Could tranport be improved in Chepstow & environs?

[Envoy]

I see that a press article highlights transport problems in the Chepstow area and mentions the large number of new houses being built. Mention has been made of the poor train services. Perhaps Transport for Wales should soon start to inform the populace of this area - including Lydney, that Class 170 trains are going to be on the route in addition to the Class 170’s operated by Cross Country?

Mention is also made that due to a lack of local jobs, many of the people in this area commute to Bristol, Cardiff or Gloucester. Perhaps Transport for Wales should acquire part of that large derelict site on the south side of Chepstow station in order that it can be used as an additional station car park? If people drive a short distance to a station & find they can’t park, then the chances are that they will make the entire journey by car to places such as Newport, Cardiff & Gloucester. If the Welsh Government were serious about reducing traffic on the M4, they would already have acquired that land at Chepstow station for parking. You can see it on this map:>
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6400536,-2.6703976,486m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e1

The article can be seen here:>https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/english-suburb-welsh-town-everyone-17182110

Like many, he described public transport as “dire”. Stagecoach recently made unpopular changes to the bus services and there are frequent complaints about the trains running between Gloucester and Cardiff being cancelled, forcing commuters onto the roads.

One action group claims the main rush hour train into Bristol from Severn Tunnel junction was cancelled 25 times out of 30 in one month and Gloucestershire councillor Alan Preest has made similar complaints about trains from Chepstow and Lydney to Gloucester.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

The problem with commuting from Chesptow to Bristol by rail is that it involves a change at Severn Tunnel Junction and then dumps you at Temple Meads which is pretty inconvenient for Bristol city centre. Additional car parking isn't going to change that, particularly now the bridges are no longer tolled.

Getting rid of the tolls was a vote-winning stunt by the UK Government and has inevitably put pressure on the housing market and public services in Wales.But then the 'Welsh' Secretary has form when it comes to putting the interests of Bristol ahead of those of south Wales! See APD, Western Gateway etc etc.

 

[stj]

I live in the area but like many others even when the trains are running as advertised they cant be used as you need to be near the station at both ends.I drive to Avonmouth and it takes around 25 mins.Same journey by rail would be 90 mins and now the tolls are gone would cost more.Also its not the lack of jobs in the area its the number of people with jobs in Bristol etc that have moved in and they expect the infrastucture whether it be road or rail to manage.Much of this has also been driven by housing being cheaper than Bristol enabling a quick buck to be made for many.

 

[John R]

Getting rid of the tolls was a vote-winning stunt by the UK Government and has inevitably put pressure on the housing market and public services in Wales.

Actually, the concession period had come to its end, so the default position was that the tolls would be removed. Given the resentment by most of South East Wales over the tolls for the last 25 years, it would have created uproar had the UK government decided to continue with them.

 

[Envoy]

The problem with commuting from Chesptow to Bristol by rail is that it involves a change at Severn Tunnel Junction and then dumps you at Temple Meads which is pretty inconvenient for Bristol city centre. Additional car parking isn't going to change that, particularly now the bridges are no longer tolled.

Getting rid of the tolls was a vote-winning stunt by the UK Government and has inevitably put pressure on the housing market and public services in Wales.But then the 'Welsh' Secretary has form when it comes to putting the interests of Bristol ahead of those of south Wales! See APD, Western Gateway etc etc.

I agree, it is pretty awkward to go by train from Chepstow to Bristol being as you have to change at STJ.

It was always the intention that the tolls on the Severn Bridges would be removed once they were paid for and certainly not a vote winning stunt by the government. Had the tolls continued, people would ask why they had to pay out money in order to enter Wales just because the motorway crosses an estuary.

The ‘Western Gateway’ recognises the fact that Severnside is one big economic area and the fact that the border between Wales and England runs through it is of little consequence - hence the number of people who commute between the two sides of the border.https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...ateway-will-form-new-powerhouse-in-uk-economy

The Western Gateway is a strategic partnership promoting and maximising economic growth across south Wales and the west of England to create jobs, boost prosperity and support the world-renowned universities and businesses of the region.

Linking a number of towns and cities across a wide region either side of the Severn the Western Gateway will mirror the successful, established work of the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine and will seek to ensure that the region is globally competitive.

 

[Dai Corner]

The problem with commuting from Chesptow to Bristol by rail is that it involves a change at Severn Tunnel Junction and then dumps you at Temple Meads which is pretty inconvenient for Bristol city centre. Additional car parking isn't going to change that, particularly now the bridges are no longer tolled.

Getting rid of the tolls was a vote-winning stunt by the UK Government and has inevitably put pressure on the housing market and public services in Wales.But then the 'Welsh' Secretary has form when it comes to putting the interests of Bristol ahead of those of south Wales! See APD, Western Gateway etc etc.

Well I commuted to offices in the City Centre via Temple Meads for twenty odd years. It's about a 15-20 minute walk or 10 minute bus ride. There are now thousands of jobs within a 5 minute walk of the station too.

Do you think four-tracking Filton Bank was also a 'vote-winning stunt'? It gives capacity for additional trains between Temple Meads and South Wales as well as Temple Meads - Parkway.

 

[John R]

Perhaps Transport for Wales should acquire part of that large derelict site on the south side of Chepstow station in order that it can be used as an additional station car park? If people drive a short distance to a station & find they can’t park, then the chances are that they will make the entire journey by car to places such as Newport, Cardiff & Gloucester. If the Welsh Government were serious about reducing traffic on the M4, they would already have acquired that land at Chepstow station for parking.

The problem is all the housing and traffic immediately to the east of the Wye and the long traffic queues to cross the bridge west heading into Chepstow. So a car park close to the station wouldn’t help that problem at all.

 

[John R]

Well I commuted to offices in the City Centre via Temple Meads for twenty odd years. It's about a 15-20 minute walk or 10 minute bus ride. There are now thousands of jobs within a 5 minute walk of the station too.

Agree, with the exceptions of LBG and Hargreaves Lansdown, all the major office employment has migrated to within a couple of minutes walk of Temple Meads. And with the new University campus due to open in a couple of years, that will further shift the employment balance away from the City Centre.

 

[Nick Ashwell]

As someone who currently lives in Chepstow I'll explain why public transport won't solve the issues.

A) Lots of parents are driving their kids to school and then continuing on to work. Half term recently allowed us to compare traffic and it was much better.
B) As mentioned above the tolls going has made it cheaper to commute by car, especially now that the bus to Newport isn't much cheaper than the train (used to be £4 now £7.20, I'm never using the bus to Newport again
C) There are no train stations in the areas where most people commute to or they're too far out the way. I used to work at Aztec West, as do many I know and to commute any way other than car is impossible.
D) We need a new Bypass, the current one (A48 through Chepstow) was not built for this level of traffic but then again the Welsh won't pay for it as it has to be mainly in England and the English won't pay for something to the benefit of Wales.

The only way trains could solve most of the issues would be with a new crossing in the Chepstow/Lydney area. Most of us just don't see that happening. Trains are often enough to commute to Newport/Cardiff/Gloucester/Cheltenham but most people work in Bristol as it is the closest of the bunch. Without a new line it is not going to be viable to commute by train

 

[Class 170101]

Also no direct services between Chepstow and Bristol Temple Meads so you are reliant on two trains running to time either at Severn Tunnel Jn or Gloucester. Perhaps a Cardiff to Bristol via Gloucester service would help.

 

[iantherev]

Also no direct services between Chepstow and Bristol Temple Meads so you are reliant on two trains running to time either at Severn Tunnel Jn or Gloucester. Perhaps a Cardiff to Bristol via Gloucester service would help.

i don’t think there’d be a huge market for a Chepstow - Bristol service via Gloucester.

 

[anthony263]

There has long been talk of additional local services between Cardiff and Abergavenny and Chepstow in between the existing services using the relief lines between Cardiff central and Newport

 

[anthony263]

Natex and stagecoach are finding there is a lot of demand for bus/coach services between Chepstow and Bristol

 

[Dai Corner]

Natex and stagecoach are finding there is a lot of demand for bus/coach services between Chepstow and Bristol

As far as I can see the only National Express service from Chepstow to Bristol is at 2359 and there's nothing at all in the other direction. Maybe it's packed with Bristolians attracted by Chepstow's evening pub and restaurant scene who got there on the last Stagecoach Severn Express journey which leaves at 1800?

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

As far as I can see the only National Express service from Chepstow to Bristol is at 2359 and there's nothing at all in the other direction. Maybe it's packed with Bristolians attracted by Chepstow's evening pub and restaurant scene who got there on the last Stagecoach Severn Express journey which leaves at 1800?

All the Cardiff-Heathrow National Express services call at Chepstow and Bristol. That's twenty odd services a day.

Further to Nick Ashwell's well made point above about who might pay for a Chepstow by-pass. The simple answer would have been to retain the Bridge tolls until it was paid for. I understand the points people are making about the concession coming to an end and public resentment of the tolls but the simple fact is that the tolls were abolished before a highway network capable of dealing with the increased demand was in place.

As late as January 2017 the UK Government was proposing to retain tolls at a lower level rather than abolish them enitirely. Here's what was said.

The reality is that given the size and complexity of these structures there will always be a cost to ensuring their safe operation; and it has long been Government policy that the costs associated with keeping the Crossings functioning should be paid for by the users that benefit, rather than the taxpayer.The Government is also concerned that reduced tolls could result in increased traffic and congestion in areas surrounding the Crossings, both in Bristol and along the M4 in Wales, where there are already concerns about congestion levels. Reducing the tolls by 50% would allow us to assess the impact, on the Crossing and more generally, of increased traffic flows.

https://assets.publishing.service.g...582087/severn-crossing-tolls-consultation.pdf

That changed because of the 2017 election. As I said before, it was a vote-winning stunt.

 

[Dai Corner]

All the Cardiff-Heathrow National Express services call at Chepstow and Bristol. That's twenty odd services a day.

The 202? They're not shown in the public timetable as calling at Chepstow, except the odd service in the middle of the night.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

The 202? They're not shown in the public timetable as calling at Chepstow, except the odd service in the middle of the night.

"A full list of stops along this route includes: Cardiff (Sophia Gardens), Cardiff Cathays Park, Newport Kingsway, Chepstow Bus Station, Bristol Bus Station, Heathrow Airport (Bus Station and Terminals)."

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/airports/heathrow/cardiff-to-heathrow

I fly quite often and have never been on a coach from Cardiff to Heathrow that didn't go via Chepstow and Bristol. You're right though. If you use the timetable search they don't show up, which is a bit weird to say the least!

 

[Man of Kent]

"A full list of stops along this route includes: Cardiff (Sophia Gardens), Cardiff Cathays Park, Newport Kingsway, Chepstow Bus Station, Bristol Bus Station, Heathrow Airport (Bus Station and Terminals)."

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/airports/heathrow/cardiff-to-heathrow

I fly quite often and have never been on a coach from Cardiff to Heathrow that didn't go via Chepstow and Bristol. You're right though. If you use the timetable search they don't show up, which is a bit weird to say the least!

According to the faretable, travel between Chepstow and Bristol is not permitted.

 

[anthony263]

According to the faretable, travel between Chepstow and Bristol is not permitted.

Strange however I've sold fares between the 2 places many times. There is one gentleman who gets on the last 202 from heathrow to swansea at bristol bus station to chepstow

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

According to the faretable, travel between Chepstow and Bristol is not permitted.

That may well be it. The 202 calls at both but, apart form the late night service, it can't be used as a local service.

 

[markymark2000]

B) As mentioned above the tolls going has made it cheaper to commute by car, especially now that the bus to Newport isn't much cheaper than the train (used to be £4 now £7.20, I'm never using the bus to Newport again
C) There are no train stations in the areas where most people commute to or they're too far out the way. I used to work at Aztec West, as do many I know and to commute any way other than car is impossible.

Firstly, has Stagecoach increased the price of the Severn Express that much or is that a Newport Bus fare?

As for Aztec, doesn't the SevernExpress stop outside the business park.

 

[Nick Ashwell]

Firstly, has Stagecoach increased the price of the Severn Express that much or is that a Newport Bus fare?

As for Aztec, doesn't the SevernExpress stop outside the business park.

Yes that's the Stagecoach fare otherwise I wouldn't have said it had gone up! One a day first thing in the morning is routed down the A38, other than that they're straight through from Aust roundabout to the Mall

 

[mr williams]

Apologies if there's an obvious answer but as a layman is there any reason why a dmu-type train couldn't run from Chepstow to Bristol by simply reversing at STJ?

 

[Nick Ashwell]

There are no switch overs east of STJ anymore, were moved to the west when the fourth platform was reinstated to allow high speed turn outs for trains to and from the tunnel

 

[oglord]

There are no switch overs east of STJ anymore, were moved to the west when the fourth platform was reinstated to allow high speed turn outs for trains to and from the tunnel

Reversing at NT.1730 would allow such a service, but as you point out, it is beyond the station itself.

 

[Nick Ashwell]

Now I'm thinking about it it's also worth mentioning that such a service would only be positive for Chepstow and possibly Lydney. When I lived in Caldicot if I needed a train to Bristol I'd walk through an area referred to by locals as "The ROM", a largely concrete patch which runs from just before Caldicot Station to a small gate located near the footbridge at STJ. I believe it's left over from the old marshaling yard although considering I wasn't born then I may be wrong!

 

[Eddd]

positive for Chepstow and possibly Lydney

And Pilning!

 

[option]

Maybe someone should do some joined up thinking & not allow this sort of stupidity to happen in the first place?

If the jobs, & services, are in Bristol, then build housing in Bristol.
Same for Newport, Cardiff, Gloucester.

 

[Dai Corner]

Maybe someone should do some joined up thinking & not allow this sort of stupidity to happen in the first place?

If the jobs, & services, are in Bristol, then build housing in Bristol.
Same for Newport, Cardiff, Gloucester.

They have been building like mad for decades in Bristol, Newport and Cardiff but Chepstow is regarded as a more desirable place to live than Newport and cheaper than the nicer parts of Bristol and Cardiff.

Joined-up planning is unlikely with five different local authorities and two Governments involved.

 

[Nick Ashwell]

House prices in Chepstow are higher than in the cities, it is therefore more profitable for firms to build houses in Chepstow, hence why in the early 2000s a large group of estates was built both on and around the old Burns hospital (my grandfather at the time was MD of Westbury homes and once told me it was one of his more profitable developments).

As Dai mentions joined up thinking is almost impossible considering things such as transport are now devolved however it actually really only requires Monmouthshire and Forest of Dean District Council on the local authory side for Chepstow's issues to be resolved. We have idiots threatening to sue over building works and the new development behind the train station on the old National Shipyard No.1 is all but approved, without the developers being forced to pay for infrastructure improvements.