Re-opening Bristol-Gloucester/Mangotsfield-Bath as a tram line

[S-Bahn]

Can't see a thread for this one so here goes.

Should the old line that now forms the Bristol and Bath railway cycle path be re-opened as a light rail/tram line to help ease traffic congestion in Bristol? (akin to the Edinburgh trams).

I'm assuming of course there isn't the demand to extend to Bath, so it's more for the suburbs of Bristol as a means of commuting into the Temple Meads area.

 

[edwin_m]

I actually looked into this when Bristol was considering trams about 20 years ago (and it was looked at before that as part of various Avon rapid transit ideas). It looked to be technically feasible, runs through existing populated area to serve areas around Mangotsfield that at the time were just being developed, so ought to attract good numbers of passengers. However the cycling lobby would be dead against it, and a new route would be needed into Bristol and the old one is blocked by Barton Hill depot.

No possibility of running to Gloucester as that part is still open as the cross-country main line, and southwards from Yate is a freight line as far as the oil terminal next to the M4.