Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Bmblbzzz]

Barry Cash is a well known figure in Bristol. I believe he was at one point a city councillor for the LibDems, he also engages in long running disputes by letter in the Bristol Post. And apparently, in a burst of nominative determinism, he owns a cash and carry!

Edit: On closer inspection it's not a cash and carry, unfortunately.

[Robin Summerhill]

It is, though, excellent to test ideas / plans / directions against independent ideas;

I absolutely and entirely agree. However, in order to avoid one's new idea being shot down in flames before the ink is dry, and/or to stop oneself looking like an ill-informed idiot, it is usually found best to do at least a little research on and testing of your idea before one announces it to the general public.

This Mr Cash appears to have failed to do. Dismally...

However, all has become more clear since this thread informed me that the man was once a City Councillor. Politicians, of all hues, are very good and publicising innovative and ground-breaking ideas to get themselves the headlines, before someone with more nouse comes along, costs it and discovers the pitfalls that there will inevitably be.

Perhaps he could stand for the new leader of the Tory party? Then to compliment the Boris Bridge and Boris Island non-schemes, we could have a Barry Brexit. This could involve renaming the country Utopia and then claiming that, whilst the old tired UK^▸ (United Kingdom) might still be in the EU^» (European Union - about), the new and forward-looking Utopia would not be. It seems as good an idea as anything that anybody else has come up with...

[TonyK]

From Grimsby Live

Boris Johnson says he would reopen Suggitts Lane level crossing if he becomes Prime Minister

You are just so much better read than I am, grahame. Things quiet in Melksham? 

Edit: On closer inspection it's not a cash and carry, unfortunately.

No, smash and grab is the other one.

It is, though, excellent to test ideas / plans / directions against independent ideas;

I absolutely and entirely agree. However, in order to avoid one's new idea being shot down in flames before the ink is dry, and/or to stop oneself looking like an ill-informed idiot, it is usually found best to do at least a little research on and testing of your idea before one announces it to the general public.

This Mr Cash appears to have failed to do. Dismally...

To put it another way, he would look mad, even at a Liberal Democrat conference.

Now, where did I leave my coat...

[Trowres]

As the forum has slipped a little from its usual high standard on the reception of ideas for testing, here's a reminder that shared-use of rail route has its uses:

https://www.highland.gov.uk/news/article/11319/road_to_rail_traffic_management_in_place_at_stromeferry_bypass

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-45963730

[grahame]

As the forum has slipped a little from its usual high standard on the reception of ideas for testing, here's a reminder that shared-use of rail route has its uses:

https://www.highland.gov.uk/news/article/11319/road_to_rail_traffic_management_in_place_at_stromeferry_bypass

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-45963730

The things I recall about that setup was the incredibly long time needed to switch between the two types of traffic along the joint use section, and the weight limits on its use.  It was a partial temporary solution to a problem - I don't know about its expandability / changeability.   Previously was also done over the bridge at Connel Ferry?

 

[Bmblbzzz]

There are various bridges in New Zealand which are shared use between rail and road. But those are specific points in areas without much road traffic (probably little rail traffic too) where the cost of a separate bridge presumably cannot be justified. "Longitudinal level crossings" as someone said. And it was way back in the 90s when I saw them, some might have been converted now.

[martyjon]

Big day tomorrow June 14th, WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) to approve £350 million spend on rail infrastructure works in the Bristol Area with
7 new stations including Portishead, Pill, Henbury, Filton North and Charfield. All old news re-cycled of course, as is the norm with our local (and national) politicians but this time with the added bonus words "will approve" but how long will it be before we see shovels on the ground ?

[TonyK]

Big day tomorrow June 14th, WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) to approve £350 million spend on rail infrastructure works in the Bristol Area with
7 new stations including Portishead, Pill, Henbury, Filton North and Charfield. All old news re-cycled of course, as is the norm with our local (and national) politicians but this time with the added bonus words "will approve" but how long will it be before we see shovels on the ground ?

Years await us. I assume the missing ones are Ashley Down / Ashley Hill and maybe Horfield?

Some tweaks will be required to the final scheme to increase the benefit-to-cost ratio to the required threshold.

from the Bristol Post story. Not like MetroBust, then.

[johnneyw]

Big day tomorrow June 14th, WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) to approve £350 million spend on rail infrastructure works in the Bristol Area with
7 new stations including Portishead, Pill, Henbury, Filton North and Charfield. All old news re-cycled of course, as is the norm with our local (and national) politicians but this time with the added bonus words "will approve" but how long will it be before we see shovels on the ground ?

Years await us. I assume the missing ones are Ashley Down / Ashley Hill and maybe Horfield?

Some tweaks will be required to the final scheme to increase the benefit-to-cost ratio to the required threshold.

from the Bristol Post story. Not like MetroBust, then.

Sadly, no word of the Henbury Loop being revisited in the Bristol Post article but it's interesting to see Aztec West mentioned in a mass transit/suburban rail context.

[martyjon]

No mention of Ashton Gate Halt either in a resurrected Ashton Gate Interchange right alongside the Metrobus guided Busway. The local politicians got no vision, their only view is through the windscreen of their cars cos they consider themselves too high and mighty to use A BUS.

[Red Squirrel]

North Somerset Council has agreed to submit the Development Consent Order (DCO^▸ (Driver Controlled Operation))

Government approval sought for major transport scheme

A nationally significant scheme to re-open the Portishead to Bristol railway line is to be submitted to the Government for formal approval.

At yesterday’s Full Council meeting (Tuesday 25 June), North Somerset Council agreed to submit a Development Consent Order (DCO) application to the Planning Inspectorate for the £116m MetroWest Phase 1 scheme. The (DCO) application seeks powers to build and operate the disused section of railway from Portishead to Pill, gain environmental consent to undertake works to the existing freight railway through the Avon Gorge and obtain powers for the compulsory acquisition of land.

Councillors also agreed to enter into a new formal agreement with Network Rail.

Relaunching train services from Portishead with new stations at Portishead and Pill is a key part of the first phase of the MetroWest programme of transport improvements across the region being led by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about)) and North Somerset Council.

Benefits of the scheme include:

181,000 fewer car trips in the opening year, increasing to 278,000 fewer car trips a year by 2036
A reduction of 7.5 million car kilometres in the opening year
958,980 passenger trips by rail in the opening year increasing to 1,295,103 passenger trips by 2036
Bringing more than 50,000 people within the immediate catchment of the two new stations at Portishead and Pill
Providing better access to employment and educational opportunities
Upgrading the existing train service at 16 stations across three rail corridors, directly benefiting 180,000 people within a 1km catchment
Creating 514 new direct permanent jobs and temporary jobs during construction
Providing £3 of quantified benefits for every £1 invested to deliver the scheme, putting the scheme in the high value for money category
Enhancing the regional economy by £264m in the first ten years.
Leader of North Somerset Council Cllr Donald Davies said the council was committed to investing in local infrastructure: “MetroWest Phase 1 is a nationally significant project that will deliver wide ranging environmental and economic benefits to our region.

“Once completed, Metro West Phase 1 will connect an additional 50,000 residents directly to the national rail network and will improve the level of service for a further 180,000 residents on the Severn Beach and Bath corridors.”

Regional Mayor, Tim Bowles, added: “I want the West of England to have the rail network it deserves to help reduce congestion, improve air quality and keep people moving. This is a huge step forward and complements our plans to provide direct services between Severn Beach and Bath for the first time, as well as the re-opening of Henbury train station.”

Once the application is registered by the Planning Inspectorate, the Secretary of State for Transport is expected to make a decision within 18 months.

Subject to final business case approval, construction work is expected to start on the Portishead to Bristol line in December 2021 and take around two years to complete.

Source: North Somerset Council

Edit: VickiS - Clarifying acronym

[IndustryInsider]

958,980 passenger trips by rail in the opening year increasing to 1,295,103 passenger trips by 2036

I don’t know what’s more impressive.  The number of passenger trips that will be taken, or the fact their forecast modelling is that advanced it can predict usage down to a single passenger level of accuracy! 

[johnneyw]

Not to forget that rail passengers usage estimates for new/reopened line have tended to underestimate the actual figures, often quite considerably.

[grahame]

958,980 passenger trips by rail in the opening year increasing to 1,295,103 passenger trips by 2036

I don’t know what’s more impressive.  The number of passenger trips that will be taken, or the fact their forecast modelling is that advanced it can predict usage down to a single passenger level of accuracy! 

The 2036 forecast is really odd.  Look at any recent year ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) station figures and you'll find even numbers at all (nearly all? - there may be exceptions) times.  But there's a forecast for 2036 that includes an odd number of one way trips.  Do we expect a heavy one way hiking traffic, will people be moving to Portishead and arriving by train, or is there plans for a school traffic like Dilton Marsh where the kids go to school by bus and home by train ...

[TonyK]

The 2036 forecast is really odd.  Look at any recent year ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) station figures and you'll find even numbers at all (nearly all? - there may be exceptions) times.  But there's a forecast for 2036 that includes an odd number of one way trips.  Do we expect a heavy one way hiking traffic, will people be moving to Portishead and arriving by train, or is there plans for a school traffic like Dilton Marsh where the kids go to school by bus and home by train ...

Don't knock it. This is what happened in getting the necessary brownie points to "build" MetroBust, and what used to happen when my performance was assessed by numerical results. First, write the number that you need to achieve at the bottom of a large piece of paper. Next, work backwards until you arrive at the correct question.