South Gloucestershire Lib Dems have welcomed a major step forward in achieving an integrated transport system fit for the 21st Century.

Lib Dem Transport Spokesperson, Cllr Pat Hockey, said, “I welcome the Cabinet’s decision to move forward with its bid for Government funding to enable work to start on the South Gloucestershire element of a Rapid Transport system. This will link The Mall, the main employment areas, including the Science Park at Emersons Green, Bradley Stoke and UWE, with Bristol City Centre and beyond.

“This may not be the Tram we had originally hoped for but it is new and exciting and will offer a very attractive alternative to sitting behind the wheel in a traffic jam. It is regrettable that this progress has to be linked to the loss of Green Belt at Harry Stoke. The original proposals if they had gone ahead would have meant not only the loss of the countryside but a wide dual carriageway attracting even more cars on to the Ring Road joining the queues at the Hambrook roundabout.”

Cllr Hockey added, “We don’t have to abandon our dreams for a Tram. If the funding becomes available the extra width needed to convert the Bus Rapid Transit into a tramway is being safeguarded with these proposals.”

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