... and we're getting A Hub!
fbb had two in his bike, bought new by his generous parents. Excitingly one was a Dynohub ...
... which generated electric for front and rear lamps.
But, these days a church hall is a community hub and plant a bus stop or two within 400 yards of a railway station and we have a transport hub! If it is a bit bigger it might be promoted to being a gateway.
Maybe we haven't quite got the image right. Here is a recent Google Earth view of Temple Meads, showing the present entrance (top, left of the platforms) ...
... the new eastern entrance under construction (upper right) and the new Southern Gateway (centre bottom)..jpg)
Ad there we have it - the "Southern Gateway".
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It's a multi storey car park, innit?
Marked No 9 it is south of the river and south of the "Bath Bridge roundabout", always a thrill for Bristol's motorists.
Here is a better diagram of the proposed car park, sorry, gateway ...
... from where a walkway traverses the site of the former Bristol and Exeter platforms and takes pedestrians to the existing main entrance.
There is talk of relocated bus stops which would mean the new-ish layby on Temple Gate ....jpg)
... being further from the station.
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The eastern entrance is completed and pictured with a smiling team.
It will serve the current building site with the noble name of The Temple Quarter - so named because, as we all know, as well as hubs and gateways, we all have to be part of a "quarter" which isn't a quarter of anything in particular..jpg)
This "quarter" is spread lavishly on both sides of the station. But the Eastern Entrance (without "gateway" status although there will be ticket gates) will not be opening, yet, despite being finished and "officially" launched.
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So now enthused with Temples, Hubs, Gateways and an Enterprise Campus, we are ready to explore the area to the north of the current station. Here we have the road (named The Friary) that will become the new bus "hub" ....jpg)
... lots of car parking, Brunel's shed, the Midland Shed and the power signal box with the existing main entrance to the station on the right.
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Where to start?
This broad brush diagram shows two huge chunks of car park which will become Friary North, blue stuff that designated entrances to the station (but not the new eastern way in!) and the station itself in a tasteful shade of not Great Western green. It certainly looks like the pokey and current "back entrance" is going to be done up a bit!
Done up a lot!
We see the new bus stops (3), a walkway to the "City Gateway" (5), landscaped areas where once were car parks (2) - very nice. Let's hope the new Southern Gateway (car park) is built before the Friary North scheme obliterates all tphe existing parking facilities!
The Midland Shed is now full of little cubicles (4) but with a significant chunk being coloured blue (1).
We are told that these cubicles are to become "retail".
(7) is an enlarged pedestrian area outside the "tower" entrance plus the end if the pathway from the Southern Gateway.
Note two unlabelled details.
Brunel''s shed is also filled with little cubicles and the access slope appears to be set aside for taxis and (possibly) disabled parking.
So buses are out but taxis remain!
Let us swing through 180 degrees and view looking south.
The blue, we can now see, is a huge new entrance hall leading through to the platforms. We are told in the text that it will include the ticket sales area which is currently small and claustrophobic.
That certainly gives a better impression than the 'back door" entrance currently on offer from the north.
So far, nothing has been said or written about what facilities will be on hand at the new Friary bus hub. Enquiry office? Ticket Sales "hub"? Maps? Shelters? Adequate seating? Coffee stall?
Nor are we told what services will use the new stops.
Currently there is no access to The Friary from the South ....jpg)
... but a bus leaving the future "hub" can go in all three directions..jpg)
With the advent of the bus hub, cars will be banned from The Friary.
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So it looks as if only those buses which currently terminate on the accees ramp outside the station building will be hubbed at The Friary.
Poor decision!
What about diverting the Metrobus routes which pass nearby to better serve the station?
What about other northbound routes for which stops are inconvenient and even further from the station?
Next Variety blog : Sat 7 June
It wasn't that long ago (or maybe it was!!!) that the 73 bus to Bradley Stoke terminated at the Friary, with its destination shown as Temple Quay...
ReplyDeleteIn response to @0747's comment, at the time the 73 terminated at The Friary, the road was still in the ownership of the developers who got upset over patches of oil attributed to stationary buses.
ReplyDeleteA longstanding big snag about buses using the approach road to terminate at the station is the Grade 2 listed canopy. That precludes use of double-deckers which are too tall to manoeuvre safely and also stop close to the main entrance. That area is also congested with taxis, ubers and motorists that ignore the restrictions to drop off or pick up people and their luggage, Hence the Airport service and other services using d/deckers stop at the foot of the incline where they can do a U-turn to exit. However, as the stop lacks a shelter (or raised kerb - presumably vetoed), it's not a pleasant spot in wet weather. Presumably The Friary has been adopted which will allow the Airport service and the terminating services to transfer and better waiting facilities to be provided.