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Bus Rapid Transit: Greens expose the Con in the Consultation

Quangos go for Spin on Cyclepath

Embargoed to 00:01 on 28th January 2008

 
Bristol Green Party says that the city's unelected quangos have launched a 'spin' campaign to get buses off the roads ^{[note 1]} and onto a valued cyclepath^{[note 2]}.

In the last few days, the bid to take over the Bristol and Bath ends of Britain's most popular railway path has drawn unprecented protest ^{[note 3]} from thousands of walkers, cyclists and neighbours of the 'green lung' that leads into both cities.

Now research by the Green Party, using documents obtained under Freedom of Information laws by the Bristol Cycling Campaign, reveals a carefully planned bid to 'sell' the idea of using the route as a busway^{[note 4]}, even though it would destroy what is, arguably, Bristol's most popular green asset.

The papers show how the Bristol Partnership - a group including the council and business leaders including First Group - seem more concerned with presentation than with providing a sustainable transport system. They say (of using a guided bus system on the cyclepath) :
"`The image can appear more sustainable due to the ability to plant grass between the tracks, which will be useful in softening the perceived impact of the route for consultation purposes.´ ^{[note 5]}

Katie Buse, Green Party candidate for Easton, said:

`The truth is that this route would mean large scale removal of trees and tree canopy, while discouraging the walkers and cyclists who use this path. Anyone who knows the path (and obviously not many of the city leaders do) knows there's huge bits where there just isn´t room for a two-lane road and anything but the narrowest of corridors. These proposals would be the end for what is not just a cycle route but a "linear park"- and Easton´s last remaining significant green space."

In another document, Business West suggest that the
`perceived advantages of low emission vehicles´ would help sell the idea of putting buses onto the railway path ^{[note 6]}.

Martin Cottingham, Green Party General Election candidate for Bristol East said: `These plans are bonkers. Low emissions buses could and should be used to reduce air pollution on our streets now - not saved up to win acceptance for a scheme that won´t start running until 2013 at the earliest ^{[note 7]}.

"The Council has a duty to use its influence on the West of England Partnership to make sure any consultation is fair and honest, and doesn´t try and hoodwink the people of Bristol´.

`The worst thing of all about this consultation is that it doesn´t consider the obvious option. The best place for bus lanes is on roads that already exist, serving the businesses and workplaces along those routes - not a park and cycleway which is used for 2.4 million journeys per year´ ^{[note 8]}.

The East Bristol Green Party has now put a briefing on its web site^{[note 9]}, along with ten questions to put to the transport planners asking for justification of their proposals.

Notes

1. The original proposal was to run the bus route down the M32 corridor. See page 5.15 of Atkins’ ‘Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study – Final Report’ (June 2006), available at: www.gos.gov.uk/497666/docs/164775/418726/GBSTS_Final_report_Part_1_C1.pdf.


2. See page 35 of Steer Davies Gleave, ‘Greater Bristol Transport Corridor Options’ (January 2007), available at: http://people.apache.org/~stevel/bikepath/2007-01-17-public-transport-corridor-options.pdf.


3. See http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/petition.php?id=161.


4. First want to use the route for double decker buses. See item 3 in the minutes from the West of England Partnership’s Bus Rapid Transit Project Board meeting of 9th November 2007, available at: http://people.apache.org/~stevel/bikepath/2007-11-09-meeting-of-brt-project-board.pdf.


5. See page 2 of the anonymous ‘Bus Rapid Transit Technology Assessment – Guidance Recommendation’ dated 1st August 2007, available at http://people.apache.org/~stevel/bikepath/2007-08-01-guidance_recommendation.pdf, which was endorsed by the Bus Rapid Transport Project Board at its 9th November meeting. While it is unclear who exactly drafted this recommendation, the recommendation was put together following a 15th October 2007 workshop at which representatives from First, Halcrow, Steer Davies Gleave and a third consultancy, Atkins, were present (see item 3 in the minutes for the 9th November meeting).


6. See item 7 in the minutes from the West of England Partnership’s Bus Rapid Transit Project Board meeting of 9 November 2007, available at: http://people.apache.org/~stevel/bikepath/2007-11-09-meeting-of-brt-project-board.pdf.


7. See page 15 of Joint Transport Forum, ‘Bus Rapid Transit’ (16th November 2007), available at: http://people.apache.org/~stevel/bikepath/2007-11-16-joint-transit-board-annoucement.pdf.


8. See ‘Right idea, wrong route - Sustrans opposes bus proposal for popular cycling and walking route’ (accessed 26th January 2008), available at: www.sustrans.org.uk/default.asp?sID=1201109800166.


9. See www.bristolgreenparty.org.uk/east/cyclepath.htm

Contact:

Martin Cottingham 0117 965 7058 or (mob) 0797 410 9914
Katie Buse 0117 955 6680 or (mob) 07975 612766