Use of Bristol/Bath cyclepath for Bus Rapid Transit‏

I am writing on behalf of the Transport for Greater Bristol Alliance. We are an alliance of 20+ local mainly Bristol community and environmental groups
(including Sustrans, CTC and Bristol Cycling campaign) who drew up a green manifesto (no airport expansion nor large scale road building) for Greater Bristol. You can see it at http://uk.geocities.com/transportforbristol. We are campaigning for the creation of an Integrated Transport Authority for Greater Bristol to run the bus and local rail network.

We have agreed to co-ordinate a meeting for all groups interested in the proposal that the Bristol to Bath path be used jointly by Bus Rapid Transit and cyclists/walkers.This proposal is due for public consultation this summer and has emerged from the WOE transport planning which started with the GBSTS Study. Our Alliance is a broad church and includes also those who would support the possibility of a shared ultra light rail route along the path rather than a bus rapid transit as well as cycling groups that vigorously oppose other use. The Alliance will discuss the issue at our meeting on Wed 16th Jan. However, we decided at our last meeting to offer to co-ordinate a meeting for all interested groups of whatever view and it will be held at the Cornubia pub (off Counterslip) not far from Temple Meads Station on Monday 21st Jan 6pm. At the moment, we are emailing a range of people to see if they are interested in coming. Please let me know if you or any member of your group would like to come. The time and date can be changed if it is unsuitable for most people. However, if you can first indicate you would be interested in coming and then let me know if the date and time is suitable.

Terry Miller has found out quite a lot of detail of the route - which runs Emersons Green to Ashton vale and it would use the rail line that runs in front of the Industrial Museum and past the Create Centre. It will have to run through the centre of town as well. This route is BRT 2. BRT 1 in Bath, Terry believes uses the Bath end of the Path. To clarify the position of the TFGB Alliance in relation to the proposal, we would not be running a campaign against the BRT as this would be done by an alliance of cycling groups/individuals. I personally hope that the Alliance groups will vote to oppose it and so add our support to any campaign. If we cannot get a consensus within the Alliance then individual groups will undoubtedly lend the campaign their support. Alongside a negative campaign against the BRT proposals, a coalition of cycling groups could run a very positive campaign in support of any application Bristol might make to be Cycle England's Cycle Demonstration city. An interest has already been expressed by Mark Bradshaw, Executive Member for Transport and gone off to Cycing England.Good to be positive as well. A Bristol meeting of cycling groups is proposed to be held in the following week, details from Steve Meek (email address above)

Cheers

Pip Sheard (Ms)
Transport for Greater Bristol Alliance

Please let me know if you would like to attend this meeting on behalf off BCC
Nigel