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  Download our Manifesto as a PDF [150K]
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Transport for Bristol

South Bristol Link (SBL)

We oppose the South Bristol Link - a combined new road and bus rapid Transit.

What is happening?

For the past five years, Transport for Greater Bristol Alliance has opposed the West of England Partnership's proposal to build a new road through South Bristol and its greenbelt. A previous application to build a road by North Somerset was turned down by the Government in 2002 as 'poor value for money'. As originally proposed in 2006, the road was seen as completion of the Ring Road, a dual carriageway running between Long Ashton through South Bristol to link up with the existing Ring Road at Hicks Gate. The Council decided to drop Stage 3 (Hartcliffe to Hicks Gate) due to strong local opposition. The road was renamed the 'Souh Bristol Link' and a Bus Rapid Transit has been added. The SBL is now being sold as an essential part of a wider BRT network. We continue to oppose the current scheme.

On 9th Sept 2011, the Partnership (four local councils) is applying for funding to the Department for Transport (DfT) for this £45m scheme along with BRT2 (Long Ashton P and R to Cabot Circus) and BRT3 (Northern fringe to Hengrove). TfGB has produced postcards addressed to Norman Baker, Under-Secretary of State for Transport for members of the public to use to object to SBL (deadline 7th October). You can get postcards and further information from pip_sheard@hotmail.co.uk. On the campaigns page is a four page briefing outlining details of the current scheme and why we believe the combined road and Bus Rapid Transit is poor public transport value for money and environmentally damaging and should be rejected by the DfT.

Further information

• Current campaigns
• Scheme Description: The components of the South Bristol Link (West of England Partnership document – Major Scheme Business Case)

Transport for Greater Bristol

A step change in powers and investment is required to meet Bristol?s transport needs and the challenges of congestion, climate change, quality of life and air quality, building on good practice from around the country.

In November 2006, the Transport for Greater Bristol Alliance and our Manifesto was launched in the local media.

The Manifesto introduces a practical, balanced, yet bold approach to start transforming transport in the city, providing genuine alternatives to the car as we move to a low carbon economy. As a result we are calling for :

• The creation of a Greater Bristol Transport Authority.
• Increased funding for transport in the city.

In May 2007, the Alliance lobbied all candidates in the Bristol Council elections and on July 24th, Bristol City Councillors voted unanimously for the creation of a Strategic Transport Authority.

For years we have been tinkering about and we believe that a bold new approach is needed. The current Joint Local Transport Plan and its better bus routes will only take up the extra demand for travel over the next few years.

The Local Transport Bill currently going through Parliament allows new ITAs to be created where they do not currently exist and provisions for ITAs to adopt a Quality Contract to exert greater control over their local bus network. Such powers are long overdue in Greater Bristol.

A Transport Authority for Greater Bristol would put transport at the top of its agenda and not balance it against Social Services, Education or council tax bills. The people in charge of transport need proper powers, as well as the bottle and vision to deliver real improvements.

The Alliance believes that the extra money for improvements would come from the £40m allocated for a south Bristol ring road, road user charging and other sources shown in the Manifesto.