A reply from Bristol City Council NOT the Councillors and they still continue to hide.

Bristol City Council e-mailed a reply on 15th October 2007 to the questions raised by a number of people who live in the area. Of course I have sent copies to Avonmouth Community Committee and SCAF too.

The questions were not that hard were they? I think their reply says a lot and it's up to you what conclusions you draw. And what is the role of a local Councillor in the community?

A meeting will be arranged because the questions raised still need to be answered. These are concerns raised by local people. It's the here and now they want to know about. Oh by the way, feel free to ask the questions if you wish!

And here is something I read in one of the national newspapers today which made me laugh.

"The world is full of politicians. These brave noble souls have dedicated their entire lives to the quest for answers. They have worked out what we really need to do in order to create peace and prosperity on this planet. They stand for what is right and true and good. They never argue with each other for the sake of it. They just airily debate the finer points of ideas on which they both heartily agree .... don't they? Around you a lot of rot is being taught. Rise above it. Don't get into it."

Thank goodness I have no ambitions in Politics!!

---------------------------------------------

Dear Ms Courtney-O'Neill,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to the proposals to expand the Portway Park & Ride facility.

The local ward councillors for Avonmouth and the Executive Member for Access and Environment were fully briefed on the plans before the consultation exercise was carried out. You do not say which group or organisation you represent.

The plan to expand the Portway Park & Ride facility was specifically included in the Park and Ride Action Plan in the Joint Local Transport Plan for Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire for 2006/7 to 2010/11, which received widespread publicity and consultation and was approved in March 2006. The expansion of Park & Ride facilities is a crucial element of the strategy to tackle congestion and related transport issues discussed in the Plan. The implementation of the expansion at Portway is part of the Integrated Transport Spending Programme for the period covered by the Plan, and the timing of this project is intended to support the development of Cabot Circus by the Bristol Alliance.

The current publicity and consultation exercise is intended to inform people (including local residents, businesses and existing users of the Portway P&R site and bus service) of the plans and provide an opportunity for them to comment and give their views on the details of the proposals. Over 5000 leaflets were distributed to homes and businesses within approximately 1km of the site, advertising posters and leaflets put on the 902 service buses, a large advertisement placed at the site and a small exhibition in Shirehampton Library. Responses are being assessed before the plans are finalised and submitted. Suggestions and useful comments are helping to shape the way the site and the bus service are planned and operated. Feedback being received from existing and potential users of the service is particularly useful for future planning of the bus service, on-site facilities, bus operating details and bus priority measures.

Your comments regarding matters such as the layout, landscape treatment, user facilities, access points, bus service, traffic issues etc will be welcomed. If you wish to discuss any concerns you may have directly with officers from this department, please contact us to arrange a meeting if that would be useful to you, indicating which dates/times would be convenient.

Yours sincerely,

Public Transport Major Projects Team.

----------------------------------------------

And here are the questions asked:

• How many Portway Park And Ride Proposed Expansion leaflets were distributed?
• Avonmouth Ward has over 12,000 residents in the area so were these leaflets distributed to the whole ward or just a selected area? If the latter where? (Leaflet states "views of local people in the Avonmouth, Shirehampton and Portway areas are now being sought")
• Who else has been consulted about the expansion project?
• If the current site isn't being used to capacity why expand further? What evidence and research does the Council have that shows demand for this?
• Who did the research, how was it done and how long ago, who did they ask, how many people, where did these people come from, local people, catchment area people, how many had cars - that would use THE Portway Park and Ride (not a Park and Ride or other public transport)
• What other factors have been taken into account with the research that is relevant to the local area/community and continually changing social/consumer trends to show demand for increase?
• "Additional signage to give better advance notice of this Park and Ride facility for people travelling from further away" Encouraging increased traffic to the area (as well as the current industrial) passing through for Avonmouth residents. The argument being that those car users would have remained on the motorway to get into the City. - What is the catchment area for the Portway Park and Ride?
• The latest figures show 235,000 journeys were made for the year for the Portway Park and Ride, how does that compare with Brislington and Long Ashton services?
• What are the statistics/demographics for Portway Park and Ride and use? (ie: Car users, walk on site (locals), other stops along the way (locals) -from opening to date)
• And how is the usage broken down? (ie: Regular users for work and School -5/6 times a week, shoppers, casual users, disability/wheelchair users -from opening to date))
• Figures used are for journeys not people so one journey is equal to a return trip ticket or is a journey classed as 'into the city as one trip and out again as a second journey'?
• How many people use this service?
• What is the expected growth for this service and what has it been in the past?
• How does the Portway Park and Ride plan to increase use of its service during the day after the students and workers rush? (buses are seen running empty or too few people during the day)
• How much does it really cost to run the Portway Park And Ride in comparison with Brislington and Long Ashton?
• Disabled people with shopping buggies are not able to use the Park and Ride (or any bus service for that matter) because there is no provision for them. As there is 'access to all' what plans and provisions will be made in the future to enable disabled people with Shopping buggies to use the Park and Ride Service? (People who need use of buggies door to door)
• How many extra disabled parking spaces would be made available in the centre of Bristol once Cabot Circus is open and what provision has been made to prevent abuse of use by non disabled people?
• What happened to the proposed train platform and it's integration into the P&R service? Will this happen in the future?
• Why haven't new and current attractions such as @ Bristol and all the big festivals and events such as the Festival of The Sea Real Food and Organic Festival, and so on encouraged use of the Portway Park and Ride?
• 'The future projects' and 'other City centre projects' are hidden phrases in the leaflet. Apparently it refers to Castle Park and Bristol Arena projects. Are there any other projects/attractions that should be noted for the future?
• Are these projects definitely going ahead or will they remain as proposals or become expired projects in the future?
• If Castle Park and Bristol Arena go ahead what impact and usage would these attractions have on the Portway Park and Ride really?
• I did question this on Monday and I was told by a Council Officer at Shirehampton Library that "We may be looking at extending the opening hours of the Park and Ride". What extension would this be? Not midnight and gone surely if the Bristol Arena audience is included? And Christmas shopping hours extensions all year round instead?
• Would the Portway Park and Ride (as well as Brislington and Long Ashton) become a late night service in the future and how late would this be?
• People have great choice with shopping, entertainment, and social activities so how accurate and reliable is the research for Cabot Circus/additional attractions for the Avonmouth ward? How sure after the initial excitement, curiosity, and so on dies down - say six months down the line - that the Portway Park and Ride will meet expectations? After all original expectations are yet to be met from the initial project and it opened in April 2002?
• "The existing access points and bus circulation area will remain as at present" - This is open to speculation so what changes would/could happen and how would it affect the road layout in the area if changes are made in the future?
• "...... a new amenity building with facilities for passengers and staff will be provided soon after the expansion is completed". - Where would this be placed on the site, one or two storey building, what facilities will be provided and office space? (Can't see it marked on the leaflet plans)
• "The bus service frequency and route will be unchanged for the time being although local enhancements are under investigation" - Again what would be the proposed changes, how soon would they be implemented and what are the local enhancements under investigation? What enhancements would be made?
• Car parking on the allotment site I assume will be the flatter ground in that area, so how much increase in levelling off the land be? I assume the raised part of the allotment will have more trees and landscaping - what would this be and involve? (after all we don't want storage units and work area problems that we initially had the last time. Will work vehicles be parked on the park and ride this time?)
• Lighting for the additional parking spaces, will this be screened off by landscaping too as lighting will be at a lower level.?
• The central reservation on the Portway by the Park and Ride, when will proper landscaping to carried out on this area?
• The Park and Ride is being used. However the site has fallen below expectations and growth slow. Shouldn't it be left as it is for the moment and it's weakness worked on and resolved first before embarking on such an ambitious project and it is ambitious. Shouldn't the Council learn from it's past mistakes on this project, work towards getting it to capacity sometime in the future to help make it stronger to follow through at a later date such ambitious expansions rather than have it fall on its face? Why can't this be done?
• The 57 bus was withdrawn without warning for example and Park & Ride users should not be left high and dry without a service because 'the Council got it wrong' and it struggles to stay open or even close. What back up plans do Bristol City Council have should this project fall below expectations again (and remember this is a larger site than currently is)?.
• Who runs the Park and Ride, how is it run and what role does Bristol City Council have in it's running/service?
• Who invests in the Portway Park and Ride site and how, what contribution is made? (passengers use the service and do not invest in the service)
• Is further expansion beyond 820 car parking spaces expected to be proposed/happen in the future and how/where would this be done?
• In October 2000 a report for the then named Avonmouth Park and Ride stated "a 550-space car park with both disabled and parent and child parking spaces for the site". In light of this (and the additional land wasn't obtained for various reasons) the parking spaces stand currently at 320. - If the 550 space Park and Ride had been built and not used to capacity today would this proposed expansion of 500 additional car spaces to the site still be pursued especially as Bristol City Council admit in the current leaflet 'the present site is not currently used to capacity' and media have also reported its shortfalls?
• "Estimated Capital £1.5 million has been allocated in the 2000/1 Local Transport Plan settlement towards the construction of the Avonmouth Park & Ride and a further £1 million will be required from the 2001/02 settlement." (from October 2000). What Government Grant subsidies have been given to the Portway Park and Ride so far and what other subsidies and financial assistance has been received from date opening to current and where from?
• What has been the total expenditure and income from the Portway Park and Ride since initial proposal, building and use to current date?
• In the Capital Programme for 2007 - 2010, how much has been allocated for the Portway Park and Ride and for what period of time?
• How is the proposed expansion being financed and what is the long term financial support and view for this?
• What is the financial forecast for the Portway Park and Ride should the expansion go ahead?
• When would it be self supporting and not reliant on grant and subsidies?
• What is the current financial state of the Park and Ride?
• What will happen when the Government grants and subsidies run out to finance and run the Portway Park and Ride service?
• What effect would the proposed 4th Park and Ride in the M32/Frenchay vacinity have on the Portway Park and Ride in the future after all it is closer to the city?
• Will the Portway Park and Ride (or in fact all Park and Rides) be supported by revenues raised through road user charging schemes/congestion charge, residential car parking permits and increased car parking fees in the future?
• When will the Avonmouth Ward see investment back into the local communities and provide social facilities for all to use? (After all we have lost the Swimming Baths, Robin Cousins Sport Centre, Youth Clubs and other facilities)