Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Bmblbzzz]

Does a DCO^▸ (Driver Controlled Operation) have an expiry date? I looked at the notification and the SoS decision letter and couldn't see anything there, but I'm sure someone here knows...

[Bmblbzzz]

Anyway, good news!

[Red Squirrel]

Does a DCO^▸ (Driver Controlled Operation) have an expiry date? I looked at the notification and the SoS decision letter and couldn't see anything there, but I'm sure someone here knows...

From P.44 of the full DCO document:

The authorised development must not commence later than the expiration of 5 years beginning with the date on which this Order comes into force.

...which would be 5th December 2022

[chuffed]

It would be nice to think that Mark Harper as a local FoD  MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) was aware of the long running saga of the Portishead line   and decided to end the nonsense  within 2 weeks of getting his feet under the desk!

[Witham Bobby]

Is the Minister's decision the final word on the subject?

Obviously, as a project that's not yet reached properly the shovels on the ground stage, there must be a risk (please no) that the funding will be evaporated in these straitened times.  But I'd like to know if this decision is one that can now be challenged in the courts?  Legal action has held-up and made more costly so many infrastructure projects

[chuffed]

The Evening Post are suggesting...and we know how they always get it right....that the full business case still needs approval and that won't happen until summer 2024. So we are once again 4 years away from actually seeing trains on the line!.
I wonder if it is worth looking up previous DCO^▸ (Driver Controlled Operation) consents and seeing how long it was before services were up and running ??

[Red Squirrel]

The Evening Post are suggesting...and we know how they always get it right....that the full business case still needs approval and that won't happen until summer 2024. So we are once again 4 years away from actually seeing trains on the line!.
I wonder if it is worth looking up previous DCO^▸ (Driver Controlled Operation) consents and sering how long it was before services were up and running ??

North Som say:

The DCO decision follows an agreement between North Somerset, the Combined Authority and the Department for Transport to collectively pledge £35.58m in additional funding to the project. The additional funding and the start of construction remains subject to a decision on the project’s Full Business Case in 2024.   

Over the next 18 months the project will complete its detailed design, undertake ecology enabling works and, finally, submit its Full Business Case to funding decision makers (the Department for Transport, the Combined Authority and North Somerset Council).

See https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/news/portishead-bristol-train-line-gets-big-boost-planning-consent

[Red Squirrel]

I did a bit for Radio Bristol this evening - had to follow Steve Bridger and Liam Fox. All good fun.

[infoman]

Mike Rowland on Radio Bristol before 07:30am on Wednesday 16th November 2022,

talking about the train rail excursion he organised in the late 1970's from Portishead to Bath.

[johnneyw]

I did a bit for Radio Bristol this evening - had to follow Steve Bridger and Liam Fox. All good fun.

About what time RS?  I'll try and have a listen on iPlayer.

[TonyK]

I did a bit for Radio Bristol this evening - had to follow Steve Bridger and Liam Fox. All good fun.

About what time RS?  I'll try and have a listen on iPlayer.

I've looked on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Sounds, and can't see it, unless it was replayed this morning as part of the Update programme.

[Red Squirrel]

Sorry chaps, didn't mean to be so coy. It's here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0d88h3j

Item starts at about 3 hours 10 mins in, so you'll want to fast-forward to there!

[Bmblbzzz]

Ashton Gate station?

Council leaders have pledged their support for a new railway station near a stadium.

Campaigners and stadium bosses have called for the old Ashton Gate station in Bristol to reopen, to help sort the traffic problems on match days.

The discussion comes as the Bristol City Council planning committee approved a new £100m sporting quarter.

Bristol's Mayor said the council would look at "potential new stations at St Anne's, Lockleaze and Ashton Gate".

A potential new train station had been pencilled in to proposals for the reopened line to Portishead, which the government signed off last year following months of delays, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

continues: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-64234480

But let's read the last sentence of the quoted section again. "Months of delays"? More like decades!

Also interesting, not necessarily in a good way, the potential tribalism: "We have the Ashley Down station for Rovers fans and others which we hope to begin building in March" implying now we need a station for City fans too.

[Phantom]

The difference is Ashton Gate doesn't just host Bristol City fixtures, there is the rugby and concerts in the summer, but most weeks there are events being held at the ground
Add in the new indoor sports arena being built that will include basketball fixtures the area is crying out for a station

The only problem will be the capacity won't be much use, can't see much more than a 2/3 car unit working, and won't be anywhere near big enough
The Ricoh at Coventry has a station next door, but is closed when events are on as it is too small

[Noggin]

There's also Ashton Park Secondary school and UWE, not to mention quite a lot of locals.

Perhaps it should be decoupled from the delivery of the rest of the Portishead branch so land acquisition etc can begin?

BTW^▸ (by the way), 2014 study for anyone interested, proposes double platform station off Baron's Court

https://travelwest.info/app/uploads/2020/05/MetroWest-Stations-Package-Ashton-Gate.pdf