What happened when we raced from Avonmouth to the city centre on four modes of transport

Anyone who commutes into the city centre from the suburbs of Bristol knows how much of an ordeal it can be.

Public transport has changed hugely in recent years, especially with the introduction of new bus services in the city.

However, can buses and trains compete with cars and cycling as the most reliable option for commuters in Bristol, especially during peak rush hour?

With this in mind, we put four modes of transport to the test this morning (March 5).

Starting from the Royal Mail Delivery Office in  Avonmouth, four of our journalists each made their way to Cabot Circus, by bus, train, car and bike.

This is how we got on.

First place: Michael Lloyd on his bike

I cycled the way Google Maps suggested was the quickest route – the Portway – whichhas a cycle path all the way which is relatively flat and direct.

The main hazard was the weather, which meant I was dodging the odd tidal wave from lorries passing as well as the rain.

I wouldn’t normally choose to cycle along the Portway at rush hour because of the fumes but I wanted to be first.

When I saw the slow moving traffic, I thought I might be in with a chance of beating Heather.

I was surprised to beat her by 15 minutes or so, but if it was my daily commute I would choose some quieter back roads as it wasn’t a very enjoyable ride.

Second place: Heather Pickstock in the car

One of the reasons I love working as a local reporter is because I can do so remotely – and have done for the past 13 years.

With the patience of a gnat, I knew I could never make the daily commute into Bristol from North Somerset without needing blood pressure medication.

The challenge of driving into Bristol in rush hour, admittedly, was one I was not looking forward to. In the past, when I have been summoned to Bristol Live Towers, it has taken me well over an hour – and a lot of cussing – to go eight miles.

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Today however, apart from a jam on the Portway, was not too bad. I think I was lucky traffic was relatively light compared to some days. That and the fact there were no major incidents to contend with.

But to say I rarely got out of second gear along the Portway is no exaggeration. And it was a low gear and slow all the way. The good news is though I was in no danger of getting a speeding ticket.

To all those who brave the congestion and stress of commuting into the city every day, I salute you.

Third place: Alex Brock on the train

It’s fair to say I started my journey in confident spirits. I made it to the train station with 10 minutes to spare, bought my ticket for £2 on the app and got on my scheduled train right on time at 7.57am.

However, my confidence began to waver as it soon became apparent after a brief stop we were running behind slightly – and that I would arrive at Temple Meads a few minutes late.

Hope then faded to despair after learning Mike on his bike had already reached the finishing point just after I had arrived at Redland.

I also severely underestimated the walk from Temple Meads to Cabot Circus, which was a gruelling 10 minutes in the rain.

All in all, it took me around 45 minutes from stepping on the train at Avonmouth to arriving at Cabot Circus in third place. Not bad but if the train had arrived at Temple Meads earlier or if there were more train services available, it could have been more of a serious contender against the car.

Fourth place: Estel Farell-Roig on the bus

My bus journey from Avonmouth to Cabot Circus wasn’t great. It took a total of an hour and 20 minutes and I came last in the race.

At first, I was positive – the bus did arrive on time, there wasn’t much traffic and, with the seat next to me being empty, I had plenty of room to read my book in peace. There were quite a lot of schoolchildren on board the bus but that didn’t bother me.

It was only after we got to Clifton that I realised how slow the bus was and I started to feel increasingly frustrated. By the time we were by the Colston Hall, I thought it would be quicker for me to walk the rest of the way.

I was disappointed about how long the journey took and I do not think the traffic was particularly bad today.

I certainly couldn’t do that journey every day and I can’t wait to go back to my usual commute down the cycle path with my bike tomorrow.