George Ferguson defends lack of parking at new arena
| Posted: September 17, 2015
An artist's image of how the new arena will look
GEORGE Ferguson has defended the plan to have just 245 spaces at the new Bristol arena.
The mayor of Bristol was again accused of being "anti-car" after planning a few hundred spaces for the site near Temple Meads, which will have a maximum capacity of 12,000 people.
Speaking on BBC Radio Bristol this morning, Mr Ferguson said public transport infrastructure would be in place by the time the arena opens in 2018.
He said: "This is the most brilliant thing that's happened in Bristol for many years and there is a lot of scaremongering about the parking.
"There are 245 spaces going on the site from day one.
"We don't know how many spaces there will be eventually. This plan allows us to try it out.
"A couple of weeks ago Arcadia sold 12,000 tickets, which is the maximum capacity of the arena.
"It is not like a football match, and it's not like Cardiff's Millennium Stadium - which also has no parking on site.
"It is a fraction of the number of people who come into Bristol in their cars every morning."
The mayor did acknowledge that Totterdown was experiencing some parking problems, and said a Residents' Parking Scheme was an option for the future.
He said: "By 2018 we will have the Metrobus, there will be additional trains from First Great Western for the major events.
"We have put the arena at the region's principal transport hub at Temple Meads. We will put on extra Park and Ride buses for the major events.
"We are not going into this with our eyes shut."
There will be between 20 and 25 events per year when the arena is at full capacity.
The mayor recommended using existing car parks if people want to drive, including the Prince Street and Cabot Circus facilities.
37 comments
How does he know the infrastructure will be in place by 2018 - he will be long gone by then leaving yet another Ferguson's Folly for others to sort out.
It seems George sees nothing wrong with people queuing for hours on foot in the cold and the wet, but the very idea of people queuing in the warmth and comfort of their car is abhorrent to him?
Similar 'head in the sand' approach at Southmead hospital - look at the mess there!
@Akkers - totally agree. maybe South Gloucestershire would actually do it properly outside the territorial limits of the Republic ......
The main problem with the RR site is that King George desn't have a pub there .. The main problem with the Arena now is no funding from car park revenue. But as biz rates and council tax can fund this project, we can see which mugs are going to be paying for the final bill when it comes in at £120M+. And as for 3 MetroBust single-deck services an hour, there will be a very long queue even if it goes past your house ..
"My recommendation would be the old Rolls Royce East Works site - with easy access by road and rail!" Only one problem with that.........it would put the Bristol Arena in South Gloucestershire
The Mayor Exposed! - http://tinyurl.com/p6mlvjd
Here we go again - round and round the same issues which are being raised (as mentioned in the article) - and the planners/GF are resolute they will NOT listen to any body except themselves! GF says we can use the existing car parks etc - has he any concept as to how far away they are - let alone being used for competing entertainment (Colston hall, Theatres etc) ? Talk about sticking one's head in the sand ! No, the Arena is quite bluntly in the WRONG PLACE! It could (and should) be located where there is plenty of access - especially in the evening. My recommendation would be the old Rolls Royce East Works site - with easy access by road and rail!
It's all well and good saying "Use public transport!" but that assumes that public transport will become significantly, not just a little bit better. Currently the last trains out of Bristol that serve surrounding areas and would allow people to come to events from Gloucester, Bath, Chippenham, Swindon, Taunton, Bridgwater and get home again all leave between ten minutes and an hour and a quarter before most concerts end. They are also expensive with costs ranging from £7.20 to £30 per person. Similarly, train links from much of the periphery of Bristol are non-existent and bus services from a number of areas, even relatively central ones can involve changes of buses which given the abysmal punctuality of buses in Bristol would most likely mean missing the start of an event or having to leave hours early to ensure arriving or leaving the event early to ensure getting home before the early hours of the following day. For disabled people this makes life difficult. I don't live that far from Temple Meads geographically but a long term condition that often makes walking any distance extremely painful means that I need to use public transport and to get to Temple Meads as it stands involves two buses neither of which have an outstanding record on punctuality. It also assumes that First are going to invest in extra buses and be willing to lay on the extra trains as if there is a capacity audience then getting everyone on their way without an excessive wait will need a fair few of both. There is no point having buses that carry 70 - 100 people leaving every twenty minutes or half an hour if you have even six thousand people wanting to get home especially on a cold and wet winter night. Thus, straight away there needs to be multiple buses available as soon as a show ends.
I would imagine that most events (especially the ones that can fill the Arena) will be held in the evening. If that is the case, how would an RPZ help? Unless George is planning on adding another area with 9-9 restrictions 6 days a week