10 Questions: Dan Norris – ‘It is vital public transport in Bristol and across the West of England improves at pace’

Dan Norris has been metro mayor for the West of England since 2021 and plans to serve until at least 2025.

As mayor he leads the West of England Combined Authority which makes important decisions on transport, housing, the environment and business in the region.

Earlier this year, Norris defeated long-standing Conservative MP Jacob Rees Mogg and became the Labour MP for North East Somerset and Hanham.

He was born in London and is now based in Somerset.

He has lived in many places across the region, including St Paul’s and Knowle. Before becoming an MP and metro mayor, he worked as a NSPCC-trained child protection officer and was a Bristol City councillor.

In the latest edition of Bristol247’s quarterly magazine, Norris agreed to answer questions submitted by our readers, with no topic off limits.

1. When will you implement bus franchising in the west of England…it’s a Labour policy? @ReclaimOurBuses

“Reliable and affordable buses really matter to local passengers.

“As readers will have heard me say before, franchising could be an important part of getting us there, but it isn’t a silver bullet.

“While it would certainly give us more control to set bus routes and fares, franchising is not full public ownership – something I support – and under franchising the private bus companies would still run the buses.

“The big hurdle for us here in the West of England is we are very different from other parts of the country like Manchester – most obviously we are a lot more rural.”

Dan Norris has been metro mayor since 2021

“That’s why we need a candid report looking at both the rewards and the potential risks – not least the significant financial implications for taxpayers.

“We also need to assess what additional powers and resources our region needs to deliver better bus services for we don’t have a body like Transport for London or Transport for Greater Manchester.

“These are key challenges that we need to get right and local councils, already cash-strapped, would themselves have to find huge sums of money to progress franchising as has already started to happen in Manchester etc.

“In the meantime, I am encouraging more people onto our buses through innovative policies like Birthday Buses.”

“The idea is simple and it’s working – giving people a chance to try buses for a month for free and see if they like it.

“Many people do, and during that free month have started long-term behaviour change, so that half of those who applied for their Birthday Bus pass are now saying they’re using public transport more as a result and sticking to it.

“This is part of building that virtuous circle, of more passengers and so more fare income, to then reinvest in buses so they become better.

“The blunt truth is that only by more people using public transport will we be able to create a more sustainable and better local transport network.”

2. If you could have one additional area of policy that WECA could be responsible for, what would it be? And what steps are you taking to obtain it? @JonWellington

“I would love to have more powers over animal rights.

“For starters, I would close all loopholes that allow hunts to still operate and ensure enforcement is actively carried out.

“I’d also like the power to stop anyone from calling the organisation that horrible acronym (as you have)!

“It sounds like a massacre in Texas.

Let’s call it by its full name the “West of England Mayoral Combined Authority” and celebrate where we live! Oh – and Bath & North East Somerset Council should avoid the acronym trap too!”

3. Why cancel the plans for the M32 Park and Ride? @tomchambers24

“They’ve not been cancelled, but they are having to be revised.

“It’s frustrating how slow it is.

“In fact, maybe I’ll revise my answer above and say what I’d really like is the powers to speed things up!

“For example, concerns were raised about the original proposals – including about traffic and pollution being pushed to other areas like Frenchay, Fishponds and beyond.

“But we do need to get a move on, and as readers will know, it’s something I’ve consistently backed as mayor.”

4. What is the point of you as metro mayor? Keith Richards

“With the biggest mandate of any politician within the West of England boundary with real powers and real responsibilities in key areas like transport, skills and the environment – the point is to deliver positive change, not just for some, but fairly to all.

“I’m certain we can cut through the tedium of previous ways of doing business which has not served our region well – and I say that having been a Bristol councillor, a local MP twice over, and a minister, having lived all my adult life here and experienced the too many failings and disappointments myself.”

Earlier this year, the prime minister invited all metro mayors to 10 Downing Street

“It is hugely significant that the new prime minister, with the many serious challenges he has inherited, decided to invite all mayors to 10 Downing Street just 4 days after winning the general election.

“This indicates the importance the new government places on metro mayors, backed up by the new powers and responsibilities they will be given by the government.

“As mayor, I work to get the best for local residents.

“In the last three years, I’ve secured record sums for transport for our region and delivered a £60m Green Recovery Fund – a key manifesto commitment of mine.

“I’ve kickstarted a retrofit revolution by introducing Retrofit West – and helped secure £90 million for Temple Quarter which is Europe’s biggest regeneration project – but I know we can, and must, do even better!

“Crucially mayors are about banging the drum for their region and battling for what they believe in and the people they care most about.

“Mayors stand up and promote their areas and everything that makes them special.

“Mayors are visible and an increasingly important face for their region on the national stage.

“Luckily I have the best region in the UK which gives me a head start e.g. – we create phenomenal natural history content seen in countries around the world, are leaders in things like quantum computing, AI, world-leading tech and materials and have people who are the most progressive when it comes to tackling the climate and biodiversity emergency.

“And I make no bones that my job is to challenge hard, show strong drive, energy and focus – yes, and where appropriate to make waves – for if we just did what suited the bureaucrats we would never be on the pace, we would too rarely innovate, nor would we rise to the important challenges local people demand are achieved.”

5. What progress is being made on bus franchising? @notaderm

“Please see my answer above. Also, the key to having a more reliable bus service is actually having enough drivers to drive them. That’s why I have invested in driver recruitment and training.”

6. When will concrete plans finally be laid down for trams to solve the city’s transport woes? @Rhodos

“It is vital public transport in Bristol and across the West of England improves at pace.

“Trams or very light rail could be an exciting part of that system, providing the kind of reliability and efficiency we see in other regions in the country – think Manchester and Nottingham which have brilliant tram networks – and which could make a real impact on traffic and pollution.

“Whatever we decide, ultimately, we need a credible, affordable, realistic option to put to government and has the backing of local people.

“I am confident we are in touching distance of making the most important regional transport decisions in generations.”

7. Is that dog on the payroll? @MarkTaylorFood

“The position of First Dog of the West of England is not an elected position and therefore doesn’t carry any official titles, duties or a salary as such.”

Dan Norris and Angel, the “First Dog of the West of England”

“Nonetheless, Angel makes an important contribution – including attending events and sometimes even playing a starring role like when she opened a pet shop by biting through a ‘ribbon’ made of sausages – for which she needed no instructions!

“What everyone with a dog will tell you, is that they are brilliant at keeping us humans relaxed, and happy, and importantly, they ensure our feet stay well and truly planted on the ground – yet they also manage to make sure we get our daily steps in!”

8. Why has part of Novers Hill/Western Slopes been taken out of grassland habitat on the nature recovery map? Tony Pitt

“The Western Slopes and Novers Hill have been removed from the Bristol Local Plan so that development cannot take place.

“This is the catalyst to enable us to enrich the wildlife and bio-diversity in that important area. I hope you will continue to enjoy it.

“Thank you to everyone who helped shape the Mayoral Combined Authority’s “Action for Nature” Toolkit.

“It’s all part of the regional ‘Nature Recovery Strategy’ setting out the steps they’re taking to halt nature’s alarming decline and support wildlife in local patches.

“It will really help us create a nature-rich West of England region which we obviously all want to see. That includes my plan to make our region the bee and pollinator capital of the UK.”

As metro mayor, Dan Norris’ role involves making key decisions on business and the environment

9. Do you think you’ll be able to work more positively with Bristol City Council now Marvin Rees has left? Edith Harris

“As a mayor myself, readers won’t be surprised that I find the end of the Bristol mayoral model in the city to be a disappointment. It is also a bit too early to tell how the committee system at Bristol City Council will work in practice. We must hope the new system works!”

10. Where is the metro? @MarkGladman

“I’ve been 100 per cent clear throughout my time as Mayor that good public transport is vital.

“Not just in terms of getting residents from A to B, but also in getting them out of their cars and so slashing those emissions and improving locals’ health.

“I’ve also been 100 per cent clear there is not going to be an underground system. Please see my answer to @Rhodos above on what we are doing.

“As mayor, I have invested in big bus and train improvements – including introducing 30-minute train frequencies to and from Temple Meads to more local stations – as well as ensuring key Bristol routes now have buses running at “turn up and go frequencies” during rush hour.

“From what I witness as a bus and train passenger this is working, but there is still much more to be done.

“And it’s why I’ve got on with rolling out my multi-million-pound “Reverse Beeching” programme of rail improvements which is building not one but seven new stations in the West – including at Ashley Down this Autumn.

“The last time residents there had a station astronauts hadn’t walked on the moon!”

All photos: WECA

Next in the 10 Questions hot seat will be Sarah Crew, Avon & Somerset Police chief constable. Email your questions to ed-team@bristol247.com. 

This article originally appeared in the September/October 2024 Bristol24/7 magazine

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