UK city reveals plans for new trams as part of £800million transport upgrade – after they were scrapped 84 years ago
In Bristol, the proposed route would run from the Long Ashton park and ride in the south-west, through the city centre, and along the M32 to the north-east, largely separated from other traffic.
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Transport leaders say it's a strong contender for the first phase of a tram or rapid bus line.
Over the next two years, significant roadworks will take place at several central hotspots including Bedminster Bridges roundabout, Redcliffe roundabout, Union Street, the Haymarket, and Bond Street.
These upgrades will benefit the existing Metrobus M2 and set the groundwork for a future tram or rapid bus route.
Transport officials at Bristol City Council say this new 'red route' could form the spine of a tram network.
Speaking to councillors on the transport policy committee, Green Cllr Emma Edwards said: 'This route in future could potentially turn into a mass rapid transit route, whatever that might mean: more buses or maybe other modes as well.
"We're trying to solve a problem for the future by creating an unbroken route that could turn into mass transit.
"We're trying to think about the long term.'
While the exact form of the network is still under discussion, trams and bus rapid transit are the main options being explored.
The idea of a mass transit system for Bristol has been debated for decades.
Former mayor Marvin Rees had proposed a partially underground system, but the spiralling cost halted progress. In 2023, former West of England Mayor Dan Norris vetoed the underground element entirely, calling it 'unrealistic'.
Since then, the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) has continued to explore alternative solutions — without agreeing on whether a tram or bus system is best.
Labour's Helen Godwin, the newly elected metro mayor, has yet to commit to a specific plan.
Meanwhile, Bristol City Council is pushing forward with the groundwork.
Adam Crowther, head of city transport, said: 'Whether mass transit there ends up as a bus or a tram, either way it needs to be fully segregated from traffic, otherwise you get stuck and that's when they become unreliable and therefore people don't want to use them.
"So it's about providing that full segregation.'
He acknowledged that new bus lanes on Bond Street will worsen car traffic in the short term.
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But councillors hope the changes will encourage more people to leave their cars at home in favour of public transport or cycling, reducing congestion in the long run.
Labour Cllr Tim Rippington added: 'One bus carrying 50 passengers really should be given priority, in my opinion, over 25 cars queuing up.
"I don't see a problem with stopping the traffic in order to allow a bus to pass by. It's all designed to deliver this red route.
"The worst thing that could happen is that we deliver all the infrastructure and then the lanes stay empty and we don't deliver the mass transit route until 10 years later.
"I'm not even sure that the new metro mayor is aware that this route is our plan.'
Redcliffe roundabout changes will also enable a potential orbital bus loop around the city centre, initially running anti-clockwise.
Left turns are easier to implement than right turns, but funding remains uncertain.
Franchising may be required if commercial bus companies are unwilling to take it on.
The full red route begins at Long Ashton park and ride, travels along a bus-only road to Cumberland Road, and then through the newly controlled Bedminster Bridges junction.
Redcliff Street will become bus-only, and a bus gate at Bristol Bridge already blocks general traffic.
From there, it heads through Union Street and past Primark at the Haymarket.
Further bus lanes are proposed along the M32, with a new park and ride to be built, though the location is still being debated.
In the long term, the motorway could be downgraded to an A-road to accommodate tram or bus stops.
WECA is currently developing an outline business case to assess the best way forward.
Construction, however, is unlikely to begin before the 2030s.
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