£195 million transport scheme prepared in 9 months
The West of England Partnership recently submitted a Business Case to the DfT for the North Fringe to Hengrove Package.
The West of England Partnership together with Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council, recently submitted a Major Scheme Business Case to the Department for Transport (DfT) for the North Fringe to Hengrove Package.
With the help of independent transport consultancy Steer Davies Gleave, the £195 million scheme was prepared in just nine months and has acted as a pilot for the DfT to help them learn how to speed up the process of preparing major scheme bids.
Identified in the West of England’s Joint Local Transport Plan in 2005, the North Fringe to Hengrove Package comprises a number of related transport projects to enable a new bus-based rapid transit route over 30 km. The package is a key component of the integrated strategy for the West of England and is geared towards enhancing the economic competiveness and prosperity of the sub-region. Steer Davies Gleave (SDG) was engaged during 2009 to provide client project management services for both local authorities, continuing our role in supporting the West of England. SDG project managed both the South Gloucestershire and the Bristol City Centre/South Bristol elements of the package on behalf of the local authorities.
The package would link South Bristol at Hengrove with the North and East Fringes via the City Centre as well as the other rapid transit schemes proposed; Ashton Vale to Temple Meads and South Bristol Link, thereby supporting the formation of a new rapid transit network. The package will serve key destinations including The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, Aztec West Business Park, University of the West of England, Emerson’s Green, Bristol City Centre and Hengrove Park. The rapid transit route will use modern, high quality vehicles that will run on a range of measures where appropriate including dedicated busway, bus lanes and existing highway. Key components include the Stoke Gifford Transport Link, a new Park & Ride on the M32 and major remodelling of the Centre in Bristol City Centre including a new bridge over the Avon New Cut.
The next stage of the project will be to gain programme entry approval from the DfT and seek the necessary powers to deliver the package.
Note to Editors
For more information about this Rapid Transit scheme visit http://travelplus.org.uk/north-fringe-to-hengrove-package
