“I think the Bus Rapid Transit proposal is a positive step in improving Bristol's public transport. A tram route would be my favoured option, but the harsh realities of UK transport policy mean that BRT is all we can hope for at present. However if you think of BRT as an incremental step towards trams/light metro then I think we should welcome this scheme.

An example of BRT already operating is the EMx in Eugene-Springfield, Oregon.- paste this link into browser:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_Express
Paste this link for video footage:
http://www.ltd.org/search/showresult.html?versionthread=4894075f86646bd93f09617da85ed680

I also recommend reading the Campaign for Better Transport 's (formerly Transport 2000) - of which I am a member - comment about Bristol's twin city Bordeaux at
http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/campaigns/public_transport/buses/blog

Why not join us if you are concerned about improving sustainable transport in the UK”

“Funny that they start with south Bristol as most people live in the North and west of the city,as are the major traffic routes. clearly all the Council members live in the south of the city.”

“STEVE you took the words right out of my mouth. If only our City Council would stand up and shout louder. Nottingham is laughing at us, they have a beautiful tram line which has been an overnight sucess. However Leeds are in the same position as us, they are a much larger city and have been rejected twice, having spent millions making preparations. Leeds are however odopting an electric trolley bus scheme using the same proposed network as there tram, at leaast they are moving away from diesel, which I think is the greener option but we never hear the WEP proposing trolley buses.
Oh this subject rolls on......”

“Fair point on the transport funding..

Another thing worth noting is the upcoming elections...

Labour are currently the leads on the powersharing bickerfest that is our current council - Ignoring the fact no party manages to get anything going properly without it being hammered by the others (whenever I think of the council this image of a hydra with a personality clash between it's heads pops into mind)..

Now, they want to be reelected so need to take action, the elections were originally slated for early next year although (May) I believe they've now ben pushed back to June or July.

Of course, in advance of this is the Purdah period; six weeks prior to the election the council can't be seen to be working on new or controversial topics - the BRT would fit into that category.

Faced with the possibility of loosing the controlling power seat at the local elections and up against the time it takes to get large projects signed off by the project team, project boards, executive boards, cabinet and full council (plus a few others) Labour are desperate to get it through in the very early part of next year before that purdah period so they can spin up the credit for achieving what twenty years of local government has failed to do: Provide some kind of mass transit system.

It's not about the people of Bristol, it's not about a functioning and sustainable transport system. It's about councillors acting desperately to get something in place and to try to score points at central government.

No matter what we think about the transport system that goes in it'll be claimed as a success and spun into another glory for the party in charge.

This isn't the only project that's being forced through with little consideration as a desperate vote winning strategy.”

“James S - I agree with you that Bristol's prospects for a decent public transport system have been blighted by the hopeless in-fighting and total ineffectiveness of Bristol City Council, but when the likes of Colin Knight or Mark Bradshaw claim that the current funding is the only show in town, or that we might lose it, then they're lying.

At the same time Bristol's bid for a tram was rejected so were Liverpool's similar proposals. However, last September they were invited to resubmit their tram bid as the DfT would now look on it more favourably. The citizens of Edinburgh were given a referendum over the proposals for their Congestion Charge (I wonder if we will) - their Congestion Charge was linked to the construction of their tram network. Edinburgh rejected the proposals by 3-1, but guess what? They're still getting their tram regardless, and it's from Westminster, not Scottish Parliament money. In 2006 Manchester and Nottingham submitted bids for the expansion of their tram networks to the Government and were rejected. They both kicked up a right stink and lobbied the Government and hey presto, they both got the money. In fact, the same month that Bristol received £42 million for our pointless "Showcase" bus routes, Nottingham was celebrating being awarded £400 million for their tram network, and not a Congestion Charge in sight!

So, the funding for the BRT is absolutely not the only option on the table, it's simply that Bristol City Council is so completely spineless and useless that they are unable to get a decent deal for us. The fact that so few of our Councillors are actually Bristolians speaks volumes - they just don't care enough and the likes of Helen Holland and Mark Bradshaw are simply career politicians who don't want to upset their Labour political masters in London.

With the absurd figure of 50,000 new homes planned for the city in the next 15 years we desperately need a decent mass-transit system or their will be more chaos than there is now. Instead we're likley to get a half-baked, ineffective compromise on the cheap because BCC are useless.

Another example of their ineptitude is their complete failure to organise a Passenger Transport Authority for our area - we're the only major urban area in Britain without one, despite the legislation being in place. Such a body would be able to regulate fares and hold First to account for their poor services. The fact that we don't have a Transport Authority indicates First's pernicious influence on BCC and WEP and as a direct result, we have the country's worst and most expensive public transport.

I don't have a problem with a Congestion Charge as long as a decent and affordable alternative is in place. BRT will be neither decent nor affordable - at least not for the passengers. Edinburgh and Manchester have been given a referendum on their Congestion Charge - will we?”

“Possibly GR, although bad driving is a fact of life and it appears so is bad cycling. However in this instance, I fail to see the relevance of cars parked out side of Faulty Towers.

Bigger fish to fry here - namely BCC”

“Yes, Steven it was a joke. I emailed Parking Services once ~ got one reply saying the matter I raised would be referred to their Control Room and did not hear from them again!!

Captain Obvious ~ I take it you won't be commenting on any articles which involve drivers and cyclists misdemeanours involving illegal activity.

Get a sense of humour darling. ;-)”

“"Now I'm in favour of Congestion Charging, but I'm also in favour of telling the truth and that is not being told. Green Bristol Blog, blogspot.com commented on 14-Nov-2008 14:29"

Quelle surprise! Another one of the Puritanical Cycling Sect, I'll be bound. Worshipping at the altar of self-righteousness.

On another note, Parking Services don't half get annoyed when you challenge them to give themselves a ticket for parking one of their vehicles for half an hour over the hour parking limit! They get all huffy and drive off! After I've moved the Bentley to let them, that is. Oh, if I'd had a video camera on me!”

“There's no doubt that the BRT scheme is the front for Congestion Charging. The government funding for BRT is conditional on a Congestion Charge being introduced.

Now I'm in favour of Congestion Charging, but I'm also in favour of telling the truth and that is not being told.”

“> As a side note who cares about what is parked out side the Evil Post building. Honestly, get a life.

We do, entertaining ones. We find it funny that the evening post can have pages of bikes-on-pavements-criminals articles but nothing about cars-on-pavements.

Also, email Parking Services? That is some kind of joke right? They don't answer email ever, they don't pick up the phone after 5 pm. And when they park, its on double yellow lines.”