Video produced by Make A Difference Everywhere…

Video produced by Friends of Bristol Suburban Railways

Affordable, frequent, reliable public transport in Bristol and district draft background statement

The case

Government action is needed to provide cheap, reliable and frequent bus and rail services. Efficient public transport will reduce congestion, road accidents and cut CO2 emissions.

Nottingham and Hasselt in Belgium are cities of a similar size to Bristol.

Nottingham has the highest bus passenger numbers in England (Campaign for Better Transport 2010). Nottingham City Council owns and operates 350 buses which make a profit supported by a local independent bus operator.

Hasselt offers a free bus service at a cost to the tax payer of £4.2m a year. Bristol City Council spends £4.7m a year to provide non profitable services.

Frequency of bus service should be every 3 / 4 minutes – a bus stop every 200 metres plus limited stop express services.

Bristol Anti-Cuts Alliance supports free bus service for under 18s and over 60s and a flat rate of £1 single bus journey, £2 return paid for out of taxation or Park & Ride budget.

Privatised rail has cost the taxpayer 3 times the cost of British Rail since 1996

The challenge

Challenge councillors, MPs and transport planners to use bus or train to meetings

Challenge the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership to submit Portishead passenger service in their current bid. Next meeting Fri 25 Feb at Fry’s, Keynsham  10 am.

Challenge the 5 local MPs who made transport pledges in Evening Post on 8 May 2010

Challenge councillors to continue the Education Maintenance Allowance  beyond September 2011

Challenge environmental groups support the Anti Cuts demo in London on Sat 26 March. The transport budget for Bristol is (researcher please).

challenge school bus (yellow buses in USA)

Allies and networks

Bristol RMT and Bristol  ASLEF

Bristol Evening Post Tuesday column by Dave Wood, RMT.

Tom Baldwin at student protest Evening Post 12 Jan 2011

Older People’s Forum

Youth Parliament

DVD Free-me campaign film & YouTube on London’s free bus service for under 16s.

Quotes: “If the government was serious about climate change they would provide free public transport”, Mike Levene, retired Bristol scientist. “Green investment in renewable energy and improved public transport infrastructure would create millions of new jobs” Derek Wall.

Background

Thanks to Stop Global Warming – change the world,  Jonathan Neale

One million climate jobs www.climate-change-jobs.org

The No-Nonsense Guide to GREEN POLITICS by Derek Wall

Global Warning

DVD Free-me campaign film & youtube on London’s free bus service for under 16s.

freebus.org.uk.

Freepublictransport.org.uk

Julie Boston                            8 Jan  2011