News / Transport
Trams could finally return to Bristol
Trams could finally return to Bristol under new plans unveiled by West of England mayor, Helen Godwin.
But there are plenty of caveats; not least whether funding will be made available for such an ambitious scheme and what the potential new vehicles will actually be.
According to a new WECA document, the West of England Transport Vision, a future mass transit network could see “comfortable and accessible vehicles that look and operate similar to trams”.
Are they actually trams though? Or, in the words of the WECA document published on Wednesday, a “high-quality bus-based solution… with longer vehicles, multiple entry / exit points, low floors, smooth ride quality and running on segregated roadways”.
That description certainly sounds like a tram.
Whatever their precise definition, Bristol has some catching up to do. In France, there are 23 cities smaller than Bristol with a mass transit system.
Utrecht in the Netherlands has a similar population to the West of England but has three tramlines and more than 40 stations.
And Bristol Airport is currently England’s only regional airport without a fixed mass transit link; with the West the biggest city-region in the country without mass transit services or a commitment to building them.
Bristol Airport is currently England’s only regional airport without a fixed mass transit link – photo: Martin Booth
WECA’s tram or light rail solution could offer “small, electrically-powered rail vehicles generally running on fixed tracks” – image: WECA
WECA’s “vision” for a better-connected West of England is for not just a mass transit system – “a high-capacity system that links our key economic centres” – but also for better buses, more trains, better walking and cycling routes, and smoother roads and pavements.
“Nobody wants to sit stuck in traffic or hang around for a bus that never turns up,” Godwin said
“Our record transport investment secured from government must make a real difference that people across the West can see and feel.
“We can start to give people their time back: to be home sooner, get out into nature more or visit the many attractions that make our part of the world so special.
“We need a transport system that people can trust, wherever they live.
“Together, we can and must deliver the integrated transport system that people need and deserve.
“As we lay the foundations with existing transport projects, and step things up a gear for better buses, more trains and mass transit plans, we will seek our fair share of further funding to really get the West moving.”
e-bikes and e-scooters for short trips remain part of WECA’s long-term vision for a better-connected West of England – photo: Martin Booth
Bristol City Council leader, Tony Dyer, added: “We have already seen how beneficial targeted investment in our city’s transport system can be, from our new fleet of eco-friendly buses to new train stations that better connect our communities.
“Yet we continue to be held back by a transport network that struggles to maintain pace with the growing demands of our city.
“That is why this newly set out vision is so important.
“Bristol continues to punch above its weight culturally and economically yet we are still crying out for real, sustained investment into our transport system.
“Through this plan, we can take the first steps to delivering the modern, reliable and future-proofed transport network, which includes a mass transit system, that our residents deserve and continue to unlock the full potential of our city centre and the wider region.”
Main image: WECA
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