Forget Bristol congestion charges, make bus travel more appealing instead.
THE proposal being considered by mayor George Ferguson to introduce congestion charges has the familiar hallmark of a politician cracking a nut with a sledgehammer. (Mike Norton interview, Post, Jan 4).
We all want to see the daily nightmare of Bristol grinding to a halt caused by traffic congestion ended.
Introducing congestion charging is not necessarily the best option. Mayor Ferguson should concentrate more on improving public transport. Getting people to leave their cars at home in favour of public transport is no easy task. But it can be achieved by making bus journeys a more speedy and pleasant experience. Showcase bus routes were an innovated move and need to be extended. But the success of these priority lanes is partial due to the frustrating delays along the route caused by the driver having to deal with taking fares. This adds unnecessary journey time and is a major cause of irritation amongst passengers.
Bus operator First should reinstate bus conductors for a 12-month trial on a main bus route to test if this is the way forward. Some light music played on buses might also help lift the sometimes tense atmosphere.
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Bus drivers perform a difficult and unappreciated service. Their profile needs to be raised. The city council should sponsor a 'Driver of the Year' award to highlight those drivers who go that little extra to provide a service. Encouraging the general public to use buses instead of cars isn't rocket science. By providing a more speedy, obliging and efficient service, the number of bus users could increase rapidly.
Philip Gannaway
Speedwell
Comments
by green_man
Thursday, January 17 2013, 12:09AM
“Bristol's horrendous traffic continues to lower our health, wellbeing and quality of life. This will continue to damage present and future generations if we don't do something soon that is effective. I'm therefore glad that Bristol's Mayor George Ferguson has not ruled out introducing a congestion charge for the city.
Bristol's transport problems are serious: every day too many vehicles are trying to use local roads; there are very limited possibilities for building more roads and in any case more roads bring more traffic and more damage; drivers spend half their time crawling in jammed traffic; congestion is costing business very large amounts of money; traffic congestion generates more air pollution and produces more climate change causing carbon emissions; congestion causes frustration and raises stress levels.
A congestion charge would ideally try to achieve: significantly reduced traffic in the most congested areas; similarly reduced delays; shorter journey times; reliable delivery times; the saving of many hours of journey time; the raising of large sums of money for re-investment in transport, especially public transport; switching to sustainable transport modes; a boost for public transport use; a system that pays for itself over time.
Lessons from London's congestion charge should encourage us. Boris would have got rid of it altogether if it did not have merit. Congestion and traffic levels there would be worse without it. Numbers of cars and car movements would be even higher. Movements of buses, coaches and taxis would be more resticted. Tens of thousands fewer bus passengers would not enter the charge zone during the morning peak. Bus reliability and journey times would be worse and the time passengers wait at bus stops would be longer. Disruption on bus routes due to traffic would be worse.
We clearly have a serious problem in Bristol. We need to both provide a disincentive to car use and raise money to improve the public transport and other alternatives. If the details of any congestion charge scheme for Bristol are right, the decision making processes are fair and we can implement the scheme properly then I'm strongly in favour.”
by rocketbob
Tuesday, January 15 2013, 4:08PM
“has anyone done any work on what causes the congestion?
People going to and from work?
Deliveries?
Shoppers?
School Runs?
Through traffic not using a ring road?
Surely we should have that information before major changes are made?
There aren`t that many major arteries in and out of the City.”
by charliecycle
Tuesday, January 15 2013, 12:29PM
“Think he is confusing 'introducing congestion charge' with 'not ruling out'”