Good Transport Plan launches

A shared vision has been developed to encourage a culture where walking, cycling and using public transport is the norm for the majority of journeys in Bristol.

The Good Transport Plan has been a unique opportunity to engage people throughout Bristol in creating a shared vision for the city’s streets.

The Good Transport Plan has been produced by cycling and walking charity Sustrans on behalf of the Bristol Green Capital Partnership Action Group. It aims to show how getting around the city could be cleaner, cheaper and more efficient if a reliance on fossil fuels is reduced.

Over 1,300 people from local organisations, businesses and community groups were involved in developing the plan, which feeds into the current West of England Joint Spatial Plan and Transport Study consultations.

It features a series of objectives to help achieve a simple, well-connected and reliable transport network. These include:

•    An affordable and reliable public transport system
•    A well-connected walking and cycling system that is of high quality
•    Increasing the use of low-emission, shared vehicle usage and accessible refilling points
•    Reducing the number of heavy vehicles on the road and coordinating delivery vehicle patterns  
•    Creating a people centred city centre by reducing its traffic flow
•    Encouraging collaboration and empowerment to communities
•    Giving employees the chance to work from home when possible
•    Allowing children the opportunity to scoot and cycle to improve their well-being
•    And overall, to prove that sustainable and active travel is beneficial to everyone.

Ian Barrett, Sustrans Director and Bristol Green Capital Partnership Vice-Chair said:

“The Good Transport Plan has been a unique opportunity to engage people throughout Bristol in creating a shared vision for the city’s streets. It brings together current plans for transport in the Bristol area and looks at what more we can do to change the way we travel and make it easier for everyone to travel in ways that are good for their health and the environment.

“The Bristol Green Capital Partnership has provided a unique space to develop this idea and promote collaboration – bringing together previously disparate campaign voices to give everyone a chance to contribute to the debate on the future of transport in Bristol and establish new ambitions that we hope will help shape our transport system over the next 20-30 years.”

The plan was funded by the Department for Energy and Climate Change and the Bristol 2015 European Green Capital project.

Over 20 commercial and community organisations signed up to support it, including First Group; DHL; Business West; Enterprise Rent-a-Car; Greater Bedminster Community Partnership; Bristol Civic Society and Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways.

George Ferguson, Mayor of Bristol, said:
 
“It’s encouraging to see so many community organisations come together with a common goal in mind – to transform how we travel and move closer to our ambition of becoming a world leading city in active travel, where four out of five journeys under five miles are made by foot, bike and public transport.
 
“With the major bus rapid transit and rail infrastructure projects underway, investment in ceaner buses and new cycle and pedestrian routes such as Easton Way, we are making significant progress.
 
“We inspired international audiences at the COP21 climate talks with our innovative partnerships, and now is the time to build on the successes which made us the Green Capital of Europe and collectively pave the way for a cleaner, flexible and more efficient transport system.”

Ben Barker, Co-ordinator, Let’s Walk Bedminster said:

“It’s very important that people are able to walk around their communities safely and in comfort. Too often the route to the shops, school, a friend’s house is an obstacle course of broken surfaces, blocked pavements, fast and noisy vehicles and poisonous air. People with mobility and sight problems are worst hit along with buggy pushers and small children. We must address this issue, and ‘A Good Transport Plan for Bristol’ will be a great tool in helping us to communicate this and inspire change.”

Poppy Brett, Chief Executive, Life Cycle UK said:

“Life Cycle UK signed up to ‘A Good Transport Plan for Bristol’ because we want to help create a new positive vision of transport in Bristol with more sustainable travel options for all.  The system we have at the moment isn’t working for anyone, and it’s time for a new dialogue. ‘A Good Transport Plan’ has provided an opportunity to discuss the future of sustainable transport, but it is only a starting point and I hope that by launching it this week, we will be able to widen the discussions even further and help create a truly shared vision for better transport in Bristol.”

Ann O’Driscoll, Director North Bristol SusCom said:

“As a Group of employers based in North Bristol, we are adversely impacted on a daily basis by congestion. We are proud to support ‘A Good Transport Plan for Bristol’ as it will help us continue to encourage our 40,000 employees, 30,000 students to travel more sustainably, more often. We know through our annual travel to work surveys that many people would like to get out of their cars and travel more sustainably but they need options – designated cycle routes, buses that don’t get caught up in traffic, more frequent rail services, showers and lockers at work etc.  The more we can cater for cyclists, walkers, and public transport users the more all road users benefit through reduced congestion and pollution.”