Government, transport, and business leaders welcome West's public transport vision for the future

Government, transport, and business leaders have welcomed the West’s ambition for an interconnected transport network and investment in buses, rail, mass transit, active travel, and streets and places.

The new Transport Vision published today by the West of England Mayor and council leaders sets out the direction of travel for a better-connected West of England:

• Better buses: reliable, affordable services with one ticket and one timetable
• More trains: new stations and more frequent services with low-emission trains
• Mass transit: a high-capacity system that links our key economic centres
• Active travel: better walking and cycling routes, with e-bikes/e-scooters there for short trips
• Improved streets: smoother roads and pavements, more electric vehicle chargers, Park & Rides and travel hubs linking transport options

Transport improvements are a big part of the ten-year Growth Strategy for the country’s fastest growing regional economy. Last year alone, just in Bath and Bristol, congestion cost our economy over £150 million. Better transport will help unlock more investment, create jobs, boost productivity, and drive further economic growth. In interviews today, the Mayor highlighted the importance of securing both public and private investment in transport infrastructure.

The region’s political leaders have today set out a shared commitment to deliver the work needed to be able to start building mass transit within four or five years. The report also contains the first potential concepts of mass transit for the West, picturing Redcliffe Way and Bristol Airport, which is currently the country’s only regional airport without a fixed mass transit link.

Heidi Alexander MP, Transport Secretary, said: “The West of England is a fantastic place to live and work, and local people deserve a transport network that gets them where they need to be quickly and easily.

"This vision lays out a clear plan for faster, greener, and more reliable journeys. We’re investing over £752 million in the West of England Combined Authority on buses, roads, and rail, and I look forward to working with local councils to make this vision a reality.”

Dave Lees, CEO of Bristol Airport said: “It’s fantastic to see this Vision published and we look forward to supporting the further work needed to make it a reality in the future. We’ve invested heavily in our bus network, and, uniquely in the UK, staff bus travel is free, which has led to record numbers of people – around two million - using public transport to access the Airport. But much more could be done if the region works together. It would enable more people get to the Airport by public transport and as one of the biggest private sector employers locally, it would connect the thousands of jobs we offer to more people.”

Mark Hopwood CBE, GWR Managing Director, said: "We're proud of what we've achieved together: new stations, enhanced services, and significant growth in passenger numbers across the region, and welcome the opportunity to continue our work with the West of England Combined Authority.

"As we look ahead, we're committed to this collaboration, driving economic growth and improving connectivity for everyone who lives, works, and visits the West of England."

Rob Pymm, Commercial Director of First Bus Wales & West, said: “We welcome the new Transport Vision and the recognition it gives to the vital role of buses in our region.

“We have worked closely with the combined authority to deliver strong growth in bus use over recent years, with more services being added, new technology to make bus use easier and new, zero emission buses amongst the significant investments.

“Focus on tackling congestion and increasing bus priority will be vital, and we will continue to support the mayor and our local authority partners to help shape the future of bus travel in the region and make this vision a reality.”

David Brown, CEO of the Bristol Port Company, said: “The Bristol Port Company strongly supports the region’s ambitious and exciting Transport Vision, recognising it as a vital framework for enabling sustainable economic growth, improving connectivity, and supporting the long-term prosperity of the South West.

“95% of all UK imports come through British Ports; The Bristol Port Company handles more individual products than any other UK port, so it is vital that we have a transport network that is resilient, well planned and allows the seamless multi-modal movement of goods into the UK supply chain.

“The Bristol Port Company looks forward to continuing to work closely with our regional partners, combined and unitary authorities and stakeholders to help turn the Transport Vision into reality, ensuring the region remains competitive, connected and sustainable for generations to come.”

Jo Dally, Co-chair of the West of England Business Board, said: “If we are to unlock the full potential of our region we need to better connect people and opportunities. Ensuring people can move easily between places of work, recreation and education has been an early and recurrent theme of conversation by the Business Board and with Business Membership organisations. A key driver of inclusive economic growth, an integrated and accessible transport system would deliver benefits to people and places across our region.”

Nick Sturge, Co-chair of the West of England Business Board, said: “As we have started conversations at our Business Board and the business membership organisations, we are hearing loud and clear that talent supply is key – not just to drive economic growth but also to make sure that growth benefits everyone. Talent is not just about skills. It is about how people get to those jobs, with the right skills, at the right time. A reliable and extensive transport system is essential for that growth that benefits all and I welcome this vision. We hear a lot about confidence of business to invest in growth – and knowing that more, and more diverse, talent is accessible to them through effective transport should be a significant boost to that confidence and thus to more employment opportunities.”

Douglas Ure, CEO of Business West, said: “It’s hard to overemphasise just how crucial fixing transport is for our business community, from the struggles of recruiting staff who simply can’t travel to work, to the huge costs businesses face as staff and goods are stuck in grinding traffic. Our region’s transport system far too often frustrates rather than facilitates, so we warmly welcome this new and ambitious strategy.

“It’s good to see a focus on mass transit and better network integration, along with recognition that how this is prioritised and delivered will be critical to the region’s long-term success. We look forward to further detail in the forthcoming transport strategy.”

Colin Skellett, YTL UK Group Chief Executive, said: “I congratulate the Mayor and Combined Authority for producing a comprehensive and deliverable plan for integrated and reliable public transport across the West of England.  This is essential to unlock new homes, new jobs and economic growth. For the Brabazon New Town development effective public transport will enable us to deliver thousands of new homes and jobs alongside a world class entertainment venue. We now have the vision, so public and private sector can work together to make it a reality.”

Louisa Dollimore, Director of Strategy at the Good Growth Foundation, said: “Our work across the country has shown time and again that transport is one of the most powerful ways to link infrastructure with growth people can feel. When places are well connected - through services that are more direct, reliable and easy to use - people gain access to skills, jobs and opportunity, and economies start to move.

“Bristol Airport, one of the UK’s busiest outside London, has long been held back by sitting in a mass transit desert. Connecting it properly to the region’s network isn’t just an infrastructure upgrade - it opens the West of England to the world, bringing in more people, business, and visitors, and gives local communities a real stake in that growth.”