Latest news with #HelenGodwin
BBC News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
New Bristol electric buses to cut 'thousands of tonnes' of carbon
A new fleet of electric buses is set to hit the roads in the West of England following a £59m project to upgrade two key bus depots.A total of 98 new buses will soon be operating across nine services in Bristol and North Somerset following the installation of rapid chargers at depots in Hengrove and buses can travel up to 230 miles on one charge, and can be fully charged in just one hour and 15 West of England Mayor Helen Godwin said: "It's better for the environment, and a reliable way to travel, which is what people are asking us for." The first 24 new electric buses are already operating from the Weston-super-Mayor depot, while the Hengrove depot in Bristol is set to get the next year, 258 new electric buses are set to be delivered across the West, with Bath routes being electrified in West of England Combined Authority (Weca) estimates each electric bus will save an average of 75 tonnes of carbon per bus a year, equivalent to taking 54 cars off the whole fleet will reduce global warming gas emissions by the same amount as 14,000 cars produce, it Bus, one of the UK's largest bus operators, provided £50m of the funding, while the remaining £9m came from central government. Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood officially opened the Hengrove depot on said the government was bringing "cleaner, quieter and smoother bus journeys to Bristol and beyond".Mr Lightwood added: "Better buses help deliver our Plan for Change - creating green jobs, boosting the local economy, and building a more sustainable future."Mayor Godwin was among the guests at the launch. She told the BBC that the buses will provide an overall better experience for passengers."They're better for the environment, they're cleaner in terms of emissions, they're new, they're comfortable, have a lot of passenger capacity and they're more reliable."They're less likely to break down and I'm hopeful that the more of this fleet that we get, we can start to see the difference in the performances of buses in the region." Rob Pymm, acting managing director for First Bus in the West of England, said that as well as being good news for the environment, the buses are also a lot more reliable than diesel-powered vehicles."They have many fewer moving parts, and we have just found they break down less often," he said that by 2026, roughly half the company's bus fleet in the region would be electric. "Having three quarters of a million passengers every day travelling by electric bus - that's pretty exciting news," he added.
BBC News
2 days ago
- 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.
ITV News
2 days ago
- Business
- ITV News
Trams in Bristol: Everything to know as £800m transport investment announced for South West
Our reporter Max Walsh rounds up today's announcement It's been announced that the West Country will receive its share of billions of pounds worth of Government investment, to improve transport in the region. The Mayor of the West of England, Helen Godwin, says the £800 million worth of funding will be used to improve the frequency of trains, potentially see more electric buses rolled out, and create a more joined up transport plan - which could include trams - but will require a lot more government cash to turn into a reality. Helen Godwin added that the announcement is 'day one' of a massive undertaking, describing the current network as "poor" and "in need of fixing." The money will be used to improve bus and rail travel across Bristol, Bath and South Gloucestershire, as well as developing plans for a wider mass transit system. But it's not the first time attempts have been made to transform travel in the West Country. Reflecting on the announcement Heidi Alexander MP, Secretary of State for Transport and Labour for Swindon South said: 'We know that our great cities and many towns outside of London have had historical underinvestment when it comes to their public transport networks. "Making sure that people can access public services easier- reducing congestion on the roads- this is the way we grow our economy.' Heidi Alexander MP, Secretary of State for Transport & Labour, Swindon South History of trams in Bristol The re-introduction of trams in Bristol has long been discussed. It all started in 1875, when the first horse drawn tram started operating in the city. Plans for a tram system were also outlined by Avon County Council in 1995. Called 'The Westway,' the rapid transport system was promised - but failed to materialise. In the years since, the West Country has become a region reliant on the bus, but it's hoped, a century and a half later, that today's' 800 million pound investment - could be an indicator of their return. Analysis from ITV West Country political correspondent Lucy McDaid This is a huge amount of capital investment announced by Labour, and potentially a major boost for transport across (most of) the WECA region. But the key word is 'potentially'. Unlike other parts of the country that have been allocated much more cash to make things happen, the Treasury has allocated the West of England region £800 million, with £200 million to 'help develop' a mass transit system. Whether it ever gets delivered or not is another question, and one that will follow newly elected West of England Mayor Helen Godwin around for the rest of her premiership. During her election campaign, Ms Godwin made it clear that better buses and trains are her number one priority, so this investment will no doubt come in very helpful. Labour also hopes it will ease some public frustration over more controversial government decisions on winter fuel payments and welfare cuts. It's also part of a drive from Westminster to give local leaders greater power over their areas and eventually boost economic growth and - ultimately - put more money into peoples' pockets. But today's announcement is also about painting a positive narrative before next week's much anticipated spending review, where the Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to set out a number of cuts to day to day spending in order to fund big increases to the defence and NHS budgets. If the government can show voters that it is making some big commitments to long-term projects - like new rail routes, tram systems and hospital buildings - they might hope that people will start to see the 'change' that they promised ahead of last year's general election. But there's one thing promising the projects, and another thing delivering them. Rural areas- Anna Sabine MP weighs in Some MPs in Somerset have expressed concern for their more rural constituencies - arguing they don't receive the same level of funding as more urban areas. One of them, Anna Sabine MP, Lib Dem for Frome and East Somerset said: 'We see it with farmers, we see it with buses, we see it with discussions about broadband. I don't think they understand rural areas, I don't think they're prioritising them and it's really worrying and I have to do everything I can to keep fighting for areas like Frome and East Somerset which would really benefit from that investment. 'We also just simply need more support and understanding about how important buses are to rural areas - they absolutely unlock growth, they unlock the kind of growth the chancellor is looking for but if people can't get where they need to go- that growth can't happen.' The Mayor admits the current public transport offering in the region is poor - which could become more of a priority when forming an effective mass transit system.
BBC News
29-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Care leavers to get free bus travel in and around Bristol for longer
People leaving care will now be able to use buses across the west of England for free until they turn 26 years 2023, a scheme has been in place allowing 18-21-year-old care leavers free bus travel across Bath, Bristol, North Somerset and South has now been extended to cover care leavers until their 26th birthday, which could save each of them up to £1,050 a year, according to the West of England Combined Authority (Weca)."We've got many more care leavers at risk of homelessness, health, addiction or mental health issues so this is really important," said Weca's mayor. Helen Godwin used to be a cabinet member for children's services at Bristol City Council, before she was elected as Weca mayor on 1 explained care leavers "often don't have the same outcomes" as young people who have not been in care. "We have many more care leavers who are not in education, employment or training," she scheme is being subsidised as part of a £16m bus grant secured by North Somerset Council and Weca, which takes in the local authority areas of Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire."We've always tried to support our care leavers up to the age of 25, just because sometimes when life is more complicated it can take a bit longer for young people to get themselves into a situation where maybe there are in regular work or able to study," Ms Godwin added. The charity Barnardo's called for free bus travel for care leavers in 2023, following a pilot scheme in Cornwall. At the time, the charity's director of children's services, Hugh Sherriffe, said: "Leaving care is a very challenging time and having access to free travel can have a positive and powerful impact on so many areas of young people's lives, helping them to take up opportunities that might otherwise have been denied them."Leaders in the west of England have welcomed the extension, including South Gloucestershire Council's leader Maggie Tyrrell."The investment will make a real difference to some of our most vulnerable young people and help them access education, jobs and vital support networks," she said.
South Wales Argus
15-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Showcasing the best investment opportunities in South Wales
These will be shown at the UK's largest investment conference at the UK's Real Estate investment and infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) 2025. Entities will be featured at the Western Gateway Pavilion. Efforts are being targeted towards attracting more investments from both sides of the Severn. The new mayor of the West of England, Helen Godwin, alongside elected leaders from the region, will be part of this cross-border initiative. A pivotal opportunity for local authorities to engage with construction firms and investors, UKREiiF promotes developments and welcomes new business prospects. The Western Gateway Pavilion provides a platform for discussions about the region's most ambitious projects. Colin Skellett, chief executive of YTL Developments, and Lyn Garner, new chair of the Temple Quarter LLP, join the local authority leaders from Cardiff, Newport, Bristol and beyond. They will share the latest developments and plans from the UK. Councillor Mary Ann Brocklesby, leader of Monmouthshire County Council and chair of the Cardiff Capital Region, said: "We are delighted to see South East Wales represented on this national stage once again." Sarah Williams-Gardener, chair of the Western Gateway, said: "With a range of exciting developments in the pipeline, we have a real opportunity to build on success to deliver even more for the UK economy and drive much needed new investment." The full agenda for the Pavilion can be found on the Western Gateway website.
