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