There are new plans to build a park and ride on the M32 - just three years after the mayor promised a community farm by the motorway would not be bulldozed to make way for the car park.
Back in 2019, Sims Hill shared harvest site was earmarked as the only viable option for the project in a report by the West of England Combined Authority (Weca). But Marvin Rees then confirmed the land would not be turned into a car park.
A new feasibility study is being carried out to look at alternatives, but no potential new location has been announced yet. The study will be possible as Bristol has been awarded £500,000 to help it reduce carbon emissions from transport.
Read more: The Bristol area with the greatest density of HMO properties but residents do not mind
Council documents show consultants have been commissioned to identify the preferred sites for the M32 park and ride and that they are expected to deliver an outline business case in 2022/2023. It also states that £48m have been allocated for the project.
Marvin Rees tweeted that the funding will also help deliver up to 1,000 cycle hangers and 250 electric buses.
In a statement, Bristol City Council said: "The funding will be used to develop a series of feasibility studies to install charging points at council-run car parks and popular destinations, speed up the rollout of mobility hubs that pool shared transport providers at a single location, develop a new Bristol Cycling Centre in Lawrence Weston, and progress a new park and ride for the M32.
"Feasibility studies will also be drawn up to deliver: reduced emissions from transport in the city centre, electrification of a large proportion of Bristol’s bus fleet, the installation of on-street cycle hangars across the city, greater use of freight consolidation centres and investment in last mile solutions, such as e-cargo bikes."
The council said work will now take place on the feasibility studies so that business cases can be created for these projects.
Marvin Rees, mayor of Bristol, said: “As the first city in the UK to declare a climate emergency, I am delighted we are taking the lead in becoming a zero emission transport city. To build a sustainable transport network we need to fundamentally transform the ways we all move around the city and region.
"These proposals demonstrate our vision to help us achieve net zero by 2030. That we were invited to bid for this money by the Department for Transport is a real sign that our efforts to reduce emissions are recognised at a national level.
"We’re taking bold steps to reduce emissions and encourage a diverse transport mix including introducing a bus gate at Bristol Bridge, investing in cycling, expanding Park and Ride and agreeing a major bus deal with local operators. This money will provide the platform to move us onto the next phases of delivering sustainable and low-carbon transport networks that benefit everyone.”
