Revised Bath Transport Package submitted to Government for funding
The revised version of the Bath Transport Package (BTP) has been submitted to the Department of Transport for approval.
The controversial scheme has been edited and reduced by the new Liberal Democrat-run Bath and North East Somerset Council and has now been put forward to bid for Government money.
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Bus Rapid Transit
Officers have reduced the overall price tag from £66.7 million to £31.853 million by cutting some parts of the package, including the Bathampton Park and Ride and the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) through Newbridge, but have increasing the amount of money paid for by the local authority.
B&NES Council will now pay £17.8 million instead of £6.42 million, while the amount originally requested of the Department for Transport (DfT), £55.08 million, has been reduced to £11.664 million.
In the report submitted to the DfT officers said they believed the new scheme stood a better chance of winning part of the overall Government pot of £630 million.
It said: “The alternative to the BTP was a reduced-scope package which did not contain the BRT or the new P&R to the east. This would concentrate on showcase bus routes, access restrictions, variable message signs and expansion to the existing P&R sites.
“This formed the low cost alternative in the original MSBC and is what the council is now promoting. This scheme is deliverable, cheaper and provides better value for money than the previously submitted scheme.”
The new scheme is listed as including:
• Expansion and improvement of park-and-ride facilities at Newbridge, Lansdown and Odd Down.
• Nine showcase bus routes, with real time information and bus priority measures.
• An active traffic management and information signing system.
• An improved city centre environment.
• Improved public transport access for Bath Western Riverside.
It has removed the BRT, the Bathampton Park and Ride and its associated bus lanes and the A36 bus lane, and has reduced the expansion of the Newbridge Park and Ride.
However, there appears to be no detailed information about exactly what the revised plans for Newbridge look like.
Campaigners have expressed concerns that they do not know exactly where the extra 250 parking spaces will be located and the current information does not seem to provide that answer.
The BTP bid also includes letters of support from a number of key players in the city, including Ian Bell, the executive director of Bath Chamber of Commerce and Justin Davies, the regional managing director of bus service provider First.
The Bath package is part of a wider bid from across the region, including plans from Bristol and Weston-super-Mare.
For more information go to www.travelplus.org.uk.
17 Comments
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by airhellair
Monday, September 12 2011, 6:48PM
“Still arguing about bus funding? ....Yawn. Isn't that all a bit 'yesterday' now?
http://tinyurl.com/3qfk9y8”
by mcupis
Sunday, September 11 2011, 4:32PM
“I wholeheartedly with this Roger.”
by rogerh3
Sunday, September 11 2011, 4:08PM
“I think much of the blame lies in Whitehall. One of the problems with the BRT is that it was designed to qualify for government funding rather than to solve any particular problem in Bath. The revised scheme appears to be no different.”
by Viscount_V
Sunday, September 11 2011, 1:55PM
“Tontrad- "The whole thing sucks, and reinforces one's view that LAs should not be let anywhere near any large scheme that involves them doing anything other than basic supervision, or that has any commercial or 'profit-making' context.
With a few exceptions, Councillors and Officers, just do not have the requisite skills."
Can't argue with that!”
by rogerh3
Saturday, September 10 2011, 11:54PM
“rogerh3 – with the greatest of respect, your fag packet arithmetic is a red herring"
I don't need a fag packet to do simple arithmetic.
--”
by tontrad
Saturday, September 10 2011, 9:15PM
“Horse drawn barges ?
Viscount_V -
As I say, we are where we are. The previous administration borrowed upwards of £6m (dunno the figure exactly, haven't asked lately - I think it was heading for £8m), taking the gamble that 50% would be 'repaid' by the DfT when the funding was granted.
Furthermore, and I quote -
" Repayment of this loan will be made by income generated by the increased P&R numbers provided by the BTP"
So .......... a hole has been dug, and we're in it, so pulling the plug now isn't much of an option.
It will be very interesting to find out in due course whether -
A. Should the funding be denied, how that debt will be hidden/lost/admitted to/whatever, or
B. Should the funding be approved, whether the whole spend will be ''repaid' by the DfT.
The whole thing sucks, and reinforces one's view that LAs should not be let anywhere near any large scheme that involves them doing anything other than basic supervision, or that has any commercial or 'profit-making' context.
With a few exceptions, Councillors and Officers, just do not have the requisite skills.”
by capndave
Saturday, September 10 2011, 8:05PM
“Hold yer horses Tony. Watch the Chronic in a week or so. All should be revealed.”
by Viscount_V
Saturday, September 10 2011, 7:41PM
“If the new package looks set to be as ineffective at solving Baths traffic problems as the last one and still ridiculously expensive, why take the money?
We'll all end up paying for the white elephant in the long run.
That's my fuse lit! I'm off to the pub.”
by tontrad
Saturday, September 10 2011, 7:09PM
“Dave
What happened to the Freight Transhipment Depot ?
Apart from an obvious licence to make money for DHL or whoever, it didn't seem like a bad idea.
Couldn't you have that in Saltford/Keynsham, and use ships to move stuff into Bath ?
(And rubbish out).
Or are there rapids or something en route ?”
by capndave
Saturday, September 10 2011, 6:20PM
“.......rather than a quick self-indulgent rant and off to the pub.
Dave Laming to his credit seems to do both...............
That's not very nice Tony. True but not nice.
In fact, I have brought my narrowboat up to Bath and am in the process over the next few weeks of giving trips down river to groups of councillors to show them just what a disgrace in all aspects our river has become.
I have to admit, the message is getting home. Twenty minutes max. carrying over fifty passengers by river from Weston Island to the City Centre, and the same from Lambridge. No need to CPO folks back gardens, can pick up right alongside Crest Nicholson's Western Riverside, and one slow turning ultra clean engine chugging along without the need for bus lanes, electronic ticketing, and you can have a bacon buttie and a coffee on the way.
Pick up at least ten huge lorry loads of the city's waste and transport it by river. Employs people, reduces pollution on our roads from nine ruddy great lorry engines.
Those are sensible elements of an integrated transport system for Bath.”