South Gloucestershire Council

Published: 25/04/2016

Councillors on the Planning, Transportation and Strategic Environment Committee will be making a decision on the next steps for the Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension (CPME) at their meeting on Wednesday 4 May.

The CPME is an extension of the MetroBus network which will extend the North Fringe to Hengrove MetroBus route that is currently under construction. The CPME will provide a fast and direct link between Bristol Parkway station and The Mall bus station via the Cribbs Patchway New Neighbourhood. It will also link to the other MetroBus routes which are currently being built, including the South Bristol link and Ashton Vale to Temple Meads.

One of the elements of the scheme is the proposed replacement of the bridge over Gypsy Patch Lane. The proposed new bridge would be wider and include a lane for general traffic, a shared use path and a bus lane in both directions.

Councillors will be asked at the committee meeting to approve the start of the necessary procedures to allow the project to progress, including detailed design work and the use of compulsory purchase powers, if necessary, to acquire land needed in some places to build the CPME.

Public consultation on the CPME proposals ran from November to January and included information on the proposed bus priority measures for Hatchet Road, Gipsy Patch Lane, North Way and the San Andreas roundabout near Cribbs Causeway. We have analysed the 140 responses we received during the consultation and a report has been published online at www.southglos.gov.uk/CPMEconsult with responses to the key issues raised.

In progressing the CPME to its next detailed design phase, we will fully explore opportunities to reduce the impacts of the scheme in relation to the issues and concerns raised by individuals during the consultation.

An alternative suggestion to run the CPME via Hunts Ground Road, Great Stoke Way and Winterbourne Road instead of Hatchet Road was put forward in consultation responses. However, this suggestion could add almost ten minutes to journey times and could cost an additional £5 million to £11 million, depending on the extent of the required road widening.

As a result the committee report proposes the original scheme which is to run between Bristol Parkway Station and The Mall bus station, via Hatchet Road, Gipsy Patch Lane, through the former Rolls Royce East Works site, along North Way, and through the Cribbs Patchway New Neighbourhood.

The committee meeting takes place on Wednesday 4 May at Hayfields (Cleve Rugby Club), Cossham Street, Mangotsfield, Bristol, Bristol BS16 9EN.

Next steps

Subject to securing the necessary approvals and permissions, including planning permissions for some elements of the scheme, construction is programmed to start in 2018.

Background information about the CPME and other MetroBus routes is available at www.travelwest.info/metrobus/extension and www.travelwest.info/metrobus