Still more questions to Cabinet member Dennis Brown, attempting to find out what the Ring Road's for, and related questions. Put by Peter Goodwin of S. Bristol Green Party:

(a) building any stage of the Bristol South Ring Road, or
(b) for not building it (i.e. fulfilling the same objectives by other means)?

Reply: We are committed, by whatever proves to be the most appropriate means, to carry out the technical analysis that could enable a bid to be made to government for funds to construct phases 1 and 2 of ring road. As previously explained, this analysis will examine non road-building options as well as the case for constructing the road and I would not wish to prejudice their analysis.

Note: In an effort to get clarification a supplementary question was put:

Can we take it that there is no provision in the budget for the coming year for preparing the bid ?

Reply (not verbatim): There are no additional staff planned at this stage, though it is possible that existing staff could be transferred from other work.

Reply: There is no definite list of benefits potentially arising from this project but a couple of further examples would be accessibility and safety.

A series of further questions to Cabinet member Dennis Brown, still attempting to find out what the Ring Road's for, and related questions. Put by Peter Goodwin of S. Bristol Green Party:

1. Developer Contributions

Has there been any intimation from Bristol International Airport that their expansion plans would be more viable with the construction of a South Bristol Ring Road, and, in particular, that they foresee themselves making a substantial 'developer contribution' toward its cost?

Reply: The Bristol International Airport Master Plan 2006-2030 published in November 2006 notes that the South Bristol Ring Road will be of particular benefit to airport users, but does not quantify to what extent, if any, this will make its expansion plans more viable. I am not aware that BIA has yet foreseen making a substantial contribution to the cost of the Ring Road, and indeed it is arguing that their expansion will have only a minor impact on local congestion, though it is willing to pay a proportionate contribution to any works required to improve traffic flow on the A38 outside the airport. It is, of course, possible that the issue of more substantial contributions could emerge as individual planning applications are brought forward.

2. Alternatives to Road Building

a) Is consideration of 'a wide range of alternatives' (which you mentioned in your reply of 28th September) still to come - or does the Director of Planning's statement "consultation regarding the principles of alternative transport strategies has already been carried out as part of the the GBSTS" (circulated to members more recently) mean that it has already passed us by?

Reply: Evidence of consideration of a wide range of alternatives is still required by the Department for Transport as part of the appraisal required in support of a future bid for funding and this work is still to be carried out. The Director's statement to members simply noted that some consultation on the broad principles of alternative strategies has already been carried out. There will clearly be further consultation at the appropriate time.

b) Can you advise what social, economic and environmental objectives any 'alternatives' must fulfill if they are to provide a real alternative to the construction of a South Bristol Ring Road?

[Note: this question was initially e-mailed to the leader and yourself on October 1 following the cabinet meeting, and a reply was promised]

Reply: As stated in my previous reply on this matter, the criteria that must be fulfilled when developing a business case for any scheme for government funding approval are laid down in extensive and detailed government guidance which can be accessed from the Department for Transport website.

c) In making a cost comparison between a Ring Road and its alternatives, would developer contributions (e.g. from BIA, or housebuilders) be first deducted from the anticipated cost of a Ring Road?

Reply: Economic appraisal of transport investment schemes is complex. In receiving a bid for public finance for a scheme, the government will be interested in the total cost of a scheme to the public purse (i.e. net of any developers' contributions). However, in making decisions it will also be interested in the ratio of total costs of the scheme from whatever source to the overall benefits to society.

Note: In an effort to get clarification of the answer given (or not!) at 2b, a supplementary question was put:

"In the absence of any indication of what the road is for, despite repeated questioning, should I take the answer you have given to Cllr Holland's question as being an accurate statement - viz, that 'it will help reduce congestion within Bristol but (more than anything) will be of particular significance to South Bristol by finally opening up the full economic potential of this neglected part of Bristol'?"

Reply: Yes, among other things.

A series of questions to Cabinet member Dennis Brown, attempting to find out what the Ring Road's for, and what consultation there will be. Put by Peter Goodwin of S. Bristol Green Party:

1. Can you confirm the advice I was given by your officers in January, that before going ahead with any programme to build a South Bristol Ring Road the council(s) will "examine all possible ............... alternative non road building options in order to establish that any proposal makes the very best use of public money" ?

Reply: Yes. It is a requirement of government guidance on the appraisal of major transport schemes that a wide range of alternatives are considered.

If so

2. Can you say which council(s) will undertake this task?

Reply: Bristol City Council, North Somerset Council and Bath & North East Somerset Council, because the range of possible routes includes all of these administrative areas

3. Can you resolve the confusion created by the several documents promoting the ring road all giving different reasons for its construction (eg access to airport and motorway, regeneration of south Bristol, city centre congestion relief, access to new settlements) ? In particular can you define clearly the essential purpose(s) the ring road must fulfill, so that when all possible alternative non road building options are examined, they can be developed and tested against the same criteria?

Reply: There are several reasons for building the ring road including all those you have referred to. The GBSTS consultants particularly refer to the widespread relief of congestion on both the strategic highway network and large sections of the local road network, and not just city centre congestion. They also refer to a substantial increase in bus passenger travel brought about by the attractiveness of improved bus operating speeds as a result of congestion relief. The criteria that must be fulfilled when developing a business case for the scheme for government funding approval are laid down in extensive and detailed government guidance documents. These can be accessed via the Department of Transport website.

4. What steps (if any) will you take to involve the local community and interest groups in South Bristol in the development of non road building options, as was requested in the e-petition presented by the Green Party on September 12?

Reply: At this early stage of the project the precise details of consultation have yet to be agreed. However, I anticipate that all the councils will wish to consult their local communities and interst groups while the business case is being developed and once firm proposals are known. Broader consultation, including consideration of the concepts underlying the proposal, took place during the preparation of GBSTS and effectively informed the study. Related consultation has also been undertaken by the Regional Assembly as part of the development of the Regional Spatial Strategy.

Note: Because there was no time allowed for a supplementary question, it was subsequently e-mailed to Cllrs Brown and Janke:

"In addition to the reasons I listed, you've added the relief of congestion across the city and, as a consequence, the improvement in bus operating speeds.

"Is this a complete list?

"To be justified, must a Ring Road achieve all these objectives, or are some of them dispensible? "

12th September 2006

FULL COUNCIL

A series of questions to Cabinet member Dennis Brown, requesting a debate, and details of bid costs. Put by Cllr Charlie Bolton of S. Bristol Green Party:

1. In view of the fact that the very little detail of the South Bristol Ring Road was given in the Joint Local Transport Plan and that the Council had no real option but to accept the JLTP in its entirety, does the Executive member have plans to discuss the South Bristol Ring Road as a separate agenda item in Full Council?

Reply: Cabinet and then Full Council have each twice in a little over a year approved the principle of preparing and submitting bids to government to fund the ring road as part of a wider package of measures to address transport issues throughout the Greater Bristol area. These meetings were held to approve the Provisional Joint Local Transport Plan in July 2005 and the Final Plan in March this year; similar approvals were obtained from council meetings held at the same time in the three surrounding unitary authorities. As with all such reports, opportunities for alterations existed. None were proposed. Further reports at appropriate times will of course be brought forward to Cabinet as necessary.

2. Will the costs of preparing a bid for government funding for a South Bristol Ring Road require a budget commitment from the West of England councils, and Bristol in particular?

Reply: Yes

3. If so, have any estimates been made of what that budget would be?

Reply: Estimates of the total cost of preparation of a bid or bids for the first phase of the scheme are being prepared at present. Costs would initially be shared primarily between Bristol and North Somerset Councils. Some of this investment is recoverable from government once full approval for the scheme is obtained.

4. Will you undertake to give individual notice to those Members who express an interest, when any such budget allocation is to be made?

Reply: Members will be informed through the usual channels as part of the budget preparation process.