Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Lee]

Bristol Evening Post Article (link below.)
http://www.epost.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=17044657&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

[Lee]

Historic photos.
http://www.portisheadrailwaygroup.org/html/photos4.html

Photos of track clearance work (halted by Network Rail.)
http://www.portisheadrailwaygroup.org/html/photos-track_clearance.html

Photos of the current working line between Portbury Docks and the main line in Bristol.
http://www.portisheadrailwaygroup.org/html/photos-current_line.html

Photos of the line from Portishead to Portbury as it is today.
http://www.portisheadrailwaygroup.org/html/photos1.html

Portishead photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/portishead.php

Sheepway photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/sheepway.php

Portbury photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/portbury.php

Marsh Lane photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/marshlane.php

Pill photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/pill.php

Pill Viaduct photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/pillviaduct.php

"Paradise Bottom" Viaduct photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/paradisebottom.php

Netham Quarry photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/nethamquarries3.php

http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/nethamquarries2.php

http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/nethamquarries1.php

Stoneleigh Camp photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/stoneleighcamp.php

Nightingale Valley photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/nightingalevalley.php

Clifton Bridge No1 Tunnel photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/cliftonbridgeno1tunnel.php

Rownham Hill photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/rownhamhill.php

Clifton Bridge photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/cliftonbridge.php

"A Bridge in Ashton" photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/ashtonbridge.php

Ashton Gate Station photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/ashtongate.php

Ashton Junction photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/ashtonjunction.php

Ashton Drive photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/ashtondrive.php

South Liberty Lane - West Depot photos.
http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/southlibertylane.php

[Lee]

The main concerns of people living in Portishead are the railway and the local transport infrastructure , a survey has revealed (link below.)
http://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/content/twm/news/story.aspx?brand=Westonmercury&category=news&tBrand=westonmercury&tCategory=znews&itemid=WeED27%20Jun%202007%2014%3A01%3A56%3A370

[Graz]

Depending on the extent of the survey, 1 out of 4 people is more than enough to justify a passenger service. It's clear to me enough people want it and that it would be well used and also cut traffic to this growing town. So why isn't it being pushed forward more? Surely it won't cost too much, to begin with, to build a small station at Portishead, upgrade the line, and operate a single pacer doing a hourly run to Bristol Temple Meads. Especially seeing the amount of money that gets poured into other 'projects'!

[Lee]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and Portishead Railway Group have been in discussions for quite some time.

[Lee]

Portishead Railway Group will be having a stand at the Portishead Flower Show and Country Fair - Fri 27 - Sat 28 July - Opening times - 2:00 to 8:00 pm on Friday , 10:00 - 6:00 pm on Saturday.

[Lee]

From Portishead Railway Group :

During the last month some of our members along with residents of Portishead wrote to the Government Office of the South West (GOSW^» (Government Offices South West - about)) asking in their own words why, with the chronic transport problems in Portishead and the Gordano Valley, the line to Portishead was not open to passengers. Dr Liam Fox MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) described Portishead in Parliament as "the largest town at the end of a cul-de-sac"

Below is GOSW reply

Dear xx

"Your comments and concerns have been noted. The re-opening of the line was considered as part of the Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study (GBSTS). The final report can be found on our website at

http://www.gosw.gov.uk/gosw/transport/regtransstrat/gbsts/?a=42496.

The study looked at the problems and issues in the area and considered many options for addressing them. The conclusion of the study indicated that a showcase bus route is the recommended scheme for this corridor in the short and medium term and possibly a rapid transit scheme in the longer term. The report was presented to the partners of the study, including the four Greater Bristol authorities, to look at the findings and investigate a way forward.

We await the outcome of their deliberations.

Yours sincerely"

Given that we had been told by the local authorities that it was GOSW that was the stumbling block. GOSW are saying it's the local Authorities that need to investigate a way forward !!!. As GOSW seem to be passing the buck members and residents are writing back asking if GOSW could answer their specific queries like how the hell does a 'showcase bus route work, between Bristol and Portishead, along the A369'

Also earlier this year I had a similar reply from the Dft Rail Sponsor Group saying that the opening of the line was nothing to do with them but down to the local authority. When North Somerset Council were questioned they said "we don't do rail, we do schools, roads etc"

Since Bus de-regulation and Rail privatisation were introduced it seems no one has the guts or balls to make any rational / sensible decisions on our transport needs apart from the mantra "it has to be bus"

[Lee]

7.30 pm , Folk Hall , High Street , Portishead.

New members welcome.
 
 
 

[Lee]

From Portishead Railway Group :

New 2007 petition

Although not initiated by the Portishead Railway Group, we support the petition raised by Mike Sperring and would like as many people as possible to sign it. Please click here >> http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/portisheadrail/

David Jolley petition

A separate petition raised by David Jolley gained 4917 signatures. It asked for changes to a Portishead traffic light junction and for the railway to be reopened. He submitted the petition to North Somerset Council on Tues 27 Sept 2005.

PHRP petition

An e-petition to Bristol City Council was raised in January 2005.

The petition read: ^The undersigned request that Bristol City Council seek the reopening of the Bristol to Portishead Railway as a matter of urgency, by incorporating the reopening of the line into their present and future transport policy and lobbying all agencies concerned with the reopening of the railway line.^

The petition closed on 29 March having collected 327 on-line signatures. It was decided also to produce a paper version which received over 1500 signatures.

It was then decided to take the opportunity of also submitting the petition to North Somerset Council and Portishead Town Council.

The petition was presented to Portishead Town Council on Weds 6 July.

It was presented to Bristol City Council on Weds 12 July by Matt Skidmore (PHRP Co-Chairman) through Councillor Helen Holland and referred to the Executive Member for Transport & Development Control for consideration and response.

It was presented to North Somerset Council on Tues 26 July by Jean Lord, Chair of Portishead Town Council.

An article on this can be found in the link below.
http://www.clevedonmercury.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=223432&command=displayContent&sourceNode=224133&contentPK=18381462&folderPk=104742&pNodeId=224152

[Graz]

Signed with pleasure.

[Lee]

More on this in the link below.
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=18525832&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

[martyjon]

I remember the 'new' station at Portishead which was built in the 50's to replace the original Portishead station, the site of which was required for the extension of Portishead power station, now another memory of the past. A modern building then with colour light signalling. I never actually travelled the line until after it closed to passengers. I dont know the ins and outs of the present situation but my proposal would be to provide a Park and Ride station outside of Portishead more or less at the Portbury site of the old Portbury Station House which is now a private residence. I would provide one station on the line at Pill and my proposal would be to provide 3 up services to Bristol in the morning peak at say 0700, 0730 and 0800, the units travelling down to Portishead as a 3 unit combo, in or out of service, and which split into the three seperate units to form the up services. In the evening peak 3 down services at say 1600, 1700 and 1800 from BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)), returning as a 3 unit combo if there is insufficient time for a unit to return to Parson Street station at least. My proposal would require the installation of a facing locking point at Portbury Junction operated the train crew using the single line token as the key to release the Ground Frame. There would also be a need for a single line token release instrument on this branch line to complement the single line token release instrument on the section that proceeds into the Portbury Docks complex. At Parsons Street station a single line token cabinet would be needed on both platforms similar to the situations at Maiden Newton on the Heart of Wessex line and St. Budeaux, Plymouth for the Gunnislake branch. The current coal and car trains over this branch is at present at a level that would preclude the operation of a greater number of passenger services.

I'm dreaming again.

[Lee]

7.30 pm , Folk Hall , High Street , Portishead.

New members welcome.

[Lee]

Here is the response to the Portishead petition :

The Government's priorities for the railway are set out in the White Paper - Delivering a Sustainable Railway. This is backed up by the High Level Output Specification - a statement of what the Government wishes to buy from the railway industry over the period 2009-2014.

Priorities for this period are to continue to improve safety, improve performance and increase capacity. In respect of the latter, the Government has stated that an additional 1300 new carriages would be added to the network. Some of these will be allocated to services in the Bristol area and the city will also benefit from the investment in the Inter City Express Project which will replace the diesel High Speed Trains. However, the White Paper also states that the 'Government does not envisage changes in the pattern or level of demand large enough in the HLOS^▸ (High Level Output Specification) period to justify developing or opening new regional lines'.

The Government, therefore, does not include the re-opening lines as a priority. However, local transport authorities can consider whether the re-opening of a line is the best way to meet regional and local transport objectives. In Greater Bristol, the four local authorities are working together as the West of England Partnership. They have undertaken the Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study to identify priorities for investment to address issues such as congestion and air quality. This study did not propose the re-opening of the Portishead line as a priority, but it remains open to the Partnership to review this and any other elements of the strategy at any time.

[Lee]

Quote from the link below :
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=19542083&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

Real commitment needs to be given to re-opening the railway otherwise Portishead will eventually grind to a halt