The West of England Combined Authority is holding a committee meeting at 10am this Friday, 15th September, at the Kingswood Civic Centre, to discuss potential transport schemes.
This extra meeting has been organised to consider carrying out a series of outline business cases into transport schemes that would support delivery of the West of England Joint Spatial Plan.
Further funding to develop feasibility studies for other transport schemes will be considered at WECA’s next meeting on 30th October.
The Joint Spatial Plan (JSP) sets out the long-term development needs of the West of England, including North Somerset, to 2036. This includes identifying housing and employment land, transport and other infrastructure needed to support the planned growth.
A Joint Transport Study (JTS) has been developed alongside this by the constituent authorities of the Combined Authority and North Somerset Council which covers both schemes to mitigate the housing requirements of the JSP and other key schemes.
Whilst no final decision has been made about the locations in the JSP, the Combined Authority needs to carry out this work to look into a number of possible transport schemes now. This will provide robust evidence if the West of England decides to progress any of these schemes in future.
A paper going to the meeting proposes carrying out outline business cases into the following possible schemes:
South East Bristol and Whitchurch
- A4-A37 orbital route (including Hicks Gate roundabout improvements);
- A37-Bristol Link;
- A4 MetroBus (Bristol to Keynsham MetroBus) and Callington Road Link;
- Orbital Metrobus;
- Park and ride provision.
A4 Bristol – east Keynsham
- Avon Mill Lane to A4 link;
- Keynsham rail station improvements.
Yate strategic corridor
- A432 MetroBus and strategic cycle route;
- A432 park and ride;
- Yate station enhancements;
- Winterbourne / Frampton Cottrell bypass.
A38 (J16, Almondsbury to Falfield)
- MetroBus and strategic cycle route to Thornbury (and Buckover), including A38 park and ride;
- Charfield rail station;
- M5 J14 improvements.
Park and rides around Bristol
- M32 park and ride;
- A4018 park and ride;
- A38(S) park and ride.
Bristol urban living package
- Walking and cycling package including strategic cycling routes;
- Greater Bristol Bus Network 2;
- City centre movement.
The full meeting papers can be found on the West of England Combined Authority website www.westofengland-ca.org.uk/meetings/.
The West of England Combined Authority is chaired by the regional Mayor, Tim Bowles, and is made up of three of the local authorities in the region – Bath & North East Somerset (Leader, Cllr Tim Warren), Bristol City Council (Mayor Marvin Rees) and South Gloucestershire Council (Leader, Cllr Matthew Riddle).
The Interim Chair of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Professor Steve West, also attends committee meetings.
Working with partners including the LEP, North Somerset Council and other local service providers, the Combined Authority aims to deliver economic growth for the region.
