Plot 6 promises were 'just spin'

Written by Pete Goodwin Wednesday, 27 April 2011

Bristol's greatest chance to transform the city's transport is being thrown away, says the city's Green Party.

A state of the art transport hub at Temple Meads looks set to fall victim to the coalition government's dogmatic sell-off of public assets, and the failure of successive city councils to take the project seriously.

The government is now insisting^[3] on the Plot 6 development site and other publicly owned sites being sold off on the open market, overriding the RDA's own advice^[4] and despite belated efforts by the council and business^[4] to save the situation.

Now the Greens have released a letter ^[5] showing how council transport supremo Gary Hopkins' February plea^[6] to Transport Minister Norman Baker to save the site was never going to succeed, because the Minister has no powers to intervene.  It shows, too, that in spite of Cllr Hopkins' statements the council have made no effort to plan how the site could be utilised for a hub.

Spokesman Peter Goodwin, of Stockwood, said:

"It looks like there was much more spin than substance in Cllr Hopkins claims about the chances of getting Plot 6.  Neither he nor the Transport Minister can prevent the sale of the site.  The truth is that little or nothing has been done by his officers to secure the site or even to work out what it might provide.  It remains outside the official plans, even while extra money is being found to salvage cut-down projects like the bus rapid transits and the South Bristol Ring Road.

"If Bristol loses the Plot, the main parties on the council should be ashamed of themselves.  For years, the council's had this gold-plated chance to turn the city's traffic problems around, making public transport attractive to far more people.

"They were told.  They didn't listen.  And now it's more than probable that they've blown the chance for good."

Notes.

1.  Plot 6 belongs to Network Rail and SWRDA (which will be wound up by next year).  Used in conjunction with the 'Digby Wyatt Shed' extension to Brunel's Old Station, it could provide a common concourse for bus, coach, ferry, and rail passengers, offering direct access to all parts of Bristol and most parts of the country; all journeys with no more than one safe, comfortable, easy, change.

2.  In spite of continuous lobbying by the Greens, transport activists, and others, it was not until January 2011 (see GP press release) that any executive member for transport showed any interest; at the same time, after Cllr Tess Green repeatedly raised the issue, the cross-party Scrutiny Commission recommended that the site be protected for use as a transport interchange.  But even now, neither the emerging Core Strategy nor the Joint Local Transport Plan include any reference to a Plot 6 hub.

3.  Announcement from the Business ministry (BIS) on 1st April:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/economic-development/englands- regional-development-agencies/assets .
Comment and references from the Local Government Chronicle:
http://www.lgcplus.com/briefings/services/economic- development/saint-vinces-capitulation/5027869.blog

4. SWRDA assets and liabilities plan(p9) of Jan 31st, at http://www.lgcplus.com/Journals/3/Files/2011/4/13/South%20West%20RDA%20Assets%20and%20Liabilities%20Plan.pdf
The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership is also backing designation of Plot 6 as a public transport hub

5.  DfT letter - copy on Bristol Green Party website at http://www.bristolgreenparty.org.uk/doc_download/203-110331dftletterhighlighted.html

6.  Bristol LibDems' press release, Feb 23:
http://www.bristol-libdems.org.uk/?q=node/987


Contact:

Peter Goodwin, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Tel 01275 543280