Public Transport Plans in Bristol

This month we continue on with the transport theme from last month. We are discussing the present and future changes to public transport in Bristol.

Bristol has a range of methods of transportation via bus, train, park and ride, ferry or even electric scooter. These are dotted around the city, and you are never far from at least one method of getting around. Add this to the increased focus on pedestrianisation and cycle routes that has occurred in recent years, and public transport in Bristol seems pretty good.

However, as the city grows and cars become less of a focus in the long term, what is in store for Bristol’s transit and transport plans? New bus lanes incorporating the potential closure of Bristol bridge and connections to existing and new railway stations are on the horizon as is a potential underground system.

The changes aim:

• To connect people in Bristol to the surrounding areas.
• Meet challenges of a growing population.
• To help us meet our environmental targets.

Bristol Transport Strategy

The local government adopted the Bristol transport Strategy in 2019 after an autumn 2018 consultation. It aims to improve transport infrastructure and planning to meet growth in jobs, housing and regeneration. Its focuses are to create an inclusive transport system by making healthy spaces that promote activity and improve safety and air quality. Additionally, it plans to make better use of streets, create more reliable journeys by reducing congestion and supporting sustainable growth.

Plans to change the function and movement through the city centre were enacted with the replanning of roads around the hippodrome, and with pedestrianisation of the Old Town. This will continue with increased focus on the impact of high volume corridors. As well as an increase in the importance of local centres rather than just on the city centre.

The Underground

The council expect the planned underground to cost up to £4bn. Planning has only recently started with a £150 million consultation to produce a transport route map.

Mayor Marvin Rees says that he expects it will become a reality in 10 to 15 years. The routes connect to the YTL arena that is currently being constructed in the old Filton airport as well as using the route in conjunction with train and bus routes to create a comprehensive cover of Bristol. Bus routes are especially a focus at the moment. As pedestrianisation changes routes and routes times around the city centre. Mayor Marvin Rees also aims to deliver ‘rapid bus routes’ within the next five to ten years.

Alternatively, Green Councillors proposed a tram system in response to the underground/overground system. Ironically, a tram system was proposed before. The planned ‘supertram’ aimed to link the city centre to north Bristol but was scrapped in 2004. On top of that Bristol once has a thriving and pioneering tram system. In the late 19^th/early 20^th century Bristol was one of the first cities to adopt electric trams. However, the trams became defunct after the first and second world wars and shift to buses.

For more articles like this, go to our Articles page (or click here for our previous article), and also consider signing up to our Newsletter! We have also written other articles about Bristol: Pedestrianisation, Nightlife industry, Commercial development, The Hatchet, and Investing in Weston-Super-Mare!

The links below explore Bristol’s transport plans in more depth:

Mass Transit Plans Bristol

Bristol Transport Strategy

City Centre Framework