• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Friday February 13 2026

Mass transit network announced in new vision for transport in West

New airport links and a European-style mass transit network have been unveiled as part of the West of England’s new Transport Vision.

The proposals are part of a 10-year growth strategy by the West of England Combined Authority.

Plans include new public transport links between the centre of Bristol and the airport – which could take the form of an electric tram system or light railway – as well as new train stations and more frequent trains.

The combined authority also suggests it could build a mass transport system linking “key economic centres” in the region, pointing out that the West is “the biggest city-region in the country without mass transit services, or a commitment to building them.”

In her foreword to the new Transport Vision, metro mayor Helen Godwin confirms a “shared determination” from the region’s political leaders to deliver the work needed to be able to start building mass transit within four or five years.

The report also contains the first potential concepts of mass transit for the West, picturing Bristol Airport, which is currently the country’s only regional airport without a fixed mass transit link.

“Nobody wants to sit stuck in traffic or hang around for a bus that never turns up,” said the metro mayor.

“Our record transport investment secured from government must make a real difference that people across the West can see and feel.

“We can start to give people their time back: to be home sooner, get out into nature more, or visit the many attractions that make our part of the world so special.

“We need a transport system that people can trust, wherever they live. Together, we can and must deliver the integrated transport system that people need and deserve.

“As we lay the foundations with existing transport projects, and step things up a gear for better buses, more trains, and mass transit plans, we will seek our fair share of further funding to really get the West moving.”

The government’s transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “The West of England is a fantastic place to live and work, and local people deserve a transport network that gets them where they need to be quickly and easily.

“This vision lays out a clear plan for faster, greener, and more reliable journeys.”

The announcement comes less than a year after the government confirmed plans to fund more than £752 million in transport improvements across the region.