Western Gateway proposals

[The exile]

Taking their example from Belgium’s Kusttram?

 

[Topological]

The tunnel is used to regular closures for engineering works, so I doubt a closure for linking up a new route at each end will be much more disruptive, if at all.

If a bridge/alternative tunnel was built, then it would make sense to tie this in with line speed enhancements to improve the service as well. Currently the tunnel is 75mph throughout; if a new crossing could be raised to at least 100mph and Severn Tunnel jct be remodelled (which I suspect would have to happen anyway if a replacement crossing was built), then this could also, with other infrastructure enhancements, increase the line speed from Severn Tunnel jct to Newport, which is fairly straight at 75/HST90 and being 4-track, slower trains would be out of the way here.

I doubt we will ever see a bridge, but looking out from the Prince of Wales Bridge yesterday, it did seem like one would work well enough. Might mask the view of the old bridge, but that is not a major issue.

 

[brad465]

I doubt we will ever see a bridge, but looking out from the Prince of Wales Bridge yesterday, it did seem like one would work well enough. Might mask the view of the old bridge, but that is not a major issue.

Was a combined road and rail bridge ever considered when the Prince of Wales bridge (then called the Second Severn Crossing) was designed? If such a combined structure was possible for the Oresund Bridge and tunnel, which is a far longer crossing, I can't see why it wasn't for this crossing, other than an increased cost someone wasn't prepared to spend.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

The new bridge was privately financed by the civil eng contractors and the banks in return for a 30 yr concession, so little interest in including a railway as well.

One wonders what the lifespan of the old bridge - it was looking very tired and worn the last time I drove over it. Could a new rail / road bridge be built here - the span is much shorter although much more new railway would have to be built on the English side?

 

[JamesT]

The new bridge was privately financed by the civil eng contractors and the banks in return for a 30 yr concession, so little interest in including a railway as well.

One wonders what the lifespan of the old bridge - it was looking very tired and worn the last time I drove over it. Could a new rail / road bridge be built here - the span is much shorter although much more new railway would have to be built on the English side?

I think added to that, back in the late 80s when the second bridge was being proposed, was there any suggestion that the rail routes were inadequate? It would seem somewhat extravagant to have added a new railway to a bridge whose primary purpose was relieving an inadequate road route.

I believe the first crossing is similar to the Forth Road Bridge which has a 120-year lifespan. Especially with the downgrading of traffic and remedial measures for the cable corrosion it is expected to be able to reach that.

 

[Meerkat]

I would assume that a high level rail bridge would cause all sorts of planning issues due to the long and highly visible ramps. That is presumably why one concept found it better to spend on two lifting bridges and extra viaduct (though that was as part of a barrage)

 

[The Planner]

I would assume that a high level rail bridge would cause all sorts of planning issues due to the long and highly visible ramps. That is presumably why one concept found it better to spend on two lifting bridges and extra viaduct (though that was as part of a barrage)

Why would it be any different to the Prince of Wales bridge?

 

[Mr. Angry]

The journey time from Reading to Bristol Parkway is only 45 mins. So if Old Oak Common is called London then it is already not far off 60 mins...

I don't think the Weston-Cardiff barrage will ever be built for a range of reasons, but a smaller Shoots barrage - between the two Severn Bridges - is more realistic and achievable and that could be easily integrated with a new Severn Rail crossing.

Grand Union/Lumo will run non-stop from London to Bristol Parkway, that could be done in an hour.

 

[brad465]

Grand Union/Lumo will run non-stop from London to Bristol Parkway, that could be done in an hour.

Will this service skip OOC when the station opens?

 

[Meerkat]

Why would it be any different to the Prince of Wales bridge?

I was assuming railway approaches will be at a gentler gradient than the road ones, and forgetting that the newer bridge is very long compared to the shipping span bit.

 

[Dr Day]

As we are still in speculative ideas….

Could a Greater Bristol Metro, with road-capable trams/tram-trains operate to a park and ride somewhere near Chepstow using a largely segregated route incorporating sections of de-motorwayed M32 and M48, including the original Severn Bridge? Maybe even integrate with the South East Wales Metro and serve where many people in South East Wales east of Newport actually want to go, which is around Bristol rather than Cardiff.

Free up the scarce tunnel capacity for more of what heavy rail is best at - freight and intercity - with local commuter traffic on a separate network which may have longer journey times compared with station to station times but would be cheaper to operate, higher frequency, and if planned properly more easily accessible from more residential and employment centres with excellent interchange with other modes, including parking.