Sewweb - South East Wales and West of England Business link

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From The Sewweb team - originally posted last Sunday

South East Wales and West of England Business rail link

Fast and regular train services connecting South Wales, North Somerset and the inner residential areas of Bristol with the Patchway, Aztec West and Westgate business areas of North Bristol, and with Bristol Temple Meads for the City Centre and ongoing train connections to the rest of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

Up to five trains an hour will serve a new station at Aztec West, a re-sited Pilning (Westgate) station, and the existing Patchway station allowing quick and easy rail travel between home and work.

Work will commence on the new and re-sited stations in January 2019, with services calling by December 2019. The budget for this project is £15 million - that's less that a fifteenth of the cost of Metrobus - and will be undertaken under JFDI^▸ (just flipping do it (polite version)) (Just do it!) principles. "Cheap and cheerful" says Tom Plates, mayor of the West of England "I want this to come in on budget and be open well before I stand for re-election".

Key business stations

* Aztec West will be the closest station to Cribb's Causeway - just two stops on the MetroBus, and will have station entrances both at the south of the station and at the north direct to the business park. Buses from Thornbury running directly along the A38 stop just a stone's throw from the station.

* Pilning Westgate on Cross Hands Road will have easy path access to the Westgate distribution centre and business parks, park and ride space with easy access off the old Severn Bridge for residents of Chepstow and the Forest of Dean, and be within easy and pavemented walking distance of the village. Leisure traffic is catered for to, with buses running to Wave, to the Wild Place project and to Severn Beach. There are connections to the National Cycleway network for days out including cycling over the Severn.

* Patchway station will serve industry and residences on Gypsy Patch Lane, and a stop on the Metrobus extension. It's within a short stroll of the Cribbs Patchway New Neighbourhood (CPNN) which will be built over the next ten years. Councillor Nicol Fish, Cabinet Member responsible for planning, said "it's a bit arse about face in the UK to provide public transport before everyone has bought their second car, but because Patchway station is already there we have a sporting chance of getting it right this time"

The station build at Pilning Westgate (provisional name) is straightforward, and with the platforms on the outer tracks operationally robust. That provides an option for faster trains to overtake slower ones, as at Dawlish Warren and at Totnes. There is a choice to be made as to whether the eastbound platform is situated to the east or west of the access road bridge.

Continues at http://www.sewweb.info - with a lot more technical data, pictures, maps, timetables.

[grahame]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/12135242142/permalink/10155492075107143/

A train from your home area to your work area. Surely that wouldn't work?

Impressive, particularly because it responds to Greater Bristol as it is now, rather than harking back to historic settlement patterns all the time.

[Wizard]

Open by next December? Sounds ‘optimisic’.

[grahame]

Open by next December? Sounds ‘optimisic’.

Ah ... timescale if adopted rapidly and implemented under JFDI^▸ (just flipping do it (polite version)) principles (Workington North version).

[tramway]

Far too sensible to ever be adopted.

A very impressive piece of work, applaud the effort. Gave me a smile this morning, they'll never be employed in the rail industry coming up with practical plans like this.

[johnneyw]

Developments like this don't just happen by themselves (even top notch ones such as this one is). It's a matter of both considerable and mystery and interest to me how something like this gets from a light bulb moment in someone's mind to the inaugural service.

[johnneyw]

Although it does not specifically refer to rail (well not much) this Western Powerhouse article in the Bristol Post is interesting as it seems to be getting some wide attention.


https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/welsh-secretary-wants-bristol-join-1985645

[Red Squirrel]

Can't come soon enough. Bath, Bristol, Newport and Cardiff form a natural axis which, with the political brakes off, could become a massive engine for growth. _{Obviously North Somerset would want nothing to do with it...}

[Noggin]

Although it does not specifically refer to rail (well not much) this Western Powerhouse article in the Bristol Post is interesting as it seems to be getting some wide attention.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/welsh-secretary-wants-bristol-join-1985645

It's a nice idea, but the problem is that Wales is devolved in a way that England is not and has its own legislature, so it's difficult to see how you can end up with a joint structure like TfN - at best you're going to end up with a talking shop, joint planning and lobbying, though if that gets Greater Bristol more dosh, electrified railways and the suchlike, then it will be well worthwhile

I wonder whether the problem for the Welsh might be that removing tolls from the bridges is making both working in Bristol more attractive and living in South East Wales more attractive to Bristolians, a trend that will be accelerated by improved rail services. We've heard stories of Welsh businesses who have ended up relocating or opening offices in Bristol to attract IT talent like developers, but at the same time we know of quite a few older families who have relocated to Monmouthshire to take advantage of the cheaper property, schools and other perks of living in Wales rather than opt for North Somerset or South Gloucestershire, both of which are increasingly pricey. I'm not sure whether that will be a problem or not, but it does perhaps risk turning South East Wales into a bit of a commuter belt.   

[Red Squirrel]

It's a nice idea, but the problem is that Wales is devolved in a way that England is not and has its own legislature...

Yes, that may be one of the biggest obstacles. Before the devolution process gained momentum, Severnside was seen as a logical region by central government (BT had a Severnside region, and the ITV franchise was Wales and the West). But Cardiff has a lot more in common with Bristol than with Aberystwyth, or Llanddewi Brefi for that matter.

[grahame]

For 1st April last year (2018), a group of us put together what was intended as a "joke case" for an improved train service calling at stations in the northern fringes of Bristol and into South Wales.  Problem was that many a true word is written in jest ... that the figures add up, and that there's a really good case for such a service.

SEWWEB has wings - The South East Wales and West of England Business Link.  RailFuture Best New Group in Autumn 2018.  And it has perhaps moved from "Crayonista" to looking at the various elephants in the room very seriously



1. What trains would call there?
2. Who would use it?
3. How would they get to / from the station?
4. Is it a safe place for a station?
5. Will trains be frequent enough?
6. Will they go to the right places?
7. Is there space on the line and in their schedules for the extra stop?
8. What do the local people think?
9. Who will pay for it?
10. Will it just abstract passengers from other stations?
11. Is there a wider economic, congestion, clean air benefit?
12. Who will take the lead in promoting it and take the risk?

An outline of the scheme ...

Fast and regular train services connecting South Wales, North Somerset and the inner residential areas of Bristol with the Patchway, Aztec West and Pilning Westgate business areas of North Bristol, and with Bristol Temple Meads for the City Centre and ongoing train connections to the rest of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

Up to five trains an hour will serve a new station at Aztec West, a re-sited Pilning (Westgate) station, and the existing Patchway station allowing quick and easy rail travel between home and work

Some new data

The companies at Western Approach / Westgate who's staff might use the trains

Also showing the traffic route from the motorway junction under construction to(wards)the Pilning Westgate Station.

A note of the employment attractions at Pilning, noting that personal private transport might be a very expensive option for many of the potential staff


The new motorway junction under construction on the M49 allows traffic to reach the Pilning Westgate Station Car park clear of the local roads

Traffic from the M48 may take the A403 from Aust and then also follow the business park roads to the car park, again clear of B4055 and local roads

Let's look at the elephants

1. a. The currently hourly local service from Taunton to Cardiff.
b. An extended Weston-super-mare to Bristol Parkway service (on to Newport and perhaps Ebbw Wale)
c. Some express services - ideal for Grand Union Trains looking to run open access London to Cardiff from December 2020

2. a. Park and Ride from a wide catchment area including Monmouthshire and South Wales via the now-free Severn Bridges
b. Staff and visitors to businesses at both Pilning / Westgate / Severnside and at Aztec West
c. Residents and visitors to Patchway (Patchway station really in Little Stoke) and Pilning.
d. Passengers connection to Metrobus at Aztec West - short hop to Cribbs Causeway

3. a. Walking access for the majority of passengers at Aztec West (but see 2e)
b. Park and ride at Pilning, showing (map below) car parking for 1500 - 2000 vehicles away from local roads
c. Walking access at Pilning from the village and nearby businesses.
d. Cycling / local driving access / separated parking for parish residents (local decision and management)
e. Existing bus an Pilning to Severn Beach and Cribbs Causeway. Potential shuttle bus from car park around businesses; bus also already passes Aztec West Station on way to Cribbs.

4. Yes - both are. Pedestrian crossings would be needed on B4055 between Station and parking.

5. a. With hourly services (1a only) the service would be on the cusp of required local frequency
b. With hourly open access to London (1c), that London traffic would be well served and appropriate.  Longer journeys, people will wait longer
c. With multiple services, giving a 30 minute or better headway, levels will be appropriate to attracting traffic

6. a. These are business stations and services to Bristol and South Wales residential / Suburban services are going the right way
b. Park and Ride traffic at Pilning feeding London services, and business traffic to London - yes, good destinations
c. Adequate trains calling at Bristol Parkway for the Midlands and North too.

7. a. The existing service calls at Pilning in the same timings on Saturdays and traffic levels through the tunnel are much lower without coal
b. Filton Bank is now 4 tracked, so even with the extra expresses and Severn Beach trains on there, there is capacity
c. Extension to Ebbw Vale of an hourly service is linking up with other proposals

8. a. People at Pilning have been working very hard to make the current station busier, and are concerned at switching to a new location
b. Pilning residents and parish council have concerns at extra traffic on the B4055 (which the maps show is kept away from Pilning)
c. Many users of Aztec West Business Area are deeply frustrated by traffic queues in and out and are generally supportive
d. House owners in Pilning have not yet realised how their property values might go up with a fast train to Bristol every day

9. a. I am not a financier, but a cost per passenger journey over 20 years at the new stations is around 35p

10. a. Some abstraction from Severn Beach, but trains from there run on a different route / to different locations.
b. Some abstraction from Portway Parkway as that offers another park and ride into Bristol. However capacity on those trains is an issue
c. May provide some relief / freeing up of parking spaces at Bristol Parkway
d. Some current Patchway users will move to Aztec West. This data may be hidden due to major developments beside Patchway Station.
In each of these cases, Pilning or Aztec West will offer significantly better total journey times

11. a Wider economic benefit to the area served by the stations
b. Bristol city centre benefit as traffic is kept out of the city by encouraged Park and Ride use
c. South Wales access to Severnside employment area, and to South Wales from northern Bristol area
d. Clean air and congestion benefits around M5 to Aztec West pinch points and perhaps wider

12. The project needs someone to adopt it, champion it, lead it.

[martyjon]

12. The project needs someone to adopt it, champion it, lead it.

Don't look at WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) then.

[grahame]

12. The project needs someone to adopt it, champion it, lead it.

Don't look at WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) then.

I can understand that reaction - but WECA is the very sort of organisation that's needed on board.

At the initial stage of the project where an idea appeared and everyone had a good chuckle at the jokey elements (but many a true work written in jest, as they soon realised), you / we can't expect the project to have been taken too seriously.  At the point where the well-worn case of  adjustments / updates for Pilning had been gone through so many times, and in their evaluation (shared by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) and Network Rail) not added up, you cannot have expected yet another look at the same case to be taken too seriously.  But what you have now is not just an update - but a change in which all the elephants are being looked at from early on, and where the ducks are in a line.   You can now look for / ask for / expect a more serious look to be taken.

Now - put yourselves in WECA's shoes, look at it from their viewpoint ... and look at how the achievements of this suggestion, and the team behind it, would align with their overall objectives.  Be quite open about taking that look - and see how the whole comes together - all the jigsaw pieces lining up, and with very much more a request / push for partnership to work together on things rather than on protest; that does not stop us being the candid friend at times, but it does mean establishing a trust.

SEWWEB, perhaps tailored and tuned to make it even better,  should be very attractive to those who specify and organise our transport and economy.   There's so much in place already.   There's a crying need. There's a big gain for what - in this business - is a small outlay.  There's a fitting together of elements already coming or in the longer term plan.   There's a quick win on popularism - be it for the folks involved in delivery (who may not actually be too worried about that) and for the folks who get elected in every 4 or 5 years, who would really like to claim this success.

If I'm asked to do something ... and it looks sensible, lots of people ask for the same thing, and it saves me the hassle of having to look for an alternative which may not be so popular ... guess what I will tend to do 

[johnneyw]

This leads me to ask about what awareness WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) have regarding SEWWEB and what sort of noises they are making about it?

[grahame]

This leads me to ask about what awareness WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) have regarding SEWWEB and what sort of noises they are making about it?

It would be very unwise for us to let it come to them as a complete shock from left field, and it would be wise for us to throw the a ball in their direction is such a way that they're more minded to catch it and see what it looks like than dodge out of the way.  Having seen what the ball looks like, there's then the question of how everyone runs with it.

There is a good community of excellent people around, and people who are really committed to really good solutions. The community (on public authority, transport industry and community sides) isn't as big as you might guess and there's a real desire to get it right. But that's far easier said than done when being pulled in one direction by politicians looking for short term election wins, another by rail companies looking at the bottom line within a 1 to 4 year direct award, and in a third by some community elements pressing cases which - when looked at in the hard light of day - do not stack up for the wider good.