Reimagine Travel in the West of England!

Let’s create a transport system that works for everyone! Whether you're in Bristol, Bath, North Somerset, or South Gloucestershire, this is your chance to help shape the future of travel. Bring a friend and join us for a fun, interactive day full of inspiration and creativity!
What would you do if you were in charge? Let’s brainstorm ways to make every journey smoother, safer, and stress-free—from late-night rides to family days out, rural trips, and more.

Event Highlights

23rd Nov 2024
Location: Sparks, Broadmead, Bristol
Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Lunch by: Coexist Community Kitchen
Kids' Activities, Info Stalls, and More!

Key Sessions

Morning Keynotes:

Jeyda Heselton (Fettle): Replacing commercial vehicles with cargo bikes
Professor Graham Parkhurst: CAZ parking levy, future transport, and more

Panel Discussion:

Featuring speakers from Transport Action Network, Somerset Bus Partnership, Bristol City Council, Bristol Climate and Nature Partnership, and others.

Afternoon Workshops:

The Road & the River Workshop: Exploring the relationship between the M32 and River Frome
People’s Passenger Transport Executive: Mock session on how this forum could shape West of England transport solutions

Explore the Stalls

Throughout the day, visit a range of stalls from local campaigns and organisations showcasing innovative ideas and projects. From active travel initiatives like Frome Bike Project, to public transport campaigns such as Bristol Rail Campaign, and exciting visions from groups like Bath and Bristol Tram Association and Reclaim Our Buses—there’s something for everyone!

 
Get Your Tickets

Tickets are available on a sliding scale to suit all budgets. Reserve your spot now:

Imagining the Future of Transport – Headfirst Bristol: https://www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/whats-on/sparks-bristol/sat-23-nov-imagining-the-future-of-transport-114153#e114153

Full Agenda

10:00 am – Warm welcome & tea
10:30 am – Inspiring ideas and info bursts
12:00 pm – Open Q&A
12:30 pm – Lunch & chats
1:50 pm – Workshop: Let’s build the future!
4:00 pm – Wrap up

Your voice matters as we shape the region’s transport future ahead of the 2025 WECA Mayoral election. Don’t miss it!

 

Date maybe?

 
Ahhh...tomorrow if you dig far enough

 
I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to using the forum calendar...

Bit short notice, but somebody might be interested.

 
My bad - It does state a date at the very top of the page - but it's not obvious that you are in the Diary board as it takes you to the first post, not the top of the page when you click on the supplied link in the notification email

 
An interesting day

 
The People's Passenger Transport Executive - an idea and workshop floated at Saturday's "Reimagine Travel in the West of England!" at Spark's Bristol. I went along - always good to listen to the wider grass roots - or the part of the grass roots sufficiently motivated to come along to such an event. And a good opportunity to catch up with a number of friends too.  Lunch from https://www.coexistcommunitykitchen.org - was exceptional for an event lunch - a score of 5/5 which I do not give easily.

Passenger Transport Authorities created 1968, now Passenger Transport Executives, are local government bodies which are responsible for public transport within large urban areas. They are accountable to combined authorities, which were created between 2011 and 2016 and took the role of integrated transport authorities (ITAs). There isn't one for the Bristol Area, with WECA (the West of England Combined Autority) doing the job directly.

A People's Passenger Transport Executive in concept is different to the other PTEs.  It starts as being named after the people it serves and not after the area it serves - and really the people / customers are kings.  Without people to use the transport that's provided there's no point in providing it. The actual area served?  Well - the day was about WECA although I met up with people from Somerset and Gloucestershire there, and I'm from Wiltshire.  In my view the best approsch is to take a view of the natural economy / travel to work area - but it has naturally woolly edges.  Also in my view there are many dedicated experts around and they should be partnered with and not driven out in the interest of the people getting what they want. There's a law of unintended consequences here, and balances to be struck.

After lunch, we formed "directorates" for the PPTE, with each to come up with our own five key objectives.  It was - educational - to see significant groups at the individual train, tram and bus tables but just me and one other person - a lady from that wider area - at "passenger experience".  As this is all about passengers, I felt that too many people are concerned at the detail without looking at the broad picture of "why are we doing public transport in the first place?"

What are your key five priorities? [For public transport / passenger experience]

1. Where, when you need it, relaible and reasonable timekeeping
2. Information - Marketing, ahead of travel, and as you travel on the day
3. Sensible known pricing and straighforward ticket sales for all
4. Networked and connecting across all modes
5. Feel safe, actually safe, welcoming and accessible for all

What do you want the other directorates to know?

1. See above - this is what your customers want
2. There is plenty of custom available if you provide this
3. The financial model should be based on the economy of the area not on service budgets / costs

Which other directorates do you expect to work with?

1. All of them - the customer is king and we are doing this for the customer

 
Very interesting keynote from Graham Parkhurst, Professor of Sustainable Mobility at University of West of England his slide set of ten ideas [to inform the day and us for the future] on our member's archive at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/mirror/Parkhurst_Bristol_IMT.pdf with his permission