Bristol is a city in south west England, near the Bristol Channel coast, approximately 106 miles (170 km) west of London. Several factors have influenced the development of its transport network. It is a major centre of employment, retail, culture and higher education, has many historic areas, and has a history of maritime industry. The city has a population of 450,000, with a metropolitan area of 650,000, and lies at the centre of the former County of Avon, which includes many dormitory towns, and has a population of one million.
The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) has substantial responsibility for transport policy in its area which covers Bristol and surrounding areas. During 2023 residual strategic transport planning responsibility will be transferred to WECA from its constituent councils.
National and international connections
The city is connected by road on an east-west axis from London to Wales by the M4 motorway, and on a north-southwest axis from Birmingham to Exeter by the M5 motorway. Also within the authority area is the M49 motorway, a shortcut between the M5 in the south and M4 Severn Crossing in the west.
There are two principal railway stations in Bristol – Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads – and 11 suburban stations. There are scheduled coach links to most major UK cities.
Bristol Airport (BRS), about south-west of the city centre, has services to major European destinations.
Public transport
Rail
Bristol has never been well served by suburban railways, though the Severn Beach Line to Avonmouth and Severn Beach survived the Beeching Axe and is still in operation today. Usage of the line has more than doubled since the early 2000s, but still only a small percentage of Bristol residents use rail for commuting.
High frequency commuter services operate between Bristol and Bath, serving the intermediate stations of Keynsham and Oldfield Park. There is potential to reopen another intermediate station, St Anne's Park, which was closed in 1970.
Long distance services run from Bristol Temple Meads in the centre and Bristol Parkway in the north, where the line was electrified in 2018.
Improvement plans
The Filton Bank from central to north Bristol was returned to quadruple track in 2018 to allow for improvements to local and long distance services. Ashley Hill railway station is scheduled to reopen as Ashley Down in 2023.
Work began in 2022 on a new station on the Severn Beach line for the Portway park & ride site, west of the city and close to the M5 motorway.
The Portishead Railway was closed in the Beeching Axe but was relaid between 2000 and 2002 as far as the Royal Portbury Dock with a Strategic Rail Authority rail-freight grant. Plans to reinstate a further three miles of track to Portishead, a dormitory town with only one connecting road, are underway, with services to be initially one train per hour.
There are also plans to reopen parts of the Henbury Loop Line to passengers, including a station at a new housing development with connections to the future Bristol Arena.
Buses
Public transport within the city is still largely bus-based, with majority of local bus services operated by First West of England. Bristol bus station is in Marlborough Street, near the Broadmead shopping area and serves coaches and longer distance buses, whilst most local buses run to or through the Centre, where trams used to run.
metrobus
metrobus is a bus rapid transit system with four all-day service routes and one peak service route.
m1: Cribbs Causeway to Hengrove Park via the University of the West of England Frenchay campus, the city centre and Bedminster, all-day service m2: Long Ashton park & ride to the city centre via the Bristol Guided Busway, all-day service m3: Emersons Green and Lyde Green park & ride to The Centre, via Hambrook and the University of the West of England Frenchay campus m3x: Emersons Green and Lyde Green park & ride express via M32 motorway to The Centre, via Hambrook only, peak service m4: Cribbs Causeway to The Centre via Bristol Parkway Station and the University of the West of England , all-day service
Water transport
Two companies, Bristol Ferry Boats and Number Seven Boat Trips, operate scheduled passenger ferry boat services in Bristol Harbour in the centre of Bristol. The services run the length of the harbour from Hotwells to Bristol Temple Meads railway station via SS Great Britain and The Centre, serving 15 landing stages. They are used for both commuting and leisure purposes.