Latest news with #WECA
BBC News
04-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Funding will not build Bristol and Bath tram 'overnight', mayor says
Trams could make a return to Bristol and Bath with the announcement hundreds of millions of pounds of new transport funding. The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) is to spend some of a new £750m funding allocation on looking at mass transit - most of which will be spent on improving bus and local rail award was part of £15.6bn transport funding announced by the while newly-elector mayor Helen Godwin welcomed the funding, £200m of which would be spent on developing mass transit, she made it clear it would not buy a new tram system "overnight". The money covers a five-year period from West of England is getting the lowest funding of any city region – partly because its population is smaller than most."That money is not going to buy us a tram network overnight, we've got to be clear about that," Ms Godwin said. "That money can give us a much-improved bus network," she added. "We can also start to move on our suburban rail network." Ms Godwin was elected Metro Mayor on 1 May, bringing to an end the troubled tenure of Dan his four years in charge WECA was put into special measures after a series of public rows with council the disagreements was over the possibility of an underground idea is not now being talked Ms Godwin stresses her wish for good relations with local councils, including North Somerset which is likely to eventually join WECA. She will work with them on one particular priority – improving links to the airport."We have got an airport which is the only one in the country which isn't connected by mass transit of any form," she said. "So it would be remiss for us not to be looking at that."The new money is not enough to fund that but the hope is that it could pave the way.
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New £15m Bristol regional cycling hub plans submitted
New images have been released of a proposed £15m regional cycling Bristol Regional Cycling Hub will be built on Henacre Open Space, a former landfill site in Lawrence plans include a 1km competition track, an area for new cyclists to learn how to ride, a car park, a main building and new connections to nearby cycling City Council, which has submitted the planning application for the hub, said the new facility will replace the Bristol Family Cycling Centre at the Old Whitchurch Athletics Track, which opened in 2010. In planning documents, the council says the new cycling centre will be funded by the government's City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, which is administered by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA). A previous bid for money from the Levelling Up fund was rejected, the Local Democracy Reporting Service was for the planning application said the competition-grade track was designed in collaboration with British Cycling for local competitions and regional championships, while the 250m training area for children and adults would be a traffic-free space for developing cycling skills and planning permission is granted, it is expected the new cycling hub will open in 2027.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Man questions rejection of bus pass as voter ID
A man has questioned why he was unable to vote in local elections after his bus pass was not accepted as a valid form of ID. Mike Frost from Bristol tried to use his West of England Combined Authority (WECA) bus pass to vote at St Martins Lane polling station, but was turned away. A total of 12 types of travel passes from around the UK are considered valid forms of ID, but the WECA pass is not among them. The Electoral Commission told the BBC polling station staff cannot allow people to vote if they carry a form of ID that has not been formally approved. Mr Frost had been trying to cast his vote in the WECA mayoral election on Thursday. He said the polling station "refused to let me vote, despite agreeing that, yes, I was who I said I was and that I had proved this". "This is absurd" he added. "This is petty bureaucracy gone mad. It is the rot of our democracy." In total, more than 20 types of document are accepted, including passports, driving licences, older or Disabled Person's bus passes, as well as Oyster 60+ cards. The WECA pass carries a photo of the user and permits them to use Bristol buses for free during the month of their birthday, but does not carry a date of birth. More news stories for Bristol Watch the latest Points West Listen to the latest news for Bristol The BBC approached the Electoral Commission, the independent body that oversees UK elections, about Mr Frost's concerns. Its response confirmed "the Elections Act 2022 specifies the types of documents that are accepted forms of ID". It added: "Under the legislation, polling station staff can not give voters a ballot paper unless they are able to show one of those forms. "The list has been passed by parliament and cannot be amended by the Commission." Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Labour mayor 'thrilled' to win close Reform race Lib Dems win in Gloucestershire as Tories lose seats Liberal Democrats become biggest Wiltshire party The Electoral Commission
BBC News
03-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Bristol man furious as bus pass turned down as voting ID
A man has questioned why he was unable to vote in local elections after his bus pass was not accepted as a valid form of Frost from Bristol tried to use his West of England Combined Authority (WECA) bus pass to vote at St Martins Lane polling station, but was turned away.A total of 12 types of travel passes from around the UK are considered valid forms of ID, but the WECA pass is not among Electoral Commission told the BBC polling station staff cannot allow people to vote if they carry a form of ID that has not been formally approved. Mr Frost had been trying to cast his vote in the WECA mayoral election on said the polling station "refused to let me vote, despite agreeing that, yes, I was who I said I was and that I had proved this". "This is absurd" he added."This is petty bureaucracy gone mad. It is the rot of our democracy."In total, more than 20 types of document are accepted, including passports, driving licences, older or Disabled Person's bus passes, as well as Oyster 60+ WECA pass carries a photo of the user and permits them to use Bristol buses for free during the month of their birthday, but does not carry a date of birth. The BBC approached the Electoral Commission, the independent body that oversees UK elections, about Mr Frost's response confirmed "the Elections Act 2022 specifies the types of documents that are accepted forms of ID". It added: "Under the legislation, polling station staff can not give voters a ballot paper unless they are able to show one of those forms."The list has been passed by parliament and cannot be amended by the Commission."
Times
27-04-2025
- Business
- Times
Mayor is a meaningless job, says Reform's man in mayoral race
Arron Banks has been warned by his old friend Nigel Farage to expect anything he says in front of a journalist to be reported. Despite this the multimillionaire insurance tycoon, 59, who donated more than £8 million to the Leave campaign in 2016, is completely unfiltered. He is Reform's candidate to become mayor of the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), and has repeatedly told The Times that he thinks it is a 'meaningless job' with little power to help anyone. When I met Banks at Old Down Manor, the country house he runs as a wedding venue and farm park in Thornbury, south Gloucestershire, he joked that polls showing he had a chance of winning were 'a bit worrying'. He said with a smile:
