Jump to content
IGNORED

Ashton gate halt and the Portishead rail line (Merged)


Recommended Posts

1 hour ago, TomF said:

More hopeful than I was - the DCO is minded to approve and the extra funding is in place.. assuming WECA commit the end of the week.   This *might* actually go ahead now.. and it might get the DCO go ahead fairly quickly if money is there.. 

If the money is there it will pretty much start, 

I would share more from our perspective but can't 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Plenty of the line between Portishead & Pill was surveyed in quite some detail after being cut back last year.

Given that this is the section which can almost be “done” without fitting into the access windows and starts to run alongside the port … you’d hope it is quite easy to get a plan in for commencing quickly if needed. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, tommy_b said:

Plenty of the line between Portishead & Pill was surveyed in quite some detail after being cut back last year.

Given that this is the section which can almost be “done” without fitting into the access windows and starts to run alongside the port … you’d hope it is quite easy to get a plan in for commencing quickly if needed. 

if this was japan or germany it'll be done by xmas....

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Admin
3 hours ago, Barn said:

Unreadable website with all the adverts but good news

I agree it is a terrible site, I was on my mobile at the time and was unable to copy and past anything across, on my laptop now so can finally copy

Portishead Railway project boosted by £15million funding
A £156million plan which would reopen the Portishead Railway line has received a healthy chunk of Government funding

The Department for Transport (DfT» ) has granted more than £15 million of funding for the MetroWest Phase One scheme, which includes plans to reopen the Portishead railway line.

Uncertainty has loomed over the railway's reopening with 'environmental issues and inflation' threatening to derail the project.

The MetroWest plans aim to rejuvenate public transport in the South West by giving train access to 80,000 more residents with North Somerset's Portishead and Pill rail stations set to be reopened.

portishead-rail-station-locati.jpg

North Somerset Council leader, Steve Bridger, said he was 'thrilled' to hear the DfT was to pump another £15.5m of funding into the scheme - on top of the council's £10m pledge.

Cllr Bridger said: “This is more good news for Portishead, Pill and the region.

"As part of MetroWest Phase 1, Portishead rail is one of our key schemes with the potential to transform the area through greener travel, access to jobs and sustainable economic growth.

“I am thrilled that our commitment and determination is paying dividends and has brought the rail line a step closer to becoming a reality for our residents."

Projected capital costs for the scheme had risen to £152m earlier in the year as a result of the approval of the scheme’s Development Consent Order (DCO ) taking longer than anticipated and 'unprecedented global increases to the cost of energy, labour and construction materials'.

This rise in cost created a shortfall of £35.5m - leading to North Somerset Council's £10m pledge and the DfT funds.

The West of England Combined Authority (WECA» ), will meet on Friday (July 29) to reach an agreement on contributing a further £10m, which would close the remaining funding gap.

The MetroWest project will also include train services upgraded on the Severn Beach line and between Bath Spa and Bristol Temple Meads.

Cllr Bridger added: "I would like to thank our officers, my councillor colleagues, our West of England Combined Authority partners, the Department for Transport, Liam Fox MP and the rail minister for their continued efforts in pushing this much-anticipated scheme forward.”

Portishead and Pill railway lines are currently scheduled to reopen in 2024.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Admin

Today, the Department for Transport have committed an additional £15.5m to deliver MetroWest Phase 1b, which would see the reopening the Portishead to Bristol rail line.

 

This is in addition to £10m committed by North Somerset Council at the July Council meeting. The West of England Combined Authority will meet on Friday 29 July to reach agreement on contributing a further £10m, which would close the remaining funding gap.

Projected capital costs for the scheme had risen to £152m earlier in the year, creating a shortfall of £35.5m. This was the result of approval of the scheme’s Development Consent Order (DCO) costing more than anticipated and unprecedented global increases to the cost of energy, labour and construction materials.

Councillor Steve Bridger, Leader of North Somerset Council and Executive Member for Major Projects said: “This is more good news for Portishead, Pill and the region. As part of MetroWest Phase 1b, Portishead rail is one of our key schemes with the potential to transform the area through greener travel, access to jobs and sustainable economic growth.

“I am thrilled that our commitment and determination is paying dividends and has brought the rail line a step closer to becoming a reality for our residents. I’d like to thank our officers, my councillor colleagues, our West of England Combined Authority partners, the Department for Transport, Liam Fox MP and the rail minister for their continued efforts in pushing this much-anticipated scheme forward.”

The additional funding will be subject to Department for Transport approval of the scheme’s full business case and the DCO, as well as the £10m in funding from both North Somerset Council and the West of England Combined Authority. 

MetroWest Phase 1b, which includes the highly anticipated rail link, would bring 50,000 people back into the direct catchment area of a rail station for the first time in over 60 years. In addition, it would provide more reliable and sustainable travel links for those accessing jobs and opportunities across the region.

TAKEN FROM: https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/news/additional-funding-secured-deliver-portishead-rail-line

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

Well until the price rises beyond £200m because of inflation over the period they have been dicking around.

Exactly, I wouldn't be surprised if since the last costing it has risen at least another 15 million, the way inflation is going at the moment this project will be like a dog chasing it's tail. I personally think the project won't go ahead as the demand for it's services will have surely gone down since the WFH phenomenon and that most of the people that would use it would be people working in offices around temple meads and surrounding areas, maybe if it stopped in the centre of Bristol, as it is shoppers won't use it as it does not stop anywhere convenient.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, TomF said:

unless WECA throw a spanner today with their £10m. Otherwise it’ll be probably rushed through before costs go any higher.. 

Dan Norris is very keen for WECA to be seen as more than a Greater Bristol vehicle, I’ll be amazed if he doesn’t see this as a top priority.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, TomF said:

unless WECA throw a spanner today with their £10m. Otherwise it’ll be probably rushed through before costs go any higher.. 

It's ready to start, and if there are no major hurdles we could get trains running by 2024, we managed it with oakhampton, while that project isn't finished yet we got trains running with in 18 months,

Portishead would be a similar project to this 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Admin

TAKEN FROM A GWR FORUM

The scheme which WECA» will vote on on Fri 29th includes the following changes:

o Reduction of scope to bring the existing freight line up to passenger train line standards
o Reduction of Portishead and Pill platform lengths from 5-Car to 3-Car
o Removal of Portishead Station building
o Reduction in selected highway scope (car parks, bridge works)
o Change in governance model, with DfT» taking on the client role.

Worth noting that the report considers, and discounts, the option of cancelling the project.

The full report is here:

https://westofengland-ca.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s5167/MetroWest%201%20Portishead%20Line.pdf

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Monkeh said:

It's ready to start, and if there are no major hurdles we could get trains running by 2024, we managed it with oakhampton, while that project isn't finished yet we got trains running with in 18 months,

Portishead would be a similar project to this 

…and from what I’ve heard the Oakhampton Line has been a real success.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, RedRock said:

…and from what I’ve heard the Oakhampton Line has been a real success.

No comment,

Other then it's open and running trains 

3 hours ago, Clevedon Red said:

Unless I’m missing something there are no plans to open a station at Ashton Gate…..or will that follow in due course if the line reopens?

Never was in scope

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, TonyTonyTony said:

Ill still believe it until i see contractors turn up. I remember Sainsburys in town was delayed for ages until they re-homed a few newts !

There's contractors on that line all the time :) I've walked it 5 or 6 times 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So what's first? 

Presumably work on the line itself and then rerouting the road to make room for Portishead station, then the station itself?

I think I may have asked this years ago, but will the line have passing spots being a single line in and out? Or will just be one in and one out which will define the frequency?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

So what's first? 

Presumably work on the line itself and then rerouting the road to make room for Portishead station, then the station itself?

I think I may have asked this years ago, but will the line have passing spots being a single line in and out? Or will just be one in and one out which will define the frequency?

Single line, so 1 train in the section at a time, no further passing spots, I think there is a loop at pill, 

I think the initial frequency was 1 train an hour

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Monkeh said:

Single line, so 1 train in the section at a time, no further passing spots, I think there is a loop at pill, 

I think the initial frequency was 1 train an hour

From Portishead? I mean will there be a yard at Portishead so the first train runs from there in the morning?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From a purely selfish point of view I really hope there will be residents only parking in the streets close to the station in Pill as I live less than 50 metres from where it is going to be sighted, and my street is hard enought to park in at the best of times, they could start with making the car park free at the station but I can't see that happening.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Monkeh said:

No comment,

Other then it's open and running trains 

Never was in scope

That’s interesting. I thought they did a press release saying they were doing more work on the line to facilitate increasing frequency of trains as the route had proved popular. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, pillred said:

From a purely selfish point of view I really hope there will be residents only parking in the streets close to the station in Pill as I live less than 50 metres from where it is going to be sighted, and my street is hard enought to park in at the best of times, they could start with making the car park free at the station but I can't see that happening.

They have to get the parking right, and provide adequate spaces in Portishead too. Parking on the village quarter, up phoenix way is crap as it is. It could be ruined.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, RedRock said:

That’s interesting. I thought they did a press release saying they were doing more work on the line to facilitate increasing frequency of trains as the route had proved popular. 

They’re still doing the work that on any other line, would have been done before passenger trains were allowed to run. They might have increased the frequency to 1 an hour but that was always on the cards and can be accommodated on the single line from Crediton with no additional alterations.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

From Portishead? I mean will there be a yard at Portishead so the first train runs from there in the morning?

No it will run from the gwr depot next to temple meads,

They can send an empty unit down to possit early doors, ready to leave portishead in the morning I would of thought the first train off of portishead would be half 6 or 7 or something,

But timetable planning is a while off yet

28 minutes ago, RedRock said:

That’s interesting. I thought they did a press release saying they were doing more work on the line to facilitate increasing frequency of trains as the route had proved popular. 

Oh, on that front yes, it has been great 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...