Infrastructure & Connectivity
"As well as being convenient for London, Manchester and Birmingham, Bristol is a nice environment to live in." Allan Jarret, Communications Officer, DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company.
The Bristol city-region hosts a strategic road and rail network that offers good proximity to London, Birmingham, Cardiff and Southampton (all within 2 hours) and provides the main gateway to the South West.
Temple Meads Station in Central Bristol and Parkway Station to the north of the city offer half hourly services to London and Birmingham. A high-speed rail link to London will be introduced by the end of 2017.
Average person journey time for the Bristol area (3mins 26secs per mile) fell by 13% between 2006/07 and 2008/09 and is significantly faster than London (4:03), Greater Manchester (4:43), West Midlands (3:48) and West Yorkshire (3:56).
Rapid Bus Transit routes will provide rapid access across the city complemented by extensive cycle routes and a ferry service .
Wider national and international connectivity has significantly improved in recent years with the rapid expansion of the airport (8 miles south west of the city) and the Port of Bristol (at Avonmouth and Royal Portbury Dock on the Bristol Channel). 
"Bristol has proved to be exactly the right kind of location to start a new high tech industry, thanks to synergies with its thriving industrial base and the excellent transport infrastructure serving the city"
(Martin Wright, Managing Director of Marine Current Turbines Ltd).
Bristol AirportBristol Airport is the 9th largest UK airport and the fastest growing top ten airport in the UK. It now has scheduled services to 16 cities across the UK and Ireland, and 67 cities across Europe as well as New York. Plans to increase the capacity of the airport and improve facilities were announced in 2008.
Bristol Port Company Bristol Port Company operates one of the UK's most successful and fastest growing commercial ports. It has advanced plans to create a new deep-water container terminal, which will have capacity to service the new generation of Ultra Large Container Ships up to 14,000 TEU and 16 metres draught. Bristol is the closest port to the UK population as a whole with 45 million people living within 300 kms.
Bristol Port Company Case Study
A high-speed rail link to London will be introduced by the end of 2017, reducing journey time to only 80 minutes, with trains every 15 minutes. Bus Rapid Transit routes will provide fast access across the city complemented by extensive cycle routes and a ferry service, significantly reducing both journey times and carbon emissions.
Bristol is also the Wi-Fi capital of the UK. It has the largest free-to-access Wi-Fi (wireless broadband) network in the UK. A number of Wi-Fi transmitters known as 'StreetNet' have been installed in the centre. The Watershed and Bristol University both have their own Wi-Fi networks to enable people to access the Internet in their establishments.
Bristol City Council is recognising and responding to the e-communications revolution. The council has developed a national profile for its work on electronic payments and e-procurement. The city is a leading authority for e-democracy, the use of technology to engage effectively with communities and was voted European City for e-Democracy in 2006.
Bristol enjoys a growing international reputation for e-communications and digital technologies and media.
'Connecting Bristol' aims to ensure that Bristol and the city Region fully capitalises on this success by bidding to become a showcase zone for digital innovation. This will provide an opportunity to cement Bristol's reputation as the 'silicone gorge' - a place where digital technology is rapidly transforming the way that government, business and citizens work together.
Infrastructure & Connectivity PDF
Key UK Flights and Rail Connections PDF
Useful Links
Please contact the Economy Enterprise & Inclusion Team of Bristol City Council for further information.
Tel: +44(0)117 92 22928
Email: investinbristol@bristol.gov.uk