2015 09 - tom parker
TRANSCRIPT
The Challenges of Working alongside the River Avon
Tom Parker| 29 September 2015
What is MetroBus?
Direct public transport routes to key destinations
Enabling 1000s more people to access key employment, education and leisure destinations
Faster and more reliable than existing bus services
Green vehicles
Improved cycling and walking facilities
Construction of first routes
completed in 2016
Why we’re building MetroBus
1m+ people across sub-region
85% of journeys are within the sub-region
Economy worth £25.5bn per year
Our region contributes £10bn per year to treasury
90,000 new homes and 70,000 new jobs by 2030
MetroBus investment
Where it goes
Three routes:
North Fringe to Hengrove Ashton Vale to Temple Meads (AVTM) & Bristol City Centre
South Bristol Link
Ashton Vale to Temple Meads (AVTM) MetroBus
Flood Risk Assessment of Scheme
Transport Works Act Order
Granted 2013, included Flood Risk assessment
EA Flood Zone 3
Local topography means 1 in 100 year risk
Impacts
Neutral, with flood compensation measures
Fed the design parameters
Ashton Fields
Functional flood plain Three water courses lead to River Severn/Avon New Cut
Flood compensation areas 9000m3 flood storage created
Challenges Limited land
High water table
Water vole habitats
Ashton Avenue Swing Bridge
Ashton Avenue Swing Bridge
Ashton Avenue Swing Bridge
Key transport link then and now 100’s walking and cycling journeys per day
Challenging environment Subject to high tides
100 metre structure
Listed structure in poor condition
Specialist Refurbishment Full scaffolding encasement
Suspended crash deck
Avon Crescent/Smeaton Road
High flood risk area Low point at 8.5m AOD
Protection needed Residential, businesses and road link Key junction for AVTM MetroBus
Enhanced defences New flood defence wall to 9.2 AOD
Cumberland Road
Spike Island Poor basis for construction
Tidal river, harbour railway and Victorian drainage Challenging environment
MetroBus scope has limits.. Flood wall
Conclusions
Major transport infrastructure schemes must:
- Take account of the environment building within
- Look to minimise or mitigate negative impacts
- Improve performance of existing systems and increase overall resilience