Barrett said public involvement is a key part of the programme vision.

"We want to get Bristolians engaged in the discussion about transport, and to contribute their views and ideas on how we tackle congestion and improve our city's streets. There will be a Sustrans consultation team attending local events throughout the summer, and a survey asking residents and commuters about the changes they'd like to see is online. I hope to see some great results soon," he said.

Bristol has the highest combined levels of walking and cycling to work of any local authority in England and Wales and is one of the cities to receive money under the government's cycle city ambition money in 2013 and 2014.
Like most UK cities, however, Bristol still has busy, inhospitable roads that the charity says divide communities, while people feel unsafe walking and cycling in the same space as motor traffic.

The Good Transport Plan was inspired by the Good Food Plan for Bristol, and is funded, as part of the city's European Green Capital legacy by the Bristol 2015 Strategic Grants Fund, which has awarded the project £1.35 million via 32 strategic projects.

Bristol
Sustrans
sustainable transport
Laura Laker

Laura Laker is a freelance journalist with more than a decade’s experience covering cycling, walking and wheeling (and other means of transport). Beginning her career with road.cc, Laura has also written for national and specialist titles of all stripes. One part of the popular Streets Ahead podcast, she sometimes appears as a talking head on TV and radio, and in real life at conferences and festivals. She is also the author of Potholes and Pavements: a Bumpy Ride on Britain’s National Cycle Network.

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6 comments

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Bmblbzzz | 9 years ago
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I prefer Bristol 24/7 or even the Bristol Cable nowadays. Although the latter is as far from neutral as the Post, it doesn't attract the branespeakerz.

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John_S | 9 years ago
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It's interesting the see in the comments above it includes reference to the comments in a local newspaper.

I'm not familiar with the Bristol Post but it sounds similar to some of the comments found in relation to cycling stories on the Norwich Evening News website such as:-

http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/shambles_claim_after_tree_trouble_sc...

http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/tombland_push_the_pedalways_project_...

p.s. I'm sorry if the website addresses above do not work as links and need to be copied and pasted but I wasn't sure how to include a link.

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brooksby replied to John_S | 9 years ago
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John_S wrote:

Ii'm not familiar with the Bristol Post but it sounds similar to some of the comments found in relation to cycling stories on the Norwich Evening News website ... .

Thing is, most local newspapers are owned by the same company nowadays, And that company is owned by the trust which owns the Daily Mail...

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brakesmadly | 9 years ago
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By the nature of the grammar and spelling from many of the Post commenters they type with their elbows.

The fact that 'traffic' is an accumulation of other people all trying to do exactly the same thing as the person moaning about being held up is inexplicably lost on the scowling, delayed masses trapped in a line of vehicles twice daily. It beggars belief.

Brooksby has accurately summarised the reasons why less happens than it should in Bristol, and probably even more so in other cities where local government officials are less enlightened or prepared to take decisive action. I really hope Mayor George Ferguson is re-elected next May so that the 'mouth-breathers' (love that) have their noses rubbed in the fact that they are, actually, the minority.

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Alf0nse | 9 years ago
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The boss-eyed, mouth breathing Bristol Post comment warriors are vociferous detractors from anything that they feels threatens their right to sit in a traffic jam. The problem is that they see their cars as an extension of themselves, part of their very being. Asking them not to drive is like asking them not to use a limb.

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brooksby | 9 years ago
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I wish Sustrans all the best of luck with this (I know they get a mixed reception, but at least they are trying...).

The Bristol Post (our local 'news'paper) covered this story, and their website version is notable for the comments on it.

The folk of Bristol commenting on the website (not one of whom I'd guess has ridden a bike since childhood) seem to be of the opinion (1) that Sustrans shouldn't be a charity because its a lobbying organisation, (2) that any congestion in Bristol is nothing to do with the motor vehicles and everything to do with badly placed traffic lights and some evil conspiracy between our elected mayor and the Green complex, and (3) that all the bus lanes and cycle lanes should be removed so that the traffic will immediately flow better.

I appreciate that local newspaper websites are a big gooey mess of clickbait, but our own is particularly bad for covering all those stories where cyclists are drug dealers (drug dealer was riding a bike at the time), where someone was a bit scared because that cyclist on the pavement (almost invariably a shared use pavement) _nearly_ went a bit close to them, where _every_ accident involving a cyclist was their own fault, where motor vehicles are responsible for their own actions (never the driver), and for confirming that there definitely isn't any problem with traffic in the city which needs to be solved (except possibly by removing all the cyclists).

Bristol has a really good 'cycling community' (by which I mean a lot of people who cycle, and who do stop and ask if someone needs help with a flat (or an exploded derailleur)) but it also has a very large population of folk who would have to be pried out of their motor cars using a crowbar.

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