Henbury Station Sold
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 3:54 pm
From the Bristol Evening Post.
A railway station has been sold to a private company, despite being part of future plans to improve Bristol's passenger train network.
South Gloucestershire Council turned down an option to buy Henbury Station, which was sold to an unnamed buyer by the Government's British Rail Property Board at auction last week for ú750,000.
Plans are in the pipeline to run passenger trains along the freight line which runs from Avonmouth, past Henbury and on to Filton.
The scheme would be part of a Greater Bristol Metro network of improved cross-city rail services, which First Great Western wants to develop together with the West of England Partnership.
David Redgewell, Bristol spokesman for the Campaign for Better Transport, said the failure to buy the station was a classic example of the failure of transport authorities in the Bristol area to work together to improve the city's rail services.
He said that if the city had an Integrated Transport Authority û which became possible by new laws set by Parliament earlier this month û the opportunity to buy Henbury Station for future use would not have been lost.
A spokesman for South Gloucestershire Council said it had "carefully considered" the purchase of the land, which lies just inside the authority's boundary.
But he said there was a projected lack of demand for services along the line and the curved nature of the track prevented development of the site for passenger trains for health and safety reasons.
Mr Redgewell said: "The people of Bristol need a better deal on public transport and that means local authorities taking control.
"The failure to buy Henbury Station is a classic example of the four authorities in Bristol not working together and it wouldn't have happened if we had a proper transport authority in the area.
"Things like this are going to keep happening and opportunities to improve local transport will continue to be lost unless this new legislation is used to set up a strong transport body for the greater Bristol area." South Gloucestershire Council spokesman Ryan Skeets said the authority was not in a position to purchase the station. He said: "We will, however, continue to carefully monitor the situation and look into the possibility of the future developer contributing, through a section 106 agreement, to improving transport in that area."
A Department of Transport spokesman said: "Henbury Station falls within the jurisdiction of South Gloucestershire Council and so they were given an opportunity to purchase the station.
"As part of this process, due to the proximity of this station to their border, we also ensured Bristol City Council were aware of the matter and so able to make representations.
"No interest in purchasing the site was received.
"The purchase of Henbury by a private company does not prevent its use in the future as a (Bristol) railway station."
A railway station has been sold to a private company, despite being part of future plans to improve Bristol's passenger train network.
South Gloucestershire Council turned down an option to buy Henbury Station, which was sold to an unnamed buyer by the Government's British Rail Property Board at auction last week for ú750,000.
Plans are in the pipeline to run passenger trains along the freight line which runs from Avonmouth, past Henbury and on to Filton.
The scheme would be part of a Greater Bristol Metro network of improved cross-city rail services, which First Great Western wants to develop together with the West of England Partnership.
David Redgewell, Bristol spokesman for the Campaign for Better Transport, said the failure to buy the station was a classic example of the failure of transport authorities in the Bristol area to work together to improve the city's rail services.
He said that if the city had an Integrated Transport Authority û which became possible by new laws set by Parliament earlier this month û the opportunity to buy Henbury Station for future use would not have been lost.
A spokesman for South Gloucestershire Council said it had "carefully considered" the purchase of the land, which lies just inside the authority's boundary.
But he said there was a projected lack of demand for services along the line and the curved nature of the track prevented development of the site for passenger trains for health and safety reasons.
Mr Redgewell said: "The people of Bristol need a better deal on public transport and that means local authorities taking control.
"The failure to buy Henbury Station is a classic example of the four authorities in Bristol not working together and it wouldn't have happened if we had a proper transport authority in the area.
"Things like this are going to keep happening and opportunities to improve local transport will continue to be lost unless this new legislation is used to set up a strong transport body for the greater Bristol area." South Gloucestershire Council spokesman Ryan Skeets said the authority was not in a position to purchase the station. He said: "We will, however, continue to carefully monitor the situation and look into the possibility of the future developer contributing, through a section 106 agreement, to improving transport in that area."
A Department of Transport spokesman said: "Henbury Station falls within the jurisdiction of South Gloucestershire Council and so they were given an opportunity to purchase the station.
"As part of this process, due to the proximity of this station to their border, we also ensured Bristol City Council were aware of the matter and so able to make representations.
"No interest in purchasing the site was received.
"The purchase of Henbury by a private company does not prevent its use in the future as a (Bristol) railway station."
oh dear me.