South Bristol Link

As from January 2010 all new information on the South Bristol Link will be published on the travel+ website

The West of England sub-region (covering the area of Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol City, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire councils) is likely to face major challenges over the next 20 years in addressing the traffic and transport implications of expected future housing and employment development.

See the Travel+ transport map for how the prgoramme fits together

The Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study (GBSTS) recognises that investment in conventional bus services alone will not be sufficient to provide an attractive alternative to the private car and sustainably accommodate the increase in demand to travel arising from predicted development in the sub-region.

The study promoted a package of bus, rapid transit, highway and park and ride schemes to address existing traffic problems and to support regeneration and sustainable development. 

The four councils, working together as the West of England Partnership, have been developing a programme of major transport schemes the first of which, the Greater Bristol Bus Network (GBBN), is currently being implemented.

Central to this programme is the need to tackle congestion and reduce car dependency through the provision of quality alternatives to car use to improve accessibility to major employment centres and new development.  

The South Bristol Link (SBL), as one of the Travel+ projects, will link the A370 near Long Ashton Park & Ride to the A4174 Hartcliffe roundabout; a distance of approximately 3 miles.

 Objectives for South Bristol Link

• To facilitate regeneration and growth in South Bristol
• To reduce congestion in South Bristol (which includes adjacent areas in North Somerset)
• To improve accessibility from South Bristol to the city centre and to strategic transport links, including the trunk road network and Bristol International Airport.

Over the winter of 2008  we asked people questions about the scheme and In June 2009 we published the report of the consultation we carried out. The information we gave and questions we asked can be read here.

Information about the options we consulted on is available in the Consultant's Option Appraisal Report

Furhter consultation on the preferred option was carried out during November and December 2009 

The project will be progressed in stages.  The first stage included establishing the extent to which a scheme would contribute to the regeneration of South Bristol and other objectives. The work involved preparation of the full Business Case (which is the basis of the bid to government for initial approval for funding, termed 'Programme Entry'). Subsequent work will be needed to progress planning procedures (including detailed design and environmental studies, planning approvals, Orders, Public Inquiry).  The project (Phases 1 and 2) is planned for construction between 2014/15 -2016/17.

Government has allocated £47.3 million to the project via its Regional Funding Allocation.

For further information contact North Somerset Council

Telephone: 01934 426646

Email:  transport.policy@n-somerset.gov.uk

Read about other Travel+ major schemes in the West of England area and the Department for Transport 'major scheme process'.

For more information email transport@westofengland.org