Portishead approved

[och aye]

Press release from Network Rail.

Restoring Your Railway: contract signing brings Portishead to Bristol rail services a step closer

Commuters between Portishead and Bristol are a step closer to benefitting from a new rail link as the project to restore the disused railway through North Somerset reaches a new milestone.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Commuters between Portishead and Bristol are a step closer to benefitting from a new rail link as the project to restore the disused railway through North Somerset reaches a new milestone.


Network Rail has appointed VolkerFitzpatrick as the primary contractor for the programme, which will see stations built in Pill and Portishead as part of the Government’s Restoring Your Railway scheme. The appointment of VolkerFitzpatrick follows the Department for Transport announcement of planning consent in November last year.


The £6.14m contract is part of the scheme to reopen the line, which is funded by the Government’s Restoring Your Railway fund, Department for Transport, West of England Combined Authority and North Somerset Council.


Once complete, the new passenger service will connect 50,000 residents to the railway network by reopening a line that was closed in 1964. The scheme is part of the MetroWest programme, which will bring suburban services to more stations across the west of England.


Over the next 12-18 months the project will complete the detailed design phase, as well as ground and ecology surveys and enabling works, while preparing the full business case for decision makers.

 

[zwk500]

The last sentence there is key - it's still not nailed down!

 

[contrex]

The last sentence there is key - it's still not nailed down!

Bristolian resident since 1970, and not holding my breath.

 

[John R]

Given the huge amount of work that had to be done to satisfy the DCO Inspector in respect of the ecological impact of the scheme (a particular stumbling block I recall) it does surprise me that further detailed ecological surveys are part of the stated works.

 

[zwk500]

Given the huge amount of work that had to be done to satisfy the DCO Inspector in respect of the ecological impact of the scheme (a particular stumbling block I recall) it does surprise me that further detailed ecological surveys are part of the stated works.

I would imagine they're trying to anticipate potential objections, and thus delays. Given the concerns that have been raised regarding the ecological impact before it would be foolhardy in the extreme not to keep the ecological surveys up to date.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

I would imagine they're trying to anticipate potential objections, and thus delays. Given the concerns that have been raised regarding the ecological impact before it would be foolhardy in the extreme not to keep the ecological surveys up to date.

it should be past all that it has a DCO now

 

[zwk500]

it should be past all that it has a DCO now

As the snippet said:

Over the next 12-18 months the project will complete the detailed design phase, as well as ground and ecology surveys and enabling works, while preparing the full business case for decision makers.

So there's a decision to be made at some point, and the business case will need to consider the ecological mitigation works required.

 

[John R]

As the snippet said:

So there's a decision to be made at some point, and the business case will need to consider the ecological mitigation works required.

But they were set out in the DCO, most notably in respect of the problematic Bristol Whitebeam trees, which can’t have grown or multiplied too much in the last couple of years. It’s a classic example of how project cost increases and delays drag on to an extent that I suggest other countries would not tolerate. Remember all bar the last 3 miles is already a fully functioning railway, and those 3 still had a track until the trackbed was cleared relatively recently for initial surveying.

 

[Annetts key]

Press release from Network Rail.

Restoring Your Railway: contract signing brings Portishead to Bristol rail services a step closer

Commuters between Portishead and Bristol are a step closer to benefitting from a new rail link as the project to restore the disused railway through North Somerset reaches a new milestone.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Once complete, the new passenger service will connect 50,000 residents to the railway network by reopening a line that was closed in 1964. The scheme is part of the MetroWest programme, which will bring suburban services to more stations across the west of England.

Err, 1964 may have been the last regular passenger traffic, but the line was not closed on that date.
It was in theory available and open for freight traffic. And indeed occasionally saw engineering vehicle movements (sorry, can’t remember any details). And occasionally specials ran on the line. Yes, including passengers.

All the above was while it was under BR. I don’t think anything used the line on the run up to privatisation though. But may be mistaken. Certainly nothing used it after the electrical signalling equipment for Ashton Junction signal box was condemned and disconnected (1993 I think).

A brief history of the branch from the Portishead Railway Group website.
Many thanks to Paul Gregory for permission to use the following.
The main GWR station was demolished in 1954 to enable access to the new Portishead B Power Station, and a modern terminus station was built where the Waitrose petrol station stands today. The new station opened on 4 January 1954, but didn’t have a very long life, because the branch line was closed to passengers on 7 September 1964 and to normal goods on 1 May 1967. Fortunately, the line was not taken up because it remained open for private freight from the docks until 1981.

The line continued to be used for football specials until 1977, but only the short distance to Ashton Gate. Then in 1985 the line was used for the GWR150 celebrations, for which a run-round loop was built in Portishead. There had been many attempts over the years to reopen the line but without success. Even in 1966, Portishead Town Council were pressing for the line to be reopened!

However, once the Royal Portbury Dock (opened in 1978) became fully established, it became viable to open the branch line again to enable cars to be transported from the docks. At a cost of £21m the line reopened in 2002 but only as far as the Portbury docks and for freight only. The remaining old track (just 3.3 miles) still exists into Portishead and surely one day must be reopened.

From here (link).

I do wish that the people who write misleading garbage would try harder. The information on this is not hard to find…

 

[fandroid]

The NCE magazine reports that the design and construction contract for the Portishead reopening has been awarded to Volker Fitzpatrick. Phase 1 - design has the go-ahead, with Phase 2 - construction potentially to follow.

 

[simonw]

Err, 1964 may have been the last regular passenger traffic, but the line was not closed on that date.
It was in theory available and open for freight traffic. And indeed occasionally saw engineering vehicle movements (sorry, can’t remember any details). And occasionally specials ran on the line. Yes, including passengers.

All the above was while it was under BR. I don’t think anything used the line on the run up to privatisation though. But may be mistaken. Certainly nothing used it after the electrical signalling equipment for Ashton Junction signal box was condemned and disconnected (1993 I think).

From here (link).

I do wish that the people who write misleading garbage would try harder. The information on this is not hard to find…

Given the line is being reopened for passengers (assuming it is reopened) and no passenger trains have run and allowed passengers to leave or board the train in Portishead, I think the press release gets across the correct message.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

But they were set out in the DCO, most notably in respect of the problematic Bristol Whitebeam trees, which can’t have grown or multiplied too much in the last couple of years. It’s a classic example of how project cost increases and delays drag on to an extent that I suggest other countries would not tolerate. Remember all bar the last 3 miles is already a fully functioning railway, and those 3 still had a track until the trackbed was cleared relatively recently for initial surveying.

Indeed

 

[Dan G]

I would imagine they're trying to anticipate potential objections, and thus delays. Given the concerns that have been raised regarding the ecological impact before it would be foolhardy in the extreme not to keep the ecological surveys up to date.

But they were set out in the DCO, most notably in respect of the problematic Bristol Whitebeam trees, which can’t have grown or multiplied too much in the last couple of years. It’s a classic example of how project cost increases and delays drag on to an extent that I suggest other countries would not tolerate. Remember all bar the last 3 miles is already a fully functioning railway, and those 3 still had a track until the trackbed was cleared relatively recently for initial surveying.

The surveys are to provide input to the works programme, not for any approval process.

 

[Snow1964]

The construction bid award to Volkerfitzpatrick for Portishead line has been published

MetroWest 1b - Portishead Branch Line Works [Award]

An award has been made for a multi-disciplinary works project for the re-opening of a passenger serv... A Contract Award Notice by Network Rail Infrastructure. Value £50M.

bidstats.uk

Award Detail​

1	Volkerfitzpatrick (Hoddesdon) Metrowest1b - Bristol to Portishead Works Reference: 003293-2023-ecm35264-1 Value: £49,777,687

 

[The exile]

As the snippet said:

So there's a decision to be made at some point, and the business case will need to consider the ecological mitigation works required.

Thinking optimistically - the decisions could be things like where to site the ticket machine or what colour to paint the lampposts (trivialising it slightly - but that sort of thing rather than “do we go ahead at all”)

 

[Sean Emmett]

Will the platforms at Pill and Portishead still be 5-car length, or reduced to 3-car as mooted as a cost-cutting exercise?

 

[Snow1964]

Will the platforms at Pill and Portishead still be 5-car length, or reduced to 3-car as mooted as a cost-cutting exercise?

In big scheme of things, building the platform shorter doesn't save much money, especially if have to go back few years later to lengthen it. Although sometimes can get a very marginal scheme over the cost-benefit threshold.

GWR don't really have enough 165s to form 5car sets anyway.

The 150s are 40m multiples, and triple sets are not a GWR norm

The 158s and 166s were never designed to be used on short local trains, having been configured more as outer suburban or secondary routes

 

[zwk500]

In big scheme of things, building the platform shorter doesn't save much money, especially if have to go back few years later to lengthen it. Although sometimes can get a very marginal scheme over the cost-benefit threshold.

Agreed, platform length would only come into it if lengthening them required expensive land to be acquired or something like a bridge reconstruction.

 

[contrex]

Err, 1964 may have been the last regular passenger traffic, but the line was not closed on that date.
It was in theory available and open for freight traffic. And indeed occasionally saw engineering vehicle movements (sorry, can’t remember any details). And occasionally specials ran on the line. Yes, including passengers.

When I worked for the Ordnance Survey at a local section doing the 1:1250 tacheometric resurvey in 1972-73 we went to Portishead and 'did', among other places, the power station sidings, having to wait for intervals between coal trains drawn by Peaks. I believe the last trainload of coal arrived at the station on 16 November 1973.

 

[Mag_seven]

When I worked for the Ordnance Survey at a local section doing the 1:1250 tacheometric resurvey in 1972-73 we went to Portishead and 'did', among other places, the power station sidings, having to wait for intervals between coal trains drawn by Peaks. I believe the last trainload of coal arrived at the station on 16 November 1973.

Thread reopened for update from @Snow1964

 

[Snow1964]

July Update on Portishead has been published by Metrowest

• July 2023
  
  
  The ecology enabling works are now progressing at a significant pace, with work continuing throughout the summer under the supervision of ecologists. Works completed so far include:
  • Multiple ecological licence applications have been granted and works are being carried out under their respective licence conditions to protect Great Crested Newts, badgers, and the propagation of Bristol Rock Cress
  • Tree planting on the A369 Portbury Hundred to provide an alternative bat corridor has been completed and a maintenance plan is in place to ensure they are fed and watered, which will continue over the coming months
  • 1,200 metres of reptile fencing has been installed at multiple locations along the disused line and in the Ecology Park at Portishead
  • Reptile trapping is currently underway, requiring at least 60 days with ecologists visiting the 1,000+ reptile mats daily and safely moving them to the two translocation sites away from the line
  • Reptile displacement also has to occur in certain locations which involves gradually reducing the length of the vegetation to encourage them away from the line to more suitable habitats
  • Several bird and bat boxes have been installed to provide alternative nesting locations and roosts whilst work is underway
  Detailed design is also taking place, otherwise known as Network Rail’s GRIP stage 5. The project team continue to assist the contractors with this work stream, and we’d like to thank all those landowners and tenants who have allowed the teams access for noise surveys, ground investigations works, soil sampling, and other necessary works.

MetroWest - WEST

MetroWest will transform rail travel in the region, generating over a million new rail journeys and giving 80,000 more people access to train services.

travelwest.info

 

[Yindee8191]

July Update on Portishead has been published by Metrowest

MetroWest - WEST

MetroWest will transform rail travel in the region, generating over a million new rail journeys and giving 80,000 more people access to train services.

travelwest.info

Good to hear it’s moving along!

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Good to hear it’s moving along!

Still not received full approval though I believe although one for a pre election bribe perhaps.

 

[brad465]

Still not received full approval though I believe although one for a pre election bribe perhaps.

The branch would go through Liam Fox's constituency, and while relatively safe, his vote share is just over 50% which with the sort of swing currently predicted nationally is enough to cause concern, so a pre-election bribe is certainly possible.

 

[Yindee8191]

The branch would go through Liam Fox's constituency, and while relatively safe, his vote share is just over 50% which with the sort of swing currently predicted nationally is enough to cause concern, so a pre-election bribe is certainly possible.

As a local resident I can confirm that the railway is a massive issue here, definitely seen as symbolic. The abiding opinion is currently that it’ll never happen, so it’d be a big boost to Fox’s campaign to be able to prove they’ve started work on it under his government. I think he’s safe either way but the Lib Dems ran a good campaign in 2019 and could give him a run for his money.

 

[yorksrob]

This is where being a marginal constituency can be handy.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

In the DfT 2022/23 annual accounts it has this reference

• the project to restore the Bristol to Portishead line received an additional funding contribution of £15.65 million in summer 2022
• the granting of a Development Consent Order in November 2022 has enabled early work to be undertaken on site, and a Full Business Case is expected to be submitted in early 2024

How much money has been wasted on business cases for this project and surely they have all the necessary info now why does it take another 6mths to complete only for it to sit on the SoS in-tray. Mind you i agree with posters above it will be handy project to approve in the run up to a GE.

 

[Brush 4]

Here is the reopening saga in all its time wasting 'creative inertia' glory. Note how many business cases there are. Also, a 2 stage consultation, a pre-examination period, a post decision period. You what?

Timescales - Portishead Railway Group

Portishead Railway Group - campaigning for the reopening of the Portishead to Bristol Railway.

www.portisheadrailwaygroup.org

 

[zwk500]

Here is the reopening saga in all its time wasting 'creative inertia' glory. Note how many business cases there are.

So we shouldn't ask how much benefit a line will deliver and just plough money into any reopening whenever?

More seriously, GRIP has been replaced with PACE for new projects which aims to streamline the process.

Also, a 2 stage consultation, a pre-examination period, a post decision period. You what?

The 2-stage consultation allows changes after the 1st consultation to be reviewed. The Pre-examination period and Post-decision period are part of the Development Consent Order process and allow for things like identifying which reports are needed for the DCO and tendering for them and responding to any challenges or appeals. You could include these activities in other stage titles, but the overall time needed for them is the same regardless.

 

[Snow1964]

Quick history lesson, after world war 2, Bristol did a land swap with Somerset so it could build 30,000 homes on southern side of city. Portishead (along with other docks) were part of Bristol, but were exchanged and given to Somerset in 1949.

How Bristol traded Portishead Marina for Hartcliffe

...and nearly got Kingswood too

www.bristolpost.co.uk

In recent years Portishead has seen huge housing growth, basically as a Bristol suburb, because people can't afford the city centre, even though they work there. So need for line restoration is not really in doubt. But I agree, all the drawn out consultations and reports to basically replace what used to exist does seem excessive.

From Portishead local plan, seems there has been a 60% growth since 2011 to 27,000 residents, and plan assumes rail line will open. Not really surprising that after the power station closed in 1980 the then small Portishead lost its remaining rail connection

Portishead Neighbourhood Plan

Details of the Portishead Neighbourhood Plan and all supporting documents.

n-somerset.gov.uk