Portishead Line

[Envoy]

I see that yet another consultation is taking place about whether to re-open the Portishead Line - in view of the spiralling costs. Perhaps we should offer foreigners the chance to do work that at present only Network Rail are allowed to do? Amazing, we have the World’s fifth biggest economy yet nothing gets done for years - if at all. Wonder what the Victorians would make of all this. They got things done even though they did not have the benefit of modern machinery.

Story from Bristol Evening Post - read the comments that follow.

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/new-consultation-launched-whether-reopen-664700

A new consultation on whether to reopen the train line between Portishead and Bristol Temple Meads has been launched.

Spoken about for years, but first considered as a serious possibility in 2008 – the MetroWest project has rumbled on for almost a decade with seemingly little progress made.

 

[pdeaves]

I believe this consultation is required by our processes to achieve a development consent order (rather than a 'should we bother or not' type of consultation).

 

[BigCj34]

Spending hundred of millions for just an hourly service that is intended to ease riad congestion sounds daft, though hopefully this report can prove that.

The Victorians may have been able to build wherever, but they had far less democratic processes and safety regulations, most of which exist for a good reason. Would be nice if there was more political will and streamline the processes to expand the network, given widening roads is futile in congested areas.

 

[Chris125]

Bristol Post: Is this the end of the Portishead to Bristol MetroWest rail line?

Despite promising the project was not “dead in the water” and claiming it would open “sooner rather than later” in an interview with Bristol.Live last year, Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, has failed to give any financial support to the line.

Officially called MetroWest phase one, North Somerset Council applied for central government funding to help cover spiralling cost of the £106million project last year.

However the Department for Transport has now revealed its bid was not successful, which means the council will have to find other means to plug the £47million shortfall.

 

[Wychwood93]

Bristol Post: Is this the end of the Portishead to Bristol MetroWest rail line?

The 'hundreds of millions' from #3 not quite the case - a lot of money though. Anyway, Portishead, Henbury loop et al. are critical (more than useful at the least) for MetroWest - when OHLE manages to get to Temple Meads these other MetroWest lines should be included. Whether there is any case for the Metro to roll onwards, given electrification, to Yate (and beyond) and Westbury is another debate. If OHLE BRI/WSB then may as well wire Westbury/Newbury. A touch fanciful, perhaps, but worth considering.

 

[Parallel]

How can there be support from Grayling for the Okehampton line but not the Portishead one? Granted, the Portishead line would require a lot of money and resources to bring it up to scratch but surely the reward would be worth the effort? Bristol is behind many other large city settlements with regards to rail travel, probably partly due to the main station being not overly central, and the relatively poor service on the local lines radiating from it.

 

[yorksrob]

If this falls through, it will just be a perfect illustration of everything that's wrong with this country.

Same old story, again and again and again.

 

[Mag_seven]

If this falls through, it will just be a perfect illustration of everything that's wrong with this country.

Same old story, again and again and again.

Indeed - why does the above sorry story remind me of the death of the proposed Metropolitan line extension to Watford Junction as well?

 

[yorksrob]

Indeed - why does the above sorry story remind me of the death of the proposed Metropolitan line extension to Watford Junction as well?

Obviously there's no funding - we need it to buy new trains to replace three year old ones.

 

[Warwick]

Consultations are an excellent way for consultants to make money. Following the terrible fire at Grenfell Tower of twelve months ago the government is talking about having a consultation to decide whether or not to outlaw flammable material in building cladding. Any person in authority - say, the Minister for the Environment - with the cojones to make a decision would have put a ban on this stuff the day after. I wonder if there's people in government with shares in the company that make the stuff. You really couldn't make this sort of stuff up.

 

[Revilo]

It's not that simple. Having to take the cladding off would be a massive cost for the landlords, which would have knock-on effects eg passing the cost onto tenants. I agree that we over-consult but people complain about not being consulted too.

Back on topic it does seem ludicrous that Portishead has been delayed again. Though North Somerset say they remain committed to it.

 

[PHILIPE]

It's not that simple. Having to take the cladding off would be a massive cost for the landlords, which would have knock-on effects eg passing the cost onto tenants. I agree that we over-consult but people complain about not being consulted too.

Back on topic it does seem ludicrous that Portishead has been delayed again. Though North Somerset say they remain committed to it.

It might have possibly been completed by now but, as with many schemes, time is lost due to dithering. In the meantime costs are increasing.

 

[B&I]

Consultations are an excellent way for consultants to make money. Following the terrible fire at Grenfell Tower of twelve months ago the government is talking about having a consultation to decide whether or not to outlaw flammable material in building cladding. Any person in authority - say, the Minister for the Environment - with the cojones to make a decision would have put a ban on this stuff the day after. I wonder if there's people in government with shares in the company that make the stuff. You really couldn't make this sort of stuff up.

The problem is that we have too many people employed to consult on things, and not enough people employed to actually do them. Hence, there is an incentive built in the system to consult as much as possible, and do as little as possible.

Bristol, BTW, could probably do with some combination of enhanced regional commuter rail (perhaps stretching as far as Cardiff, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Westbury, Swindon and Cheltenham, and trams, in order to serve the city centre and southern and western suburbs properly, and to take over the shorter existing and former rail.alignments eg Severn Beach, the Henbury Loop, the lines through Mangotsfield, anything useful that remains of the Bristol & North Somerset. In this vein, wouldn't an on-street diversion of Portishead services through Bedminster make more sense ? Also, some sort of footbridge connecting the Portishead line to the Severn Beach line in the vicinity of Sea Mills.

 

[jw]

DfT have plugged the gap in funding allowing Metrowest Phase 1 to proceed.

Opening of new Portishead rail line secured with millions in funding

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/...-2732666#ICID=Android_BristolPostApp_AppShare

 

[BigCj34]

Holy smokes, Chris Grayling doesn't do something stupid!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Holy smokes, Chris Grayling doesn't do something stupid!

Is this post a week late? I'm not sure I'm buying it...

 

[BigCj34]

Is this post a week late? I'm not sure I'm buying it...

Why, has he gone on to cancel it? What has happened in the last week?

 

[Mordac]

Why, has he gone on to cancel it? What has happened in the last week?

It was April Fools a week ago.

 

[BigCj34]

It was April Fools a week ago.

Well that's annoying. How could I ever have thought Chris Grayling would do something sensible...

 

[Revilo]

Just in time for the North Somerset Council elections in May too? Surely this must be entirely coincidental

Still very welcome news.

 

[adrock1976]

The 'hundreds of millions' from #3 not quite the case - a lot of money though. Anyway, Portishead, Henbury loop et al. are critical (more than useful at the least) for MetroWest - when OHLE manages to get to Temple Meads these other MetroWest lines should be included. Whether there is any case for the Metro to roll onwards, given electrification, to Yate (and beyond) and Westbury is another debate. If OHLE BRI/WSB then may as well wire Westbury/Newbury. A touch fanciful, perhaps, but worth considering.

The problem is that we have too many people employed to consult on things, and not enough people employed to actually do them. Hence, there is an incentive built in the system to consult as much as possible, and do as little as possible.

Bristol, BTW, could probably do with some combination of enhanced regional commuter rail (perhaps stretching as far as Cardiff, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Westbury, Swindon and Cheltenham, and trams, in order to serve the city centre and southern and western suburbs properly, and to take over the shorter existing and former rail.alignments eg Severn Beach, the Henbury Loop, the lines through Mangotsfield, anything useful that remains of the Bristol & North Somerset. In this vein, wouldn't an on-street diversion of Portishead services through Bedminster make more sense ? Also, some sort of footbridge connecting the Portishead line to the Severn Beach line in the vicinity of Sea Mills.

I recently came up with a Somerset, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire Tahktplan (clockface timetable) for the region, which included Portishead (every 30 minutes) and Henry (every 60 minutes). The thread is located at https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...d-gloucestershire-clockface-timetable.179733/

 

[InOban]

But the scheme for now funded will permit only one train an hour.

 

[BigCj34]

Well that's annoying. How could I ever have thought Chris Grayling would do something sensible...

Just checked the date. So people thought it was an April fool but it's not because it was published today. Man I'm slow today...

Will the line only have the capacity for 1tph or will it have more potential capacity but the service itself only funded for 1tph?

 

[InOban]

As I read the report, the capital cost was reduced to what the government would pay, and this limits the frequency. Presumably they've omitted a loop.

 

[pdeaves]

As I read the report, the capital cost was reduced to what the government would pay, and this limits the frequency. Presumably they've omitted a loop.

Much of the frequency reduction comes down to track alignment and, consequently, train speed, driving the out-and-back journey time (i.e. cannot get back before the next train would need to enter the branch). There was never a loop to omit.

 

[class26]

Much of the frequency reduction comes down to track alignment and, consequently, train speed, driving the out-and-back journey time (i.e. cannot get back before the next train would need to enter the branch). There was never a loop to omit.

There was an article a few months ago in Modern Railways and apparently the speed was to have been 50 mph but along the branch will now be 30 mph.

 

[Meerkat]

Is Bristol traffic really bad enough that a 30mph train will be attractive (bearing in mind you have to get to/from the stations at each end?
A 30mph train that isn’t stopping frequently is going to feel glacial!

 

[Lucan]

Is Bristol traffic really bad enough that a 30mph train will be attractive

Yes. You should see the traffic jam every afternoon rush hour along the inner lane of the M5 westbound, over the Avon Bridge, waiting to turn off for Portishead.

 

[BigCj34]

While this is clearly better than nothing, a 30mph service every hour has the appearance of a heritage railway operation. How is it so slow?

 

[alistairlees]

There's sod all point spending lots of money on new infrastructure for a once-per-hour service in an urban area. It really should be every 30 minutes minimum (preferably more frequent) in an urban area, or don't bother at all. Otherwise it is just not going to generate modal shift. And 30mph maximum? Yeah, that'll get people out of cars!