Buses could start running on the infamous South Bristol ‘missing link’ of the £220 million Metrobus network - but with public subsidy, Bristol Live can reveal.
West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris has confirmed that a process of inviting bus companies to put themselves forward to run services on the South Bristol route, which has remained empty when the rest of the Metrobus network began running in 2018.
The tendering process will finish in the spring, and buses could run on the route this year, depending on whether a deal can be struck between the local transport authorities and a bus company, and if public funding is available too.
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When Metrobus was launched in 2018, it was done so with no public funding of the services - because of the eye-watering £220 million of public money spent on the infrastructure to create the routes.
But now, after lobbying by local MP Karin Smyth and South Bristol's Green Party councillors, Labour Metro Mayor Dan Norris is understood to be considering putting public money into the missing South Bristol route, which has caused controversy since it was left off the maps at the launch of the Metrobus services four years ago.
When Metrobus was launched in 2018, there was outrage in South Bristol because suddenly that route through the south west of the city disappeared from the maps, with council chiefs and Metrobus itself saying the Hengrove to Long Ashton route was only intended to start operating in the long-term, after thousands of new homes had been built in the area.
Local MP Karin Smyth took up the fight, saying the route was needed now. But since 2018, no bus has run on the route, apart from - for a time - the bus from Bristol Airport.
At a WECA meeting on Friday, Cllr David Wilcox gave a statement on behalf of South Bristol's Green Party councillors, calling for another look at the missing Metrobus link in South Bristol.
The statement from local councillor Ed Plowden said: "When Metrobus was first launched there was a clear policy approach taken that all services had to be commercially provided and that no publicly-funded support would be offered to run these services.
"This was justified based on the substantial public funds invested in giving priority for buses to make them more reliable and viable. Unfortunately, not all routes were commercially taken up, and in particular, the route through South Bristol from Hengrove via Hartcliffe and Withywood to the Long Ashton Park and Ride.
"This route now has a number of stranded bus stops that have never been used," he said. Cllr Plowden's statement pointed out that the new review of which bus services across the Bristol area should get public subsidy now included the extension of the Metrobus into South Gloucestershire - then it should include the missing South Bristol Link service too.
"The original policy principle appears to no longer apply," he said. "South Bristol is a highly deprived area, with well-documented severance to city centre employment opportunities due to long bus journey times. This surely must now be the time to test the market and include it as one of the services for which tenders are invited," he added.
Metro Mayor Dan Norris agreed, and said he would get on it.
"I couldn't agree more. It makes no sense not to have buses running and working and doing the job that we intended so I'm on that, I'm very glad you've raised it because it's something I feel quite strongly about," he told the meeting.
Back in 2018, Karin Smyth MP claimed Metrobus had 'deceived the people of South Bristol' after it used public money to build a new road for the Metrobus service, but never put that service on. Today, she welcomed what she described as the ‘commitment’ to providing Metrobus into south Bristol on the route, which has bus stops that have remained unused for four years.
The route was built as a whole new road as part of the South Bristol ring road, and connects the Long Ashton park and ride and Ashton Vale with the ring road through Highbridge, Withywood and into Hengrove and Hartcliffe.
Mrs Smyth said that Mr Norris has now written to her to confirm that a tender process is taking place where bus operators will be invited to price for a supported service. This will conclude in Spring when it will also be known what funding has been allocated to the Bus Improvement Plan.
“Public transport is facing very significant challenges at this time, and I welcome that the Labour West of England Mayor is working to find a solution for the promised Metrobus service on the South Bristol Link Road after substantial investment was made to provide the infrastructure needed for this vital link,” she said.
“I appreciate the Mayor’s assurances that he is actively considering how best to secure a service that best meets the needs of communities in Hengrove, Withywood, Highbridge and Ashton, including a project to improve bus infrastructure and connections in south Bristol focused on Hengrove Park and the surrounding area as part of the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement,” she added.
“After years of delay under the previous Conservative Mayor, I look forward to working with Dan Norris going forward to find a solution to this issue that best serves the needs of communities in south Bristol,” she said.
The MP said that since Metrobus launched in 2018 without the South Bristol missing link, ‘hundreds of families now live close to the proposed route’, including at the Copper Box next to Imperial Retail Park, Jessop Park in Whitchurch and the Urban Quarter in Hengrove.
“It is clear that bus services along this route are now needed more than ever,” she added.
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