Electrification of the Paddington to Cardiff rail-line spells good things for Bristol – just as the 1970’s investment in the M4 and high-speed rail links to regenerate South Wales benefited north Bristol.
But completion of the South Bristol link-road, and plans for a city Metro-system, are vital for unlocking the city’s potential.
These are among the findings of the latest online radio investigation from South West Business News.
According to Mark Hopwood, Managing Director at First Great Western, the Greater Bristol Area will benefit from investment in electrification of the line from Paddington to Cardiff, with trains able to switch from electricity to diesel power for onward travel to places like Weston-super-Mare.
He also suggests that the West will benefit from the massive investment in HS2 – the scheme to provide improved rail services to the Midlands – with new connections via the Old Oak Common station providing West rail passengers with more options for London destinations.
But Chris Irwin, European Policy Adviser to Passenger Focus, Britain’s statutory watchdog for public transport, is far less bullish about future plans for railways in the West.
Mr Irwin, who is also Chairman of Transport South West, told South West Business News that the South West will need to shout louder to avoid being ignored, because of the focus on HS2 and north-south rail links.
Meanwhile, Mike Henry – a Partner at global property firm, Jones Lang LaSalle and a member of the Business West Transport Committee – is determined that the South Bristol link-road must be completed.
He told South West Business News: “Bristol has the slowest road speed outside London, and investment in transport is critical to unlock growth. The 1970s’ decision to invest in the M4 and High Speed Train service to open up South Wales provided a fluke of nature for North Bristol, resulting in the migration of major insurance companies and banks.
“If the M4 or high-speed rail route had been located through South Bristol, we would be celebrating fantastic prosperity in South Bristol – one of the country’s most deprived areas.
“Right now, plans to complete the South Bristol section of the ring road could deliver that solution, unlocking economic growth and generating more than 4,000 new jobs”, said Mr Henry.
Mike Henry is well known for having been a long-standing advocate for a metro-system to address the local public transport needs of Bristol and Bath.
The latest South West Business News report on transport links includes a feature from Brest in Brittany, where a €383m tram system has transformed the city’s prospects, alongside investments in road and rail connectivity.
