The West of England Partnership's vision to improve transport across the region

North Fringe to Hengrove package

The major scheme bid for the North Fringe to Hengrove Package to the Department for Transport was submitted in March 2010

As part of the Regional Funding Allocation Process, the North Fringe to Hengrove package was allocated £168million towards its cost. As part of the agreement the local authorities are required to provide at least 10% match funding. 

See the Travel+ programme and the proposed rapid transit route map

 

BRT and P&R
 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

The North Fringe to Hengrove Package links existing housing with business and tackles current traffic and congestion issues, as well as helping to encourage investment into the area.

It is aimed at improving the quality of life for people in the area  - tackling congestion, improving road safety, making schools, shops, healthcare and jobs more accessible to people, and improving air quality.

Consultation 

The initial consultation has now closed. The results of this consultation will contribute to the development of the scheme bid to the Department for Transport (DfT) in Spring 2010.  If the DfT approves the scheme there will be further opportunities to have your say as the scheme plans are developed in more detail and before construction starts which could be as early as 2013.

The full consultation report on this first stage of work is available to read.

Why are we doing it?

The North Fringe to Hengrove package objectives include   
  1. Supporting a buoyant economy, improving quality of life for sub-regional residents and improved local, national and international travel.
  2. Accelerating the shift to new forms of public transport and realising the associated environmental, climate change, safety and health benefits of such change.
  3. Reducing congestion and therefore the economic, environmental and health damage that is associated with it.
  4. Enhancing the chances of regeneration through the linking of areas of economic growth and housing expansion.
  5. Promoting equality of opportunities through improved connectivity to education, employment, leisure, health and retail facilities.

Timescales

The process of making a full, detailed, major scheme bid to the DfT has to be completed before the much needed funding is actually granted to the West of England to implement the package.

The West of England councils are working on submitting a Major Scheme Business Case to the DfT by March 2010 which is the first step to receiving the money. 

A report on the package was presented to the Joint Transport Executive Committe in early February 2010 that asked the members of the four authorities to endorse the major scheme bid prior to consideration by Bristol and South Gloucestershire councils.

The Package

 Overview Map feb 2010

 The Package is composed of three projects drawn together that will make a positive difference to travelling in the North and East Fringes of Bristol and improve links with the south of Bristol via the city centre.

 

see map full screen

It aims to tackle congestion and reduce dependency on the car, to improve access to job opportunities, help tackle deprivation and link with the proposed new business and housing developments.

The three interrelated projects which make up the Package are:

BRT Artist Impression   
  1. Rapid transit route connecting Hengrove with the city centre
  2. Rapid transit routes connecting the North and East Fringe with the city centre and the Stoke Gifford Transport Link
  3. M32 park and Ride

The Package has no set routes or plans at the moment - at this stage nothing is ruled in or out and work needs to be done on all the parts to make sure they are deliverable.

Technical appraisal of routes and plans looking at viability and deliverability has started and in due course these will be made available for comment.  As the work progresses we will inform local residents and business of our plans and there will be an opportunity to comment. The full range of statutory consultations will also be held.

 Buses Cabot Circus  Working together at a strategic level as the West of England Partnership has made local cross council transport schemes such as the £70 million investment in the Greater Bristol Bus Network across the four authorities possible.

Each council is responsible for the work in their area. The individual councils  ( Bristol and South Gloucestershire) will be managing their projects within the package, investigating the options and carrying out the technical work, sharing information and keeping their projects on track.  The West of England Partnership is co-ordinating the pulling together of the three projects to form the package.

For more information on the North Fringe to Hengrove Package follow the links to: