Bristol buses under attack - by former transport boss
Bus services in Bristol have been condemned – by a councillor who was in charge of the city's transport department until only a few weeks ago.
Labour's Mark Bradshaw, who is now shadow transport spokesman, has tabled a motion to a full council meeting tonight, which says that First has failed to deliver on bus services.
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He said that most Bristol residents want to see a more affordable, integrated and reliable public transport network.
But he then said: "First Bus has shown itself unable to meet these requirements, with successive fare increases, service reductions, remaining poor reliability on certain services and absence of low floor vehicles on routes with a high proportion of elderly, disabled or passengers with young children, and there remains a woeful lack of integrated ticketing."
Yesterday the Bristol Evening Post revealed how Mr Bradshaw's successor – Liberal Democrat councillor Jon Rogers – believes that people are put off using buses because the drivers are too miserable.
Mr Bradshaw said he did not want his comments to be seen as a "witch hunt" against First.
But he said that a transport act passed last year gave the chance to bring new ideas and innovations to bus services to create better services.
Mr Bradshaw wants to see:
Scrapping all buses with steps and using "low floor" vehicles instead so pensioners with bus passes can use them,
Powers to impose maximum fares on some bus tickets.
Integrated travel tickets which can be used on trains, buses and ferries.
Reducing the cost of tickets on peak-time bus journeys when commuters and schoolchildren are most likely to use them.
Mr Bradshaw, whose former political post meant he was in constant negotiation with First to improve bus services in the city, wants an Integrated Transport Authority to manage public transport in greater Bristol.
There is some resistance to this from other local authorities in the former Avon area although they believe that transport issues need to be addressed on a sub-regional basis.
Mr Bradshaw said First's operating costs in Bristol were much higher than most other cities because of factors such as narrow streets, which meant fewer bus lanes. These meant tighter profit margins.
But he said: "These issues need to be addressed by First at national level. It is only investment on a major scale which will see bus services that a city such as Bristol deserves."
Mr Bradshaw's motion calls on the council to strengthen its resolve to work more closely with neighbouring councils to ensure that cross-boundary services are better coordinated.
He also wants the council to reaffirm its commitment to an Integrated Transport Authority.
Justin Davies, managing director of First Bristol said: "In the past three years First has taken a number of steps to significantly improve its performance in Bristol, working in partnership with the council to try to reduce congestion in the city, with a view to ensuring buses run to time and providing a reliable service for customers.
"Addressing congestion remains vitally important. Bristol is one of the slowest cities in the UK and this has a significant impact on our operating costs, and therefore our fares.
"Where measures have been taken, introducing showcase bus routes and other bus priority measures, it has been shown to have a positive impact, ensuring buses run to time and increasing the popularity of services among customers.
"Continual investment is needed though; in the past six months alone First has spent an additional £200,000 improving the reliability of the Showcase 1 route (and others), providing extra buses and drivers to maintain service levels, but we must continue to work in partnership if results are to seen uniformly across the city.
"We are continuing to invest in the city. In May, 16 brand-new buses will be brought into operation on Service 48/49, as part of a £20million investment package that has been rolled out over the past three years."
Executive member for transport and sustainability councillor Jon Rogers (Lib Dem, Ashley) said: "First is seen by many people to be part of the problem, and the way it is currently delivering the service, it is.
"But we can work with First, and other bus companies, to help provide Bristol with a cheaper, reliable transport service."
57 Comments
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by Bristol Traffic, Bristol
Wednesday, April 29 2009, 7:47AM
“Traffic lights can improve flow at junctions, by stopping motorways getting over-congested. This is why the on-ramps on many motorways in the US have them.
When added to a roundabout, they make "throughput" -the number of vehicles/hour- worse. This is because they stop vehicles on the roundabout, which then stops other vehicles getting on, and because there are less lanes getting access to the roundabout at any time.
What they have done in places like the St Pauls and St James Barton roundabout is improve "fairness". On a roundabout, if everyone is coming off one road (say the M32 in the morning), then those vehicles have the right of way over everyone else, creating tailbacks everywhere. You only get to pull out when someone is turning off onto your road, and if nobody does, you get to sit there.
Adding them to roundabouts helps pedestrians and bicycles, but they were really put in because there was too much traffic. The problem is, roundabouts are hard to fix.”
by Peter Tomlinson, Bristol
Tuesday, April 28 2009, 10:24PM
“Mark Bradshaw is right about the powers to create an ITA being new, but the local Councils could and should have created the precursor to it: a Joint Transport Committee. They failed to agree on this, even though Council Officers had been working together for some time.
The powers to have contracted services (as in London), have supposedly been in place since 2000, but proved unworkable. Last year's legislation supposedly improved matters, but don't forget that London's services are heavily subsidised. Govt has probably decided to abandon congestion charging ideas outside London, so monies set aside by govt to implement that should now be released to fund public transport improvements.
Meanwhile, the Dept for Transport has for nearly a year been running a study on the case for having a national deployment of smart card ticketing, yet they failed to issue an open invitation to submit evidence - they instead intend to issue a consultation document about now. They have, however, been told that full regulation of public transport is the logical way to go, with expert regulators decoupled from the inexpert DfT civil servants.
Meanwhile, the new traffic management on Stokes Croft is working very well, as is traffic management around Cabot Circus and at the bottom of the M32 - this is because, for the first time, Bristol has done a proper job instead of a cheap and inadequate job (such as was done in the Centre, for example).”
by craig, bristol
Tuesday, April 28 2009, 8:25PM
“it is CENTRAL government policy to keep traffic lights on red so making more money out of motorists in tax revenue, they could introduce green light flows for slower moving vehicles but until now they havnt due to the loss in revenue, ever wondered why you are sat at trafiic lights late at night for minutes when nothing is coming in the other direction?”
by Andy, Nailsea
Tuesday, April 28 2009, 6:06PM
“I reckon you're spot on with your jibe, John.
There's none so blind as those that try to justify the unjustifiable.”
by Tony, Bristol
Tuesday, April 28 2009, 6:03PM
“I notice a lot of people pointng out about traffic lights and the negatve effect they have.
More importantly we are all being told about our Carbon foot print and asked to reduce it yet we have a Council HELL bent on introducing traffic measures that in term mean we consume vast amounts of electricity, hypocrocy or what! to add to it we all spend more time now sat at red lights burning precious fossil fuels waiting for lights to change, these same lights work 24/7 turn all the traffic lights off and watch the vast improvement in a lack of congestion.
They wont do that though the idea is drive every motorist insane with ques to force them to use expensive public transport.
Nice one!”
by Gordy, Alicante
Tuesday, April 28 2009, 5:59PM
“Yes i do have if i can be allowed to”
by Tony, Bristol
Tuesday, April 28 2009, 5:52PM
“Well what can be said about Mr Bradshaw and his new attitude, shame feelings were not the same when he was in the driving seat "pardon the pun" now that he is in opposition all of a sudden surprise surprise the Bristolians are not getting the service they deserve and pay for, pardon me for being so synical but I did not come in with the last tide! First should be re named to LAST? and Mr Bradshaw it is too late to con Bristolians again!
Oh and you parking zone stuff it
I am eagerly awaiting ellections in June.”
by The Jolly Blogger, Bristol
Tuesday, April 28 2009, 4:57PM
“John,
Substitute former for latter in my last post.”
by John, Bristol
Tuesday, April 28 2009, 4:56PM
“My apologies for my use of the term 'abortion'. I typed what I was thinking.
No offence intended to anyone. My thoughts, however, I don't apologise for, before anyone says "You were thinking it though".”
by John, Bristol
Tuesday, April 28 2009, 4:53PM
“You mean like at the junction of Ashley Rd and Sussex place, a main road leading to the M32 roundabout? Where a roundabout served it's purpose well for years? Where there are no queues when the lights are broken?
The more you try to justify the abortion there, the more I think my jibe was correct.”