South West

Let's play Transport Trumps in the South West.

Problem 1: There’s a lot of traffic in Weymouth

Weymouth Relief Road

Road solution: Dorset County Council is planning to spend £85.4 million to build a 3.75-mile road north of Weymouth - that’s £22.8 million a mile. The road would greatly damage an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and ancient woodland and cut a deep gash in the Ridgeway. The road would increase CO2 - adding 2,347 tonnes in just its first year.

Better public transport

Public transport solution: Local people have been proposing a package of public transport improvements to eliminate the need for a new road, including construction of cycleway; a fully integrated bus system for the Weymouth–Dorchester corridor; bus lanes and improvements to bus services, bus stops and bus information services; new and improved rail services and a public transport interchange at Weymouth railway station.
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**Result: Public transport solution trumps road solution!**

Problem 2: Parts of Taunton are congested

Northern Inner Distributor Rd

Road solution: Somerset County Council wants to spend £30 million to build a one-mile road through Taunton. The road would encourage car-based development and increase traffic.

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Problem 3: There’s a lot of traffic in Westbury

A350 Westbury Bypass

Road solution: Wiltshire County Council wants to spend £28.1 million to build a 2.8 mile road – that’s £10 million a mile – to the east of Westbury, passing underneath one of the famous White Horses on Salisbury Plain. The road would destroy a scenic area and hurt local wildlife including 13 species of bat and several red-listed bird species. It would increase CO2 emissions due to higher levels of traffic.

Better train service

Reader's suggestion: Pete Brown (one of our web visitors) thinks a good traffic-busting plan would be to establish an hourly local train service between Salisbury and Swindon via Westbury, Warminster, Trowbridge, Melksham and Chippenham – and to integrate the local buses so they connect with the trains. (Save the Train is campaigning for this too). The proposal would reduce pollution on the A350 corridor and curtail urban sprawl.
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**Result: Public transport solution trumps road solution!**

Problem 4: There’s a lot of traffic in Bristol

South Bristol Ring Road

Road solution: Bristol City Council wants to spend £20 million to build a 9-mile dual carriageway in south Bristol. The road would destroy parts of the Green Belt, sever communities in South Bristol and increase traffic, traffic noise and C02.

Strategic public transport

Reader's suggestion: The Transport for Greater Bristol Alliance (TfGB) wants an ultra-light tram system for the city, and a strategic approach to public transport through a 10-year strategy to reopen rail stations and lines. The group also calls for the creation of an integrated transport authority with sufficient powers and funding to improve the bus and rail networks. The group’s proposal would reduce CO2, noise, air pollution and car dependency and protect green spaces.
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**Result: Public transport solution trumps road solution!**

Problem 5: There’s a lot of traffic in Kingskerswell

Kingskerswell Bypass

Road solution: Devon County Council wants to spend £129 million to build a 5-kilometre dual carriageway between Penn Inn and the Torbay Ring Road at Kerswell Gardens. The road would increase C02 – adding 9,200 tonnes in the first year alone. The council expects traffic to increase because 600 more homes would be built along the route, adding 1,000 new cars to the area.

Rail shuttle service

Reader's suggestion: Ben Hughes (one of our web visitors) thinks a shuttle train service should be introduced, running every 15 minutes from Newton Abbot to Paignton – with possible extension to Exeter and Exmouth. Four new two-car trains would be required – costing just £6 million. Local bus routes would be revised where required to link up to the railway. His proposal, providing an attractive rail service for almost 100,000 people, would reduce traffic and congestion inside the towns, improving air quality and reducing CO2 emissions.
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**Result: Public transport solution trumps road solution!**

Do you know of other proposed road schemes in the South West that could be trumped? If so, we want to hear about them!

In the real world of Transport Trumps, transport schemes are assessed through a cost-benefit analysis. We think the analysis is flawed because roads always come out as Top Trumps.

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