The Greater Bristol Bus Network March 2012

Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Councils working together to improve your local transport

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M BRADLEY COALPIT STOKE HEATH

CRIBBS WINTERBOURNE CAUSEWAY

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1 FILTON 8 A4174 M4

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EMERSONS GREEN 2 PORTISHEAD A43

EASTON - IN - A 3 GORDANO 69 5 M A420 WICK BRISTOL CITY CENTRE KINGSWOOD

B3 CLEVEDON 13 NAILSEA 0 BRISLINGTON LONG ASHTON

A4 BITTON A370

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B 3 3 7 13 BACKWELL 0 KEYNSHAM B 3 1 3 3 Bristol Airport WHITCHURCH SALTFORD 8 3 A

A4 5 YATTON M A370 0 13 B3 CONGRESBURY BATH WESTON - SUPER - MARE PENSFORD ODD DOWN

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A 3 A 7 PEASEDOWN 3 7 ST JOHN 0 TEMPLE PAULTON 9 CLOUD A3 67 A3 MIDSOMER FARRINGTON NORTON GURNEY RADSTOCK

The Project The Greater Bristol Bus buses and improved The scheme was delivered Network (GBBN), 10 information and reliability; in partnership with the showcase routes across reducing congestion and four local authorities, Bath the four West of England reducing carbon and North East Somerset, authorities, grew out of emissions. Bristol, North Somerset discussions between the GBBN was also developed and South Gloucestershire authorities as they to deliver substantial Councils and the local bus developed their first improvements to the operator, First. All five Joint Local Transport speed, quality, reliability partners worked together plan in 2006. and attractiveness of bus on the bid to ensure key GBBN was developed to services in 10 corridors. congestion hot spots improve 10 strategic were identified for bus routes with key outcomes and road improvements. to improve and upgrade the bus network infrastructure, and enhance bus passenger experience with better The Project The Greater Bristol Bus • Over 120 new buses • Improvements to Network recognises the • Nearly 1,000 improved pedestrian and cycle vital role that bus services bus stops - new shelters, access and safety must play as the new information • Road widening in key backbone of cost- panels, level access traffic hot spots effective urban public transport systems. The • More than 300 new real • Tree planting and public delivery of bus network time information realm/environmental enhancements can only displays improvements in be achieved in • New bus priority signals local areas partnerships between bus at junctions that turn The total £79 million operators and local green when buses investment in GBBN authorities. approach helping them comprises £42.3 million of The councils, working in stay on time grant funding from the partnership with bus • Bus priority lanes Department for Transport, operator First, have allowing buses to a contribution of £22.5 brought 10 key routes up bypass general traffic million from FirstGroup to showcase standard with and a local and developer contribution of £13.9 million. Working together Working in partnership authority was nominated, such as real time with local bus companies, with all partners involved information and each authority delivered to ensure a consistent communications schemes specific to their approach across the established rigorous local area; such as bus network. governance and ensured stops and bus lanes. delivery. However for cross cutting A formal structure with projects such as real time project managers, a information and programme board and

communications, one lead specific leads for key areas

Please congratulate the person or team responsible for the alterations currently being carried out on Whiteladies Road. The wider pavements and the improved pede“ strian crossings feel much safer. The trees planted in the central beds are a tremendous improvement to the urban landscape, and that's even before they show any leaves! I “ also appreciate how the traffic speed has been calmed and vehicles now flow along nicely at a maximum speed of 30 mph, which is safer for everyone. Mr Small, Clifton There has been unhindered through the include a peak hours bus Infrastructure considerable investment in area, reducing journey lane to reduce delays along the local highway to times. Improved cycling and with a new east bound improve the reliability of walking facilities and cycle lane. buses. General road priority vehicle lanes on the widening, and cycling and ring road for buses, car These are just a few of the pedestrian improvements sharers, taxis, motorcyclists many improvements across were also delivered to and heavy goods vehicles the region which together maximise benefits to all to assist in reducing carbon improve journeys for all road users. emissions and congestion. road users from buses to cyclists. In Filton, near key On the A4 approach to employers such as Ministry Bristol, adjacent to the The combined effects of of Defence, Hewlett Packard Brislington park and ride an these improvements are and the University of the additional traffic lane has already being seen. In April West of England, there have already brought 2012 First will implement a been a number of improvements to number of changes improvements including traffic flow. designed to further improve widening the roundabout the puntuality and reliability for a new bus lane to allow The road on the west of a number of routes, while buses, taxis and bound approach to M5 the frequency of some motorcycles to travel junction 21 was widened to buses will also improve. Real Time Real time information Providing accurate provides bus users with information about the Information the benefit of knowing arrival of services at their exactly when the buses stop, real time information will turn up. Buses on key removes the uncertainty a routes have been fitted passenger can feel when with tracking devices waiting at the bus stop. which relay information to a website and information Information can be panels on shelters giving accessed via mobile customers the time in phone, the internet and minutes to when the bus more than 200 new is expected to arrive. displays at key locations giving up to the minute information at the bus stop. First have invested over safety and low floors with encourage greater bus New buses £20m in 120 new buses ‘kneeling entrances’ to aid use. spread out across the those with restricted showcase route network. mobility. They are also fitted with manual ramps Each bus can for disabled access. accommodate over 70 seated passengers First have worked with the including space for a local authorities to offer wheelchair. Each vehicle discounts and promotions has integral CCTV fitted for as the routes have enhanced passenger launched in order to

Bus shelters Almost 1,000 bus stops across the 10 routes have been improved with raised kerbs to improve accessibility, new shelters with improved seating and large information displays. Quality The introduction of • All Somerbus vehicles • Webberbus in the "quality partnership on Bath to Midsomer Weston area and Wessex Partnership schemes" on all the GBBN Norton route are less Connect in Bristol have corridors will ensure that than two years old invested in new buses Scheme operators and councils for their services work together to maintain • North Somerset a high standard of bus Coaches, who operate a • Abus was the first bus services and associated Bristol to Nailsea service operator in the country facilities over the next using part of the Bristol to introduce a low-floor five years. to Weston-super-Mare double-decker (back in showcase route now 1998). Over the past few The influence of the have two low floor years, it has consistently Greater Bristol Bus double deck buses to used 14% of its annual Network showcase routes euro 4 emission turnover to replace has raised standards across standards and had the its fleet the area. In addition to the interiors refurbished to a £20m invested by First in high standard • Baker Dolphin at 120 new buses, other local Weston-super-Mare is operators have invested in obtaining new buses for their services. local services Marketing and Working under the Travel+ A major promotional with details of the 43% brand, developed by the activity - the super shelter discount on a FirstDay Promotion four authorities for joint trail - draws together the Family South West ticket transport activities, local completion of the 10 offer running from Saturday residents and businesses showcase routes. 17 March until Sunday 15 were consulted during the April. The shelter trail map improvements to ensure Along the 10 showcase will be available in shops, they reflected their needs routes 40 bus shelters in the attractions and council as well as those of the West of England have been offices to encourage travelling public. dressed to highlight the people to get out and local area and its about by bus to spot as Official launches were held attractions. Four special as the individual routes were many of the showcase shelters have additional shelters as possible. Each completed. These involved dressing setting people a a targeted mix of press shelter has its own unique challenge to find the Duck webpage accessed via a coverage, local advertising Race, the sculptured shelter, campaigns and incentives. smartphone with Shop ’till you drop and information about local All were aimed at raising Brunel’s most famous ship. awareness of the improve- attractions and ments to the local bus A shelter trail map has been entertainment nearby. network and to encourage produced showing the people to try the bus. locations of all 40 shelters Looking forward The West of England Local Sustainable Rapid Transit councils are committed Transport Funding (LSTF) Programme entry for £197 to a transport system that • An integrated package million of investment in a • Reduces carbon of measures promoting rapid transit network emissions low carbon alternatives providing a higher quality to single occupancy car experience; reliable, easy to • Supports economic use on six routes that use and understand, with growth capture 40% of journeys modern vehicles and its • Promotes accessibility across the West of own right of way. The rapid England transit network will serve • Contributes to better the Temple Quarter safety, security and • A £25 million bid for Enterprise Zone supporting health more LSTF funding the creation of 17,000 new developed in jobs, the South Bristol • Improves the quality of partnership with employment area life and a healthy natural business and the supporting 10,000 new environment community is under jobs and the Science Park consideration by the and to a transport system (including the National Department for that is affordable, safe, Composite Centre) and Transport secure, simple to use and Filton/A38 enterprise areas available to all. Smartcards (supporting 13,000 new • West of England £2.2 jobs), linking new housing The joint working has million grant has been areas and addressing brought improvements used to set up ‘back congestion hot spots. such as office’ system for the Bath and Weston Packages Cycling City whole of the South West Programme entry for the • 31 miles of new or • West of England Bath Transportation improved cycle track councils have used the Package (£34 million • 21 miles on road DfT money to equip investment) that supports improvements small operators the 9,000 new jobs expected as part of the • 2,000 new cycle stands • B&NES and First are Bath City Riverside Area and trialling an e-purse with the Weston Package (£15 • 55 businesses the two Bath Universities million investment) is key to • 1,000 adults trained that should see the first the Weston-super-Mare cards live in the Spring Gateway Enterprise Area that will bring 11,000 new jobs to the area has also been achieved and project delivery is under way.

Finally thank-you to the Department for Transport and all the staff and suppliers involved in delivering this ground breaking project. And of course the road users across the West of England for being understanding during all the road works to complete these improvements.