First Bus ask your views on its fares in Greater Bristol.

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As part of First’s ongoing fare review process in Bristol they are asking your views on local bus travel.

Their questionnaire is aimed at First bus users as well as those who don’t currently use the bus. It asks for information about the way people use First buses at the moment and your views on the fares First charge. You can complete the survey online. The consultation closes on 29 June 2013.

People boarding a First Bus

First Bus is also organising a number of events where people can discuss the fares consultation and any issues about their services in the Greater Bristol area face-to-face with representatives from First Bus.

Please note, this is a First Group coordinated consultation.  We are featuring this on ASK Bristol to assist in promoting a dialogue between First and the public as we know affordability of public transport is an important issue in Bristol.

Bristol better at 20mph – what do you think?

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What’s the big idea?

20 mph - what do you think?Safety, health and community are the three key benefits of introducing a reduction from 30mph to 20mph on Bristol’s roads.

Lower road speeds mean that walking and cycling are more attractive choices, making us healthier; they also support local communities making crossing the road and using local facilities and businesses easier, and increase opportunities to meet and mix with other people living and working in our neighbourhoods.

And of course, reduced road speeds mean that collisions are less likely, and the injuries, when they do occur, are less serious.

How could it work in practice?

There has already been a successful pilot scheme in areas of South and East Bristol where we trialled 20mph. Results from the pilots showed a drop in average speed, an increase in walking and cycling and no change in journey times and reliability for buses. 82% of those who live in the pilot areas support 20mph.

In July 2012,  the Council gave its approval to bring in a 20mph speed limit in Bristol, meaning that all roads except 40mph, 50mph and dual carriageways will be considered for a 20 mph speed limit.  The speed limit change would be introduced throughout Bristol in six phases. The first phase, which covers central Bristol begins in July 2013. The speed limit applies to all vehicles on the road.

Who’s paying for it?

Funding to cover the £2.3 million it costs to implement the scheme will come from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, awarded to the Council by the Government in 2012.

How would it be enforced?

The 20mph speed limit is the new legal limit. If you drive over the legal limit, you are breaking the law. As with the current 30mph speed limit, it is intended to be self-enforcing with periodic endorsement from the Police.

Vehicle Automated Signs (VAS) will be used to remind drivers of their speeds, and a communications campaign to highlight the lower speed limit and tell people about the benefits will take place as the roll out of each phase begins.

How do I find out more?

You can find out more information on www.bristol.gov.uk/20mph.

Update and progress report

This consultation closed on 29th October 2012.  A Progress Update for the 20 mph project has been produced incorporating the feedback from the Neighbourhood Forums, meetings, briefings, survey and displays that were carried out in central Bristol and the wider area from September to December last year. This is not your last chance to voice your views as there will also be a further opportunity to express views during the formal Traffic Regulation Order consultation for Phase 1 later this year.

Enjoyed the 2012 Harbour Festival? Help us plan the 2013 festival

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Did you go to 2012 Harbour Festival?  If so, please spend 10 minutes to give us your views and help us plan future festivals.

Nearly 300,000 people are estimated to have attended this year’s Harbour Festival which brings much cultural, social and economic benefit to the city.

What did you think?  Are there any lessons to learn and improvements we could make?  What ideas do you have for how we can attract more sponsorship and increase income to cover costs?

Your responses will help us to better understand the economic impact of the festival and help attract more sponsors and support from businesses and community organisations to organise the 2013 festival.
Click to give your views now in our online survey

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We’ll publish the overall results of the survey so interested parties can see the feedback.  If you visited it, we hope you had a great time and look forward to reading about your experiences.  The 2012 Harbour Festival was organised by Bristol City Council with Richmond Event Management.

Give your views now

Whole council elections in 2013?

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Bristol City Council is consulting on how often we should vote for our councillors.  Bristol voters’  views are being sought on whether we should change to whole council elections every four years starting in May 2013, or retain the existing system of elections by thirds.  The change would see the whole council elected at the same time.  This page gives background information and the arguments for both electoral cycles to help you give an informed view on the issue.

The consultation closes on 30 November 2012.

Our council

Bristol City Council has 70 Councillors representing 35 wards (small parts of the city which together cover the whole of Bristol).  Each ward is represented by two councillors, and each councillor is elected for a four-year term of office.

Current cycle – elections by thirds

Currently the Council holds ‘elections by thirds’ which means that elections are held for 23 or 24 seats each year for three successive years out of four.  As each ward has 2 councillors, voters go the polls twice over a 4 year period to elect one of the councillors for their ward.

Whole council elections

The Council has the power to change its electoral arrangements to ‘whole council elections’ which would mean that all seats on the Council would be elected at the same time, once every four years.

Timing of any change

If approved, the earliest date to hold whole council elections would be May 2013 with the following election in May 2017. However, Bristol decided in May 2012 to have a directly elected mayor on a 4 year term. The election for this mayor will take place in November 2012, however, it would not be possible to hold whole council elections then.  If councillors decide on whole council elections from May 2013 it would not provide the opportunity to synchronise the election with elected mayor elections (Nov 2012 and then May 2016)

Councillors could decide to start whole council elections in May 2016 – this is the date when Bristol will vote again to elect a mayor. This would then synchronise mayoral and council elections and achieve maximum cost savings for holding elections in the long term. It would, however, mean continuing with electing by thirds for 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Full council meeting – outcome of the consultation

A meeting of the Full Council on 15th January 2013 will consider the issue further.  The meeting will be webcast live at www.bristol.gov.uk/webcast

Reasons to keep elections by thirds

  • Elections by thirdsElections in three years out of every four provide more frequent opportunities for electors to vote and to influence the political make up of the Council.  This may therefore provide more immediate political accountability and provide a more up-to-date reflection of the views of local people.
  • Electing by thirds means that there is more continuity of councillors, without any chance of them all being replaced in a single election.
  • Voting for one councillor at a time under ‘elections by thirds’ is well understood by voters.  Voting for two councillors at the same time under ‘whole council elections’ could cause confusion.
  • An election by thirds provides a regular influx of newly elected councillors who can bring new ideas and fresh approaches to the Council.
  • Elections by thirds is the system that electors in the city are used to and the withdrawal of the opportunity to vote more frequently may disengage some of the city’s electors if they only vote once every four years, as opposed to the two elections they vote in under elections by thirds.

Reasons to change to whole council elections

  • Whole council elections A clear mandate from the electorate once every four years could enable the Council to adopt a more strategic, long-term approach to policy and decision making – and focus less on yearly election campaigning.
  • The results from whole council elections are simpler and more easily understood by the electorate. This may increase turnout at local elections.
  • Whole council elections would be more compatible with Bristol’s recent decision to adopt a directly elected mayor for the city, as mayors are also elected on a four yearly cycle.  (The elections would not be at the same time though if all-out elections started in May 2013)
  • There would be a clearer opportunity for the electorate to change the political composition of the council once every four years.
  • Holding whole council elections once every four years, rather than smaller elections every three years out of four, would cost less and be less disruptive for public buildings used as polling stations (eg. schools).

How often do other big cities in England elect their councillors?

See how Bristol compares with the core cities – England’s largest cities – in how often we elect

Now give your views online

Complete the online survey