Authorities unite to tackle congestion threat

The West of England today takes a major step towards tackling the region's congestion challenges by submitting its ‘Our Future Transport’ vision document to the Department for Transport.

The move is part of a process which will see the four West of England Partnership authorities – Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire - uniting to express continued interest in developing a bid for a slice of the Government’s £1.4bn Transport Innovation Fund early next year, subject to political approval.

Our Future Transport looks at the traffic problems facing the area and highlights the various measures being considered to tackle them, including significant step change improvements to public transport and the road network. Measures include new Bus Rapid Transit routes, which will feature segregated bus lanes on parts of the route to provide fast and reliable journey times, plus improvements to rail services, including extra carriages on existing and additional rail services, the reopening of rail lines and stations and improved facilities at stations.

The document also lays out initial proposals for a possible funding application from the Government’s Transport Innovation Fund (TIF).

Subject to further consultation and the approval of all the councils involved, the West of England is aiming to submit its full application in early 2008. It is expected that a decision from the Government on whether to provide funding would then come in the summer.

Before any final decisions are made there will be an extensive consultation programme where the public’s ideas and views will play a full role in further developing and refining the region's transport improvements.

Ends.

Notes for editors:

The Secretary of State announced the creation of the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) in ‘The Future of Transport’ White Paper (2004). The fund aims to help local authorities to reduce congestion on the road network. Any local authority that wishes to apply for money from TIF has to put forward a proposal to be considered by Government.

The measures outlined in Our Future Transport form only part of a raft of schemes aimed at improving transport in the area. These include those being implemented by the authorities through the Joint Local Transport Plan (JLTP) – produced in 2006 – and other major committed schemes recently identified as priorities for Government funding by the South West Regional Assembly.

It is estimated that lost time in congestion is already costing the West of England’s economy at least £350m a year and journey times are on the increase. In Bristol, for example, the average car speed during rush hour is 15mph - the slowest in the UK outside of London. In the North Fringe traffic volumes have increased by 30% over the last 10 years and the air quality is also poor in central Bristol and Bath. The North Fringe is in South Gloucestershire. It borders the M5/M4 motorways to the north and the city of Bristol to the south.

For more comment contact:

Cllr Charles Gerrish, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Planning, Transport and Highways, on 07980 998806