People have given a mixed reaction about proposals for a Bristol underground transport network. Consultants working for Bristol City Council say an underground could boost the region’s economy up to a level on par with London and the south-east.
But it’s unclear exactly how rising land values would help fund the multi-billion pound project, as only few details have been published. Bristol mayor Marvin Rees published two summaries of the new studies on his blog, which contain some new details about the underground project.
The two studies have not been published in full. A council spokesman declined to give details on when they would be.
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Mr Rees, Mayor of Bristol for six years, said: “Those of us old enough can remember the endless announcements for tram lines, the announcements of transport systems of the future, and political promises that offered 21st-century travel options. The reality is nothing was delivered and Bristol commuters continue to crawl.
“We have made real progress since first announcing our aspirational plans, and remain unapologetic about our ambition for Bristol. There is no time to fail and no time to delay. Ahead of the strategic outline business case and a West of England combined authority (Weca) consultation on options, we’re publishing the executive summaries of two major studies into the potential of mass transit for our city and region.”
Bristol Live readers gave a mixed reaction to the underground vision. A post from till007 said: "The plans we can’t see must have cost thousands, another waste of money on something that won’t happen .."
Whitecat posted: "This will never happen, been on about it since the 80s. Too many hills even for underground." WhateverNext said: "Well at least he's given up on the idea of somehow getting China to pay for it. Perhaps someone told him they might have wanted more than just profit for their trouble."
A post from Mattuk 56 said: "Hulk Hogan vs Bill Goldberg in WCW in 1998 was better than this." And Blitszar posted: "Cant really compare Bristol with Liverpool, Newcastle and Glasgow. Now they are real cities.
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"And as for their light transit network - they have been around in one form or another since the late 19th/early 20th century. It is a lot more difficult now to build anything similar, look at Crossrail.
"And that is even if you are capable at project management, which Marvin and his crew are clearly not as demonstrated time and time again. If the cost is estimated at £4b, he means £8b with overruns or £4 billion wasted because they can't finish the project."
It is unclear when the two studies will be published in full, or the new business case and consultation; and meanwhile big questions remain unanswered about how much the whole project will cost taxpayers to build. The Weca board is expected to vote in September on investing more money into the project, when further details should be revealed and made public.
A future Bristol underground system could move 3,000 passengers per hour in each of the four directions, according to the first study, which was carried out by consultants CH2M and Steer Davies Gleave. The study also explored what technologies could be used, including self-driving vehicles, and costs of the project. The metro scheme “has the potential” to cover its own operating costs. It could lead to more house building along the new routes.
Tram lines might result in demolishing many buildings on major routes into the city centre like Church Road or Gloucester Road, according to the second study, which was carried out by consultants Jacobs and Steer. The study found that an overground system would cost a fifth of the price of an underground system, but would cause “significant adverse impacts on communities” living along the tramlines, as well impacting on main roads.
While an underground system would cost much more to build, according to Jacobs and Steer, it would lead to more opportunities for property developers to build along the routes, and boost the region’s economy. Rising land values along the routes could also help fund the construction of the underground, through some form of as yet undefined local taxes.
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