Bristol Evening Post letter and other Media coverage.

Monday 24th September 2007 the leaflet for the Proposed Portway Park and Ride Extension fell through my letter box. And of course I read it. However several people I know who had the leaflet either tossed it into the recycling bin or was just put on the side and ignored. How do I know this? I asked. Which got me to thinking if leaflets that concern the community got this treatment (yes even I am annoyed with the amount of junk mail that I get through my letterbox) how else could I spark a reaction?

I did an interview with BBC Radio Bristol that day about the subject for the drive time show but the Council did not comment that evening and Radio Bristol were hoping to get a response on the proposed Park and Ride expansion from Bristol City Council the following day. I don't know if the Council did respond and I forgot to ask. Oops sorry about that.

BCfm e-mailed for an interview as long as they could get a Council representative and someone from the bus company to present their views. No further feedback as yet.

BBCi will be doing something soon, again in the hope of getting a response from the Council.

And then the local paper. I emailed the Bristol Evening Post letters page with a somewhat cynical and sarcastic in parts letter. After all if logic, common sense and facts don't always work why not throw around a few ideas and scenarios and see what happens. Would common sense prevail? Would there be a response. I just want people to know that this is happening now and have their say. So we'll wait and see.

In the meantime below is a jpeg of the letter and some points have been clarified with more information to follow in the blogs soon.

On the 27th September the Bristol Evening Post printed my letter about the Portway Park and Ride expansion. (A larger version of the 'Soapbox' letter is on the main blog page under the Park and Ride leaflet pictures.)

1. The Photo. -Ooops the Bristol Evening Post used an old library photo from their archives of the previous company that was running the service. They'll use updated pictures in the future I am sure, but the picture is used to enhance the letter.
2. Delivery of leaflets to the right area. - Before the Park and Ride was built and it was a proposed project the Council got a company to deliver consultation leaflets to the area to Sea Mills and Stoke Bishop. Yes I know they begin with S. Easy mistake to make. Shirehampton and Avonmouth residents didn't see these leaflets and I only found out about the proposed project and leaflet by accident. So I typed up an information sheet got it photo-copied and delivered it myself to people in Avonmouth and Shirehampton otherwise they would not have known about it and we would not have had our say. The Council were apologetic for the mistake and refunded me my printing costs.
3. The allegation to expand the Park and Ride across the allotments. - This is true. I was handed a two page letter by a concerned member of the public that was dated the 19th January 2004 from the Allotments Manager of the Environment, Transport and Leisure Department. This was advising that a proposal to make the allotments surplus to requirements would be made to the Allotment Panel sometime in February 2004. This would involve obtaining Secretary Of State consent to change it's use from allotment use, as required under section 32 of the Allotments Act 1908. A minimum of 12 months notice would be given to all tenants to quit and other points besides. The letter also said "Most of the site has been unoccupied for many years and has been earmarked as a potential Park and Ride extension for some time". I may put this letter online with name and contact details removed of my source. Anyway I approached Radio Bristol with this information and they ran a radio piece about it. The Council gave no comment.
4. Why expand a dead duck, a white elephant? - Information will be following on this so keep reading the blogs because what the Council expected to happen didn't go the way they predicted.
5. How is it being financially supported? More information will be following on this.
6. The traffic going the wrong way. - A traffic survey was done by locals on the Portway and the Cumberland Basin. This should be online soon, however a lot of the traffic is heading towards Avonmouth Docks and Industrial estates.
7. Shortfalls have been reported in the past. - Local Councillor Spud Murphy has raised this point several times and even in their own leaflet Bristol City Council admit 'The present site is currently not used to capacity'
8. Lets move further down onto the Daisy Field .... make Shirehampton one big car park. - I recall along the line that the Park and Ride is expected to be 1500 car spaces. So what will happen next. It was part of the 'ten year plan' which is revised every ten years so I will be checking this out again as it was revised a couple or so years ago.
9. Park and Rides are fine as long as they are put in the right place. - I am not anti Park and Ride because they do work well when they are in the right place. I have used the Bath Park and Ride so they do work well. Check out the web links for more information. The Portway Park & Ride should have been off the motorway exit. Quite a few years ago the land opposite Cosco had no buildings. Think about it, road access, roundabouts, could have saved money, got a lot done and more use out of it catching commuters right off the motorway.
10. I haven't used the Park and Ride. - This is the Portway Park & Ride. At least I admit to that. I could mislead you all into believing I do but I don't. It really doesn't take me to where I want to go.
11. I used to use the bus ..... it hasn't changed. - Unfortunately my car was vandalised recently and I had to get to the top of Blackboy Hill/Whiteladies Road. So I caught a bus from the high street (the Park and Ride would not get me there). Can't say it has changed but that is my personal opinion of First Bus buses.
12. Disabilities ..... the Park and Ride isn't exactly advantageous. - A disabled person who relies on a shopping buggy to get around cannot get on the Park and Ride or any bus for that matter. Should changes be made because the shopping buggy is a legitimate disability aid to try and help with independence.
13. The Park and Ride Expansion will be an even greater disaster. - Shouldn't the Council work on strengthening the weaknesses of this Park and Ride first and the fact that it admits it is not currently used to capacity. A business expands because its successful and is making a profit so they can invest their own money and the bank loan and make even further profit for both. Or to put it another way, you don't go and buy a house that you know that you can't afford, get a mortgage and then find you can't keep up the repayments. What happens? Your home is repossessed by the bank or building society. What you try and do is save money for a deposit buy a property you can afford, do it up when you can, invest some money if you can into home improvements, build on it, then you may decide to sell and move up the property ladder to a bigger place. (I know difficult in this day but this is the only way i can explain it)
14. Damage limitation is needed and expansion refused. - Scenario. The Park and Ride is expanded and again the Council find their research is incorrect. Grants continue to be thrown at it to keep it open and the spaces are not filling up. When the grants run out what then? How does it support itself? Does it go bust and in debt? Does it close completely? What answer does the Council have to the problem? Who knows? What I am saying is leave the Portway Park and Ride as it is because people are using it. Why should they be left high and dry because the 'Council got it wrong'. The Council should wait and see what happens once Cabot Circus opens. Is that too much to ask? After six months the initial excitement will die down and level off. Re-assess the situation after that six month period. It can always go back to the planning committee and it wouldn't take that long to build the expansion to the P&R.