People are invited to give their views on the vision for the future of travel and transport across the West of England up to 2036, through a public consultation which opens today (6 February).
The consultation on the Joint Local Transport Plan (JLTP) runs from 6 February through to 20 March, 2019.
As well as a questionnaire, there is an online priority simulator tool, in which people can indicate their transport priorities and choose options for funding the improvements they suggest.
The JLTP is being led by the West of England Combined Authority, working with Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire councils. It sets out the approach to the way transport will develop up to 2036 in the West of England.
The JLTP aims to:
- Support sustainable economic growth
- Enable quality public services and improve accessibility
- Address poor air quality and take action against climate change
- Contribute to better health and wellbeing, safety and security
- Create better places.
This latest local transport plan builds on previous work done in the West of England and has involved collaboration with the Department of Transport, Highways England, Network Rail, public transport operators and other organisations. An advisory group, comprising representatives from around 20 transport operators and user groups, was set up to provide technical and professional advice in developing the plan, which will consider a range of potential options to improve travel and transport in the region.
Tim Bowles, West of England Mayor, said: “This is an ambitious plan to keep people moving and tackle congestion, whilst supporting economic growth. It considers a wide range of options to support sustainable travel including rail, bus, cycling, walking, mass and rapid transit and electric vehicles. Working together, we can ensure that transport in the West of England is fit for the future.”
Cllr Toby Savage, Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said: “This plan sets out an ambitious prospectus to transform the sustainable travel options available to residents in South Gloucestershire and across the West of England. The identified transport projects will enable us to deliver housing and employment growth, supported by a range of transport choices that will keep the region moving while addressing the challenges of public health and wellbeing, climate change and congestion.”
Cllr Tim Warren, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “This plan sets out a long-term vision for improving transport and tackling congestion across our region – no single transport initiative in isolation has the power to transform our travel choices, cut congestion, improve air quality or ease parking issues.”
Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: “Bristol and the West of England is one of the UK’s most economically successful regions and transport is crucial to ensuring that success is shared by all. From a mass transit scheme to walking, improved people movement is at the heart of these plans as we work towards the world class transport network our city and region deserves.”
Cllr Nigel Ashton, Leader of North Somerset Council, said: “The ambitions and success of this plan are vital to making sure our region’s transport infrastructure addresses existing and expected challenges, accommodates planned housing and employment growth, and improves connections for people and businesses across all transport types.”
The draft JLTP is structured around improving transport connections across four levels:
- Neighbourhood – journeys within local communities
- Local – shorter journeys up to 10km
- Within the West of England – journeys between the urban areas, longer than 10km
- Beyond the West of England – linking strategic road and rail, port and airport.
How you can get involved
We need your views on the types of transport schemes we should be prioritising in the West of England. By telling us what you think of our plan, the transport measures you think are important and what funding options you prefer, we can shape the final plan so it reflects people’s priorities, when it is published later in 2019.
Consultation on the JLTP is open from 6 February and closes on 20 March, 2019.
Details are available on the website – www.travelwest.info/jltp
This includes the priority simulator tool, which enables you to prioritise transport measures for the West of England by allocating points. You can gain more points if you select funding options that could be used to pay for the improvements.
A questionnaire and a version of the simulator tool will also be available as a paper copy.
