Underground railway network could be ‘transformational’ for Bristol

The huge cost of an underground railway network for Bristol is still a complete unknown with taxes possibly being raised in order to pay for any future scheme.

But Marvin Rees remains committed to “keep this project on the rails and finally transform the way we travel in and around our city”.

The exec summaries of two mass transit studies have now been published, but although both high on optimism they are short of any specific details.

The summary from Jacobs and Steer (which still has a ‘final draft’ watermark on it) says that a mass transit system in Bristol “will provide major opportunities for unlocking significant growth in housing and stimulating the economy in the wider West of England urban conurbation and is likely to result in unprecedented wider economic impacts”.

“The outcome would be enhanced public transport connectivity and fully connected interchange facilitates, which would be transformational in terms of how people live and travel around the sub-region.”

Jacobs and Steer say that “an underground option would require substantial capital expenditure that could be difficult to secure”.

They recommend, however, that mass transit system scheme options “should continue to be considered further to enable a preferred option to be identified” as well as work to assess “the appetite for local taxation measures”.

Clifton Rocks Railway ran in a 500ft-long tunnel – photo: Martin Booth

The second exec summary from Steer Davies Gleave and CH2M says that an underground system “has the potential to cover its operating costs, but that further work, including detailed financial modelling, will be required to confirm these initial assumptions”.

The report also concludes “that it will likely result in significant enhanced public transport connectivity for areas currently poorly served by public transport”.

Both summaries agree that an underground is likely to have an impact on land values along the route, which Steer Davies Gleave and CH2M says will “lead to increased delivery of housing stock and/or acceleration of the delivery rate”.

“This is also likely to positively impact on employment sites along the route which could be densified, as a result of better public transport accessibility for employees and thus need to provide lower levels of parking.”

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Writing in his mayoral blog, Rees said: “The mass transit plan, including going underground, is Bristol and our wider region’s only real option for a future transport system that works.

“Bristol has been left behind on transport while all other big British cities have built and modernised mass transit: our city has delivered nothing in recent decades.

“Those of us old enough can remember the endless announcements for tram lines, the announcements of transport systems of the future, and political promises that offered 21st century travel options.

“The reality is nothing was delivered and Bristol commuters continue to crawl.

“We have made real progress since first announcing our aspirational plans, and remain unapologetic about our ambition for Bristol. There is no time to fail and no time to delay.”

A section of the Chocolate Path collapsed into the New Cut in January 2020; Cumberland Road is due to reopen this summer – photo: Martin Booth

Main photo: Martin Booth

Read next:

• Finding a sensible solution to Bristol’s transport woes
• Bristol underground: realistic proposition or political flight of fancy?
• Funding for Bristol’s mass transit system at risk
• West of England mayor raises doubts over Bristol underground plans

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