Park and ride Authority gives hope for M32 plan after project stalls

THE West of England Mayoral Combined Authority has said it remains “committed” to build a new park and ride near the M32 – but revised plans will need to be drawn up. The site, likely to be built south of Junction 1, has been earmarked as a key part of Bristol’s plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions from transport and tackle congestion on the motorway and across the city centre.

Yet discussions have been ongoing for two decades as politicians and senior figures argue about where to build the park and ride. As costs continue to rise on the project, Bristol mayor Marvin Rees recently claimed South Gloucestershire Council is “no longer supporting” the project, which was previously described as a key plan to reduce congestion.

This claim was rejected by the council which said it is still “keen to support” ways to cut congestion on the M32. Transport authority WECA, which remains a key member of the park and ride discussions, says it needs to assess ways to minimise traffic in Frenchay, Fishponds and along the A38 and is working on revised plans.

A West of England Mayoral Combined Authority spokesperson said: “The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority remains committed to creating a park-and-ride for people using the M32. Concerns have been raised about substantial traffic being pushed to other areas for example through Frenchay, Fishponds and the A38 resulting in poorer air quality. Therefore revised plans are being drawn up.”

During a member forum meeting on March 12, it emerged that transport planners are still working on an outline business case for the project, meaning construction is unlikely to begin for years. Last summer, the project was delayed by six months, with an outline business case promised by this month – although that is yet to happen.

Bristol mayor Marvin Rees said: “I had been working with [previous South Gloucestershire council leader] Toby Savage for about a year and a half on delivering a park and ride on the M32. It’s one of the ways of taking pressure off our road network coming into the city.

“We made real progress. It was only a couple of weeks ago that I heard from South Glos, without even informing me, that they were no longer going to support the M32 park and ride.”

A spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council said it was keen to support any viable measures to reduce congestion.