Greater Bristol transport plan hits buffers

Plans for a new body with the power to sort out the Bristol area's transport problems have hit the buffers, thanks to the city's three neighbouring councils.

Bristol City Council wants an Integrated Transport Authority to take charge of road, rail and bus networks in the city and in North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset.

Supporters say an ITA would give the Greater Bristol area much more muscle when it comes to lobbying the Government for cash.

It would allow councils to take greater control of bus and rail services, provide an all-in-one ticket system like the Oyster card in London and take over responsibility for motorways and A roads.

Bristol's executive member for transport, Jon Rogers, wanted the West of England Partnership, the group that represents all four local authorities, to agree to a two-year study to give the idea proper consideration.

But after pushing the three other authorities for a conclusive answer at a heated meeting yesterday, their councillors all said "no".

Dr Rogers accused the group of complacency and transport campaigners described the decision as a lost opportunity.

The spat recalled tensions that existed when politicians from the areas now represented by the four councils had to work together under the former Avon County Council from 1974 to 1996.

A Government think tank recommended four years ago that an ITA in Bristol could avoid a repeat of the 2004 supertram fiasco, when bickering between councillors in Bristol and South Gloucestershire was blamed for the collapse of a £200 million light rail scheme.

Not having an ITA puts Bristol behind almost every other major urban area in England, including London, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South and West Yorkshire and the West Midlands.

The decision by councillors Elfan Ap Rees of North Somerset, Brian Allinson of South Gloucestershire and Charles Gerrish of B&NES means an ITA for the region is off the agenda for the foreseeable future.

Dr Rogers said: "If there is a reason why the three other authorities have decided between them, as Councillor Ap Rees has previously said, to kill it stone dead, you should say so.

"I would say we should be exploring the options.

"We do not punch our weight; there is a lot of complacency at this table.

"We have cross-party support (in Bristol) for this; these concerns were raised seven months ago but we seem to be kicking it into touch every time it comes up."

Mr Ap Rees was the most vocal opponent of an ITA.

He said: "We need to be shedding responsibilities, not taking more on. We are in the worst recession since the Sixties and it will take 10 years to get back to the stage we were at in 2005.

"All an ITA will do is increase costs for local tax payers. It gives us no benefits we can't get by working with the bus and rail companies."

At the same meeting, councillors complained that the region is to receive 20-year-old rolling stock from London next year.

David Redgwell, South West Transport Network spokesman, said: "An ITA would have given us a better deal, powers to operate the bus services in Bristol and a light transit system in Greater Bristol."

Ian Crawford, of the Greater Bristol Transport Alliance, told councillors: "The city and region is nationally renowned for failing to do what is needed to reduce reliance on cars and reduce emissions.

"The complacency displayed by the partnership on a range of transport issues, and a transport system widely described as rubbish, is an insult to passengers.

"We have the slowest moving urban traffic, the highest rail fares, the highest age of rail fleet and the worst access to buses. We expect better of you."