The Bristol Railway Archive

From the Bristol Evening Post:

http://tinyurl.com/4jlbe

The lack of a railway line between Portishead and Bristol is making commuters' lives a misery, MPs were being told in the House of Commons tonight. Woodspring MP Dr Liam Fox will call on the Government and the rail industry to invest in a new rail link to North Somerset's fastest growing town.

Poor transport links have caused "deplorable road congestion" at junction 19 of the M5 and the A369, which is the main road in and out of the town, Dr Fox will claim.

The Tory MP has secured a high profile adjournment debate in the Commons.

When the Ashlands housing development is completed with 10,000 homes, it is thought Portishead will be the largest town in Britain without a railway station.

The campaign for a rail link was boosted in December 2001 when a ú21 million line from Portbury Docks to Bristol was opened.

The track from Portishead to the Royal Portbury branch line still exists, but would need upgrading.

Plans to run trains between Portishead and Bristol were shelved after the Strategic Rail Authority withdrew grants.

Dr Fox told the Evening Post: "Portishead has grown and grown with ever increasing numbers of residents but no local infrastructure to support it.

"As a result it has become the most congested cul-de-sac in Britain.

"There needs to be an alternative transport link which works at least in peak times but it seems impossible to get any action to make the investment which is required.

"We think investment would enable us to produce a marked reduction in congestion. I will be asking the Government to put its money where its mouth is."

In 2002 Wessex Trains estimated the cost of laying four miles of track and building a new station would cost about ú7 million.

The company said it would need significant Government investment.

I never thought massive housing development would have a positive effect...guess every cloud DOES have a silver lining

Also if it's only used during peak times then there will be lots of room for special excursions

Although I bet the new station "building" will be one of those flat-pack steel and glass grid pattern waiting rooms that are ruining every station in the UK

James wrote: Also if it's only used during peak times then there will be lots of room for special excursions

Steam trains down the Avon Gorge... a proven money-spinner in the past. You'd think the railway companies would be jumping to try to win business from the largest town in britain that also runs through one of the most beautiful valleys in the world. I can't understand why they're not getting it built as we speak and not giving the new residents time to work out how they're going to get out the place by road. Grab that business opportunity before it's gone

James wrote: Although I bet the new station "building" will be one of those flat-pack steel and glass grid pattern waiting rooms that are ruining every station in the UK

I don't mind those too much. They're certainly preferable to the old enclosed bus-stop shelters that sprung up 'when i were a lad'

madhattie wrote: I don't mind those too much. They're certainly preferable to the old enclosed bus-stop shelters that sprung up 'when i were a lad'

Yeah, but they were thought of as modern and attractive when they were first built...the steel/glass fad will date just as badly.

Who knows what the future will bring with the re-opening of Past Lines closed in Bristol. I for one would use a train service from Fishponds to Temple Meads if given the opportunity.
The car traffic congestion is only a problem which will get worse before it gets better!!

Hopes for a rail link between Bristol and Portishead have been dashed by
a Government minister, who says it is unlikely a train service would be
reinstated "in the foreseeable future". Transport minister Charlotte
Atkins said last night it would cost between ú5 million and ú7.5 million
to upgrade the three-and-a-half miles of track needed to run trains
between Bristol and the North Somerset town.

Another ú2.5 million would be needed each year in operating costs - with
train fares only being able to cover between 50 and 60 per cent of those
costs.

Ms Atkins said the Strategic Rail Authority was unable to pick up the
bill because its priorities were to maintain the current network. She
said: "I can offer no assurance that a passenger service will be
reinstated on the Bristol-Portishead line in the foreseeable future.''

She made her comments during a debate in the House of Commons, which had
been called by Conservative Woodspring MP Dr Liam Fox.

He told MPs that a new rail link was vital to ease congestion junction 19
of the M5 and the A369 - the main road in and out of Portishead.

He said 63 per cent of Portishead's adult population travelled out of the
town to work and their lives were being made a misery by traffic jams.

He added: "Over the past decade we have been subjected to a rollercoaster
ride, where expectations for a passenger rail link have been raised, only
to be dashed soon after.

"The consequence of the growth of housing and population in Portishead,
combined with inadequate transport infrastructure, has resulted in what
is now probably the most overcrowded cul-de-sac in Britain.

"Unless the situation is dealt with comprehensively, the quality of life
of many residents of an expanding Portishead will diminish
unnecessarily."

The last train left Portishead almost 40 years ago.

The campaign for a rail link was boosted in December 2001 when a ú21
million line for freight trains from Royal Portbury Docks to Bristol was
opened, leaving only the upgrading of a small section of track between
the docks and Portishead required for a link to be completed.

But Ms Atkins said introducing a passenger service to a freight line
would be problematic.

She said: "Infrastructure enhancements would be required, including, most
notably, a large amount of additional signalling.

"The cost of all of this work would be significant and to date no source
of funding has been identified."

Bristol North West MP Doug Naysmith blamed Conservative councillors at
North Somerset Council for not investing in the railway.

He asked: "Does she (the minister) think that it would be a good idea if
the local authority were to commit some funds to it?"

Ok so when are they building an M32-style link road to Portishead...

James wrote:Ok so when are they building an M32-style link road to Portishead...

I'd like to know where she gets this bit from:

'Another ú2.5 million would be needed each year in operating costs - with
train fares only being able to cover between 50 and 60 per cent of those
costs. '

Eh! Has there been any kind of feasibility study into passenger numbers since all the new houses went up? I can't remember hearing about one!

Facts don't matter to them...

Railways = not interested

It's absolutely disgusting. The government needs to stick their heads out of the sand and realise that people can't fly or teleport to places. The roads into Portishead will become more congested than ever, and I thought the Government wanted to reduce car usage, not increase it!

It's not as if a working commuter link will cost that much anyway - ú14 million won't even cause a dent in the governments' coffers. Just look at that horrible Spa monstrosity they're building in Bath - ú30 million and rising! It's really confusing to me that they spend ú30 million on something no one wants - and won't spend ú14 million on a rail link everyone wants! That is a perfect example of democracy in this country

I'm also sure passenger numbers will be enough that they break even on costs - especially building other stations along the way, like one at Pill.

If anyone's thinking of running for Transport secretary or Prime minister on this board next election, I'd gladly vote for 'em - we all have much more sense than those so called politicians!

Top marks to the Evening Post for all the publicity

RESIDENTS URGED: DON'T GIVE UP BATTLE TO REOPEN ROUTE


11:00 - 28 January 2005

The people of Portishead have been urged to keep campaigning for the passenger railway line to Bristol to be reinstated. The Reverend Alan Taylor, spokesman for the Portishead Heritage Rail Project, said today that residents should not accept that plans to reopen the line were dead.

He called on them to keep lobbying their MP Dr Liam Fox and local councillors, calling for the train service to return.

He also revealed they could log on to the group's website on www.phrp.org.uk and sign a petition to get Bristol City Council involved.

The Team Rector for Portishead said the town was the fastest growing in the region and was desperate to overcome its traffic problems.

He said: "The railway line is a must and the cost to reinstate it, between ú5 million and ú7.5 million, is small compared to the ú21 million spent on the line to the docks.

"The Government is also spending ú30 million to build two extra lanes on the M5 near Portishead which is of little use to the town's people.

"The line could be run economically if it ran into Bristol and then on to Severn Beach, a line itself under threat, to spread the cost.

"But local people should not accept that the plans for the line are dead and should continue to lobby their MP and local councillors for it to be reinstated.

"Everyone in the town knows it makes sense."

The passenger service between Portishead and Bristol stopped running in 1964 when the line was axed as part of a series of cuts throughout the UK.

But in December 2001, part of the line was reopened at a cost of ú21 million for freight trains to run from booming Royal Portbury Dock to the national rail network.

Two public meetings held in Portishead were packed with people calling for action to combat traffic congestion at junction 19 of the M5 and A369 during rush hours.

The meetings were told that, with thousands of new homes being built around the town's new marina, the population would almost double from 15,000 to 28,000 in 10 years and make the traffic situation even worse.

So it was suggested that the existing railway line from the town to the port's track should be reopened to ease the congestion by getting cars off the road.

Portishead Railway Action Group was then formed to campaign for a passenger service to return.

But the group's secretary John Rickard said this week its members were "fed up, angry and very disappointed" after it was revealed the line was unlikely to be reinstated "in the foreseeable future".

Everyone knows the time it takes to drive into Bristol from Portishead and the problems with congestion, parking etc etc.

Worth noting that back in 1947 the journey from Portishead to Temple Meads took just 32 minutes with seven intermediate stops - I would have thought that with modern units and fewer stops the journey would not take more than 20 minutes.

Unfortunately down here in Bristol you can never mention transport progress and politics in the same sentence.

registrar wrote:
Unfortunately down here in Bristol you can never mention transport progress and politics in the same sentence.

Maybe Portishead should bid to host the Olympics. The Government is currently chucking hundreds of millions of our cash at London in order to try to win the bid, including extending the tube network.

And how much money did they spend on the Millennium Dome and especially the brand new giant Jubilee Line station that served it and is now totally deserted? It's bigger than all the major termini's tube stations put together.

registrar wrote:Everyone knows the time it takes to drive into Bristol from Portishead and the problems with congestion, parking etc etc.

Even the government? Although they most likely do...

Worth noting that back in 1947 the journey from Portishead to Temple Meads took just 32 minutes with seven intermediate stops - I would have thought that with modern units and fewer stops the journey would not take more than 20 minutes.

If that's still possible now, hourly services (1/2 hour at peak) from Portishead to Severn Beach would most likely be a possibility, as I'm sure it would only take an hour to get from PsH to SB even if there were a few more intermediate stations along the way. I'd go to Portishead by rail a lot, as I have relatives living there