BATH and North East Somerset Council has called a three-quarters of a billion pounds government investment in the West of England’s transport as a “turning point” for the area’s transport.

West of England Metro mayor Cllr Helen Godwin said that the £752-million investment would start the area on the path towards a mass transit system which could use trams, light rail, or guided buses. The money would also be spent on improving buses, increasing the frequency of suburban railways, and some road improvements.

Deputy leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council Sarah Warren said: “This investment marks a turning point for sustainable transport in our region. It is a huge opportunity to deliver a cleaner, greener and more connected future that our communities deserve.

“From progressing mass transit options to electrifying our bus fleet across Bath and North East Somerset, this investment will help us tackle costly congestion, achieve our net zero targets, and make it easier for people to choose public transport, walking and cycling.

“On top of the work that’s already being achieved in B&NES, this is welcome news for our region. We look forward to working with our regional partners to deliver a transport system fit for the 21st century.

“I know there’s a great romance and affection for trams. We used to have them in Bristol. If the infrastructure points us towards trams in certain parts of the network then great. If the infrastructure — and of course the budget envelope — points us towards something else, whether that’s guided buses or light rail, that’s fine too.”

Ms Godwin said that buses remained the area’s primary focus for public transport and new mass transit would be focussed on where there were areas of congestion, such as the A4 corridor between Bath and Bristol, or building a transport connection to Bristol Airport.

But it could still be years before anything is built. When the “Bristol Underground” mass transit system was envisioned, it was estimated have a price tag in the billions. But only around £200m of the newly announced transport funding is expected to be spent on the mass transit plans.

Ms Godwin said: “This doesn’t mean in five years time we are going to have a mass transit network. That’s not going to be the case. But what this enables us to do is to start to get on a fixed path of delivery which is really important.

“We are behind. We are not where I would have liked to be given the combined authority is nine years old but this is the start of a different direction of travel for us.”

£150-million of the funding would be used to improve the frequency of the area’s current suburban rail network. The West of England Combined Authority said it would support the ambition of having four trains per hour across the network.

The £752-million is the West of England’s share of £15.6-billion announced by the government today for transport in nine areas of England.