The South Bristol Link project (SBL), as one of the Travel+ projects, is will link the A370 near Long Ashton Park & Ride to the A4174 Hartcliffe roundabout.

The Major Scheme Business Case (or bid) was submitted to the Department for Transport in March 2010

 Read about the early South Bristol Link consultation on our West of England sister website.

As at July 2010 the scheme remains an important part of our priority programme because it:

• Facilitates regeneration and growth in South Bristol – the scheme assists with the creation of 5,600 new jobs,
• Reduces congestion in South Bristol and in adjacent areas of North Somerset;
• Improves accessibility from South Bristol to the city centre and to strategic transport links, including the trunk road network and Bristol Airport – with the scheme an additional 9,800 households who currently don’t have it will be within a 40 minute public transport journey of the Airport,
• Helps combat climate change – a reduction of 19,264 tonnes in carbon emissions over the project lifetime;
• Has a strong body of support particularly from residents groups, local businesses and the wider business community;
• Represents high value for money (benefits at four times the costs).  

In order to meet its objectives the scheme is comprised of four distinct elements:  

• A new Rapid Transit link from Long Ashton to a new Hospital and Leisure Centre site in Hartcliffe;
• A single carriageway highway between the A370, the A38 and the existing Hartcliffe Roundabout;
• Cycling and pedestrian facilities parallel to the Rapid Transit and highway elements that will link to existing facilities;
• Complementary traffic management measures on surrounding highways.
• The project will continue to use the now well-established West of England governance involving the individual Councils of Bristol and North Somerset, and the Joint Transport Executive Committee and other sub-regional arrangements.

 

The major transport schemes programme has been drawn into the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), and it is unlikely that any more information will be available about the way in which major schemes will be progressed until at least October 2010. However the authorities continue to progress key preparatory tasks, particularly where they can overcome potential future obstacles in the scheme’s development, whilst not undertaking significant work at cost and risk. That being said, the councils remain committed to and place a very high emphasis on progressing this scheme. Assuming a positive outcome through the CSR the earliest that construction could commence would be 2015.

 

A report on the South Bristol Link was presented to the Joint Transport Executive Committee in early February 2010 that asked the members of the four authorities to endorse themajor scheme bid prior to consideration by North Somerset and Bristol councils

See how the South Bristol Link fits with the Travel+ programme

See also

Winter 2008 comment on options consultation

Report of the Winter 2008 consultation published June 2009

Route Options appraisal report - February 2009 by Mott MacDonald

Route selection information

Consultation on the preferred route (information only, consultation has now closed)

See also the report on the junction of the A370 and South Bristol Link that explains why separate rapid transit and road junctions are needed.

Bristol City Council and North Somerset Council are managing the project.

See map below in full screen

The project will be progressed in stages.  The first stage included establishing the extent to which a scheme would contribute to the regeneration of South Bristol. The work involved preparation of the full Business Case (which is the basis of the bid to government for initial approval for funding, termed 'Programme Entry'). Subsequent work will be needed to progress planning procedures (including detailed design and environmental studies, planning approvals, Orders, Public Inquiry).  The project  is planned for construction between 2014/15 -2016/17.

Government has allocated £47.3 million to the project via its Regional Funding Allocation.

For further information contact North Somerset Council
Telephone: 01934 426646
Email: transport.policy@n-somerset.gov.uk