The creation of a modern tram network for Bristol and Bath is shaping up to be a key campaign promise for some of the top contenders in the upcoming West of England Metro Mayor election, but Bristol Live readers say they have heard it all before.
Heather Mack, a Bristol city councillor and the Green Party’s candidate for the Metro Mayor election next May, confirmed that a tram network was ‘definitely on the cards’.
This follows a presentation from one of the country’s leading tram experts to local politicians. Trams or ‘light rail systems’ have been launched or reintroduced in various UK cities, but not in Bristol, where the tram network was closed after the generator building in Redcliffe was bombed in 1941.
The concept of a mass rapid transit system has been discussed in Bristol and the West of England for years, but neither of the two metro mayors – Conservative Tim Bowles and Labour’s Dan Norris – have progressed beyond initial feasibility studies. Now, the idea of establishing a mass transit system looks set to be a major topic in the next Metro Mayor election, scheduled for May 2025.
Cllr Mack described her meeting with tram expert Dr Walmsley as ‘brilliant’, adding on Bluesky: “I’m excited about the prospect of bringing trams to Bristol and Bath, we need to create the system and the right environment for the demand to follow.”
Commenter Junius1 thinks: “It’s about time for constructive forward thinking on this and metro-mayoral candidates who will commit to act. Bristol seriously needs transport alternatives that will get cars off roads. The outgoing metro-mayor, Dan Norris, lost at least £3 billion of central government money by failing to lead on a credible overground system when a £15 billion central pot was being offered to five cities for mass transit systems. Central government then recognised that Bristol is in urgent need of mass transit. Now Marvin’s unrealistic underground scheme is out of the way, there is nothing to stop trams/ light rail being seriously considered.”
KaptainVon agrees: “To be fair a tram system is much more feasible than an underground system that was partially overground and which would have cost billions to create. In the past part of the excuses for not adopting it was that “Bristol is too hilly”. A look at the 1902 OS maps for the city show how they managed a tram network back then using 19th century technology so that excuse is void.”
Rolandrp sees it differently: “The roads are shared spaces. You have the buses, cyclists, e-scooters and motorists but also the utility companies. The underground scheme may have had its problems but at least it avoided being disrupted by road works.”
Gammerz replies: “Trams are pointless. Trams use the roads just like buses, so why do we need trams? If the road is to be segregated for trams, why not do the same for buses? A partial solution is to persuade more people to work from home to prevent commuting. Civil servants are being dragged back into the office contributing to the very problem the government is trying to solve.”
Westofenglandtransportassociation disagrees: “Trams work where buses don’t because they carry 5 times as many people as buses. They are generally more reliable and comfortable, car drivers will also switch to them.”
Crasg adds: “To be fair, trams are a lot more versatile than buses. I had the same opinion of trams as you did before I rode one for the first time when I visited Edinburgh recently. When they’re in traffic, they act almost exactly like buses. However when they’re out of the city (taking you to the airport for example, as was my experience) they can nip along at considerable speed and the experience of riding one feels indistinguishable from being on a train. Modern trams are basically a bus and an overground train rolled into one- I’m fully sold on them now.”
Sign up to receive daily news updates and breaking news alerts straight to your inbox for free here.
Gammerz points out: “The problem they’re trying to solve is inner city congestion, where buses are cheaper and more flexible (avoiding parked cars on rails). Buses can reach 70 mph on a motorway or A-road without a dedicated train line. Put the same resources into a dedicated bus lane and you’d get similar results for a fraction of the price.”
IfanJoroc is desperate for a solution: “As someone who has to leave 2 hours before I start work just to get in for 9am, due to the nightmare morning traffic, I would absolutely ditch my car for a tram into town instead. I just hope this is an option in the near future, and not just a conversion that rears its head year on year. Something needs to be done now. We Bristolians are suffering already.”
Bs3bob thinks it’s a pointless endeavour: “Here we go again. Tens of millions of pounds of taxpayer’s money will be spent on consultants to do another study and in 10 years time there will still be no sign of the mythical trams. Both BCC and the other local councils and central government are all pleading poverty, so even if some miracle happened and a plan was put forward and every one of our warring councils agreed, there is zero cash to implement.”
Baldeeheed has seen it all before: “Not this again! I’ve been following promises of a mass transit system for Bristol for over 30 years. It will never, ever happen.”
What do you think the right solution for Bristol is? Does Bristol even need a mass transit system? Can you see it ever happening? Have your say in our comments section.