Cardiff shows the way for Bristol transport

Close to 150 people turned out in Bristol on a a wet Tuesday 8th October to hear Professor Mark Barry, Professor of Practice in Connectivity at Cardiff University, explain how and why Cardiff had revitalised its transport system with light rail and tram trains. He focused on the difficulties of trying to get people to work from the surrounding area in Cardiff using car based means and the complex way that the various local interests were brought together to agree to funding a very expensive investment in better transport, which will lead to a better quality of life and a more thriving economy.

There was an enthusiastic response from the audience, many of whom were keen to see a replication of this coordination between Bristol and its surrounding areas’ various disjointed administrations and interests. At least half the audience expressed an interest in joining the movement coordinated by the Bristol and Bath Area Trams Association.

The meeting was organised in association with the Bristol Civic Society and hosted at the Bristol Royal Infirmary main lecture theatre, following a smaller meeting of industry experts at the Bristol office of independent UK law firm, Burges Salmon. Burges Salmon advised the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales on the successful transfer from Network Rail to TfW of all the track, signals and rail infrastructure for the Core Valley Lines railway network. This project was a critical element of the South Wales Metro Project.

Both meetings were chaired by David Andrews, Chair of Bristol and Bath Area Trams Association (https://bathtrams.uk/) and Chair of the Light Rail Transit Association Campaigns Group (TramForward) (https://www.lrta.org/).