A Plan To Revive Severn Railway Bridge at Sharpness
Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 1:08 pm
From the Bristol Evening Post: http://tinyurl.com/b9vyu
NEW CALL FOR THIRD SEVERN CROSSING
13:00 - 03 August 2005
A Campaign to build a third bridge across the River Severn has been revived by a veteran councillor.
It was more than 20 years ago that Bill Hobman first put forward his idea for a crossing on the site of a former railway bridge, which used to link Sharpness, near Berkeley, with Lydney but which was destroyed as a result of a tanker tragedy.
Now he has been joined by other councillors in setting up the Third River Crossing Committee to investigate the proposal further.
Representatives from the economic partnership Gloucestershire First, parish councils, Stroud District Council and the Gloucestershire Association of Parish and Town Councils are also involved in the scheme.
Councillor Hobman reckons having a new road and a rail crossing would cut congestion and solve many problems.
It would cut the amount of traffic having to use local roads to go down to the Severn Bridge and Second Severn Crossing or up to Gloucester to travel across the river.
Many householders living along the routes currently used would also benefit from a reduction in heavy traffic thundering past their homes.
Mr Hobman, a Lydney district and town councillor, even said a new bridge could harness tidal power to generate electricity.
He said: "I believe most people would be in favour of an additional Severn river crossing but we would like to hear their views.
"My suggestion is that we should use the site of the former railway crossing and create a road and rail bridge."
David Redgewell, of transport campaign group Transport 2000, said: "There is a need for a second rail crossing of the river Severn and another bridge would also ease commuting.
"The money would have to be found and support obtained from the Government and the Welsh Assembly but it certainly warrants further investigation."
The old bridge stretched for half a mile over the river but was destroyed after two tankers heading for Sharpness docks collided in thick fog on October 25, 1960.
One tanker was carrying petrol and the other was laden with oil. Both were operated for Shell by John Harker Ltd of Sharpness. There was a violent explosion as they smashed into the bridge, leaving a gaping hole 100 yards long in the structure.
People living in Sharpness said they could hear the cries for help from the stricken crews of the tankers as the fuel blazed on the river.
Five crewmen died in the tragedy but the two skippers, James Dew of the MV Wastdale, and George Thompson of MV Arkendale, managed to swim to safety.
The disaster eventually led to the demolition of the bridge.
In 1997, a ú20 million bid for National Lottery funding to rebuild the bridge for rail traffic was made but the application was rejected.
Commuter Mike Stafford said: "It makes perfect sense to build a third crossing over the Severn. I have been travelling from the Forest of Dean into Bristol daily for the last three years and there is definitely an increase in commuter traffic. If the old Severn Bridge is closed due to bad weather or an accident it can add up to an hour on to my journey by going over the Second Severn Crossing."
NEW CALL FOR THIRD SEVERN CROSSING
13:00 - 03 August 2005
A Campaign to build a third bridge across the River Severn has been revived by a veteran councillor.
It was more than 20 years ago that Bill Hobman first put forward his idea for a crossing on the site of a former railway bridge, which used to link Sharpness, near Berkeley, with Lydney but which was destroyed as a result of a tanker tragedy.
Now he has been joined by other councillors in setting up the Third River Crossing Committee to investigate the proposal further.
Representatives from the economic partnership Gloucestershire First, parish councils, Stroud District Council and the Gloucestershire Association of Parish and Town Councils are also involved in the scheme.
Councillor Hobman reckons having a new road and a rail crossing would cut congestion and solve many problems.
It would cut the amount of traffic having to use local roads to go down to the Severn Bridge and Second Severn Crossing or up to Gloucester to travel across the river.
Many householders living along the routes currently used would also benefit from a reduction in heavy traffic thundering past their homes.
Mr Hobman, a Lydney district and town councillor, even said a new bridge could harness tidal power to generate electricity.
He said: "I believe most people would be in favour of an additional Severn river crossing but we would like to hear their views.
"My suggestion is that we should use the site of the former railway crossing and create a road and rail bridge."
David Redgewell, of transport campaign group Transport 2000, said: "There is a need for a second rail crossing of the river Severn and another bridge would also ease commuting.
"The money would have to be found and support obtained from the Government and the Welsh Assembly but it certainly warrants further investigation."
The old bridge stretched for half a mile over the river but was destroyed after two tankers heading for Sharpness docks collided in thick fog on October 25, 1960.
One tanker was carrying petrol and the other was laden with oil. Both were operated for Shell by John Harker Ltd of Sharpness. There was a violent explosion as they smashed into the bridge, leaving a gaping hole 100 yards long in the structure.
People living in Sharpness said they could hear the cries for help from the stricken crews of the tankers as the fuel blazed on the river.
Five crewmen died in the tragedy but the two skippers, James Dew of the MV Wastdale, and George Thompson of MV Arkendale, managed to swim to safety.
The disaster eventually led to the demolition of the bridge.
In 1997, a ú20 million bid for National Lottery funding to rebuild the bridge for rail traffic was made but the application was rejected.
Commuter Mike Stafford said: "It makes perfect sense to build a third crossing over the Severn. I have been travelling from the Forest of Dean into Bristol daily for the last three years and there is definitely an increase in commuter traffic. If the old Severn Bridge is closed due to bad weather or an accident it can add up to an hour on to my journey by going over the Second Severn Crossing."
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