The South Glos Post

South Gloucestershire Council has welcomed the announcement from the Department for Transport that funding has been secured for the North Fringe to Hengrove rapid transit package, worth £102m.

Commenting on the announcement, Cllr Brian Allinson, executive member responsible for transport and chair of the Joint Transport Executive Committee, said:

“We are delighted that the bid has been successful. This is exceptionally good news for South Gloucestershire’s economy and for transport as a whole across the region.”

“The North Fringe to Hengrove rapid transit scheme, along with the recent announcements about the schemes in Ashton Vale and the South Bristol link, coupled with the electrification of the Great Western Main Line rail line clearly demonstrate the benefits which can be achieved when the four West of England councils work together in partnership.”

“Securing this significant investment in the West’s transport system is further recognition of the importance central Government places on this region and the scheme will lead to more jobs being created and improved links made with communities in the north and east fringe when work starts on the scheme in two years time.”

The West of England councils have secured funding for all five of their major transport schemes. More information on the schemes is available at www.westofengland.org.

Source: South Gloucestershire Council

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A new congestion-busting transport link road has been included as part of a flagship rapid transit scheme, delighting local campaigners.

Approved by South Gloucestershire Council’s Cabinet on Monday (25th July), the North Fringe to Hengrove Package rapid transit scheme includes the ‘Stoke Gifford Transport Link’ – also known locally as the Stoke Gifford bypass.

The bypass had been due to open over ten years ago in order to deal with the huge congestion in the North Fringe of Bristol created by the development of 8,000 homes at Bradley Stoke and other nearby developments. It was cancelled when South Gloucestershire Council was run by the Liberal Democrats. A long campaign has been fought by local Conservatives to revive plans for the new road.

Speaking at Monday’s Cabinet meeting, Stoke Gifford Conservative councillor Keith Cranney said:

“I welcome the North Fringe to Hengrove Package rapid transit scheme and feel that the Stoke Gifford Transport Link is the most important element of it.”

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Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

South Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats have welcomed a major step forward in achieving an integrated transport system fit for the 21st Century.

Lib Dem Transport Spokesperson Cllr Pat Hockey said, “I welcome the Cabinet’s decision to move forward with its bid for Government funding to enable work to start on the South Gloucestershire element of a rapid transport system. This will link The Mall, the main employment areas, including the Science Park at Emersons Green, Bradley Stoke and UWE, with Bristol City Centre and beyond.

“This may not be the tram we had originally hoped for but it is new and exciting and will offer a very attractive alternative to sitting behind the wheel in a traffic jam. It is regrettable that this progress has to be linked to the loss of Green Belt at Harry Stoke. The original proposals if they had gone ahead would have meant not only the loss of the countryside but a wide dual carriageway attracting even more cars on to the Ring Road joining the queues at the Hambrook roundabout.”

Cllr Hockey added, “We don’t have to abandon our dreams for a tram. If the funding becomes available the extra width needed to convert the bus rapid transit into a tramway is being safeguarded with these proposals.”

More info: North Fringe to Hengrove Package (Travel+)

Source: South Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats

Scheme extended to Cribbs Causeway after public consultation

Regional transport chiefs have approved the North Fringe to Hengrove rapid transit scheme and its extension to the Cribbs Causeway shopping centre in South Gloucestershire.

At a West of England transport meeting earlier today (Thursday 4th February), it was confirmed that – following a consultation exercise – the rapid transit scheme will now be able to include the Cribbs extension in a way that avoids a repeat of the Liberal Democrat ‘supertram’ fiasco less than 6 years ago.

The Bristol ‘supertram’ project fell apart in 2004 due to Liberal Democrat transport chiefs at both Bristol City and South Gloucestershire councils falling out over the Cribbs link – leading to the collapse of the scheme and leaving South Gloucestershire council tax payers with a whopping £800k bill.

It is also hoped that the rapid transit plans will include the purchase of land south of Hunts Ground Road near to Parkway station in order to provide a larger park and ride facility.

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Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council