Bristol connections: Metro, Bus Rapid Transit, PTE, ITA and local councils - discussion

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

I was at Stapleton Road station last week, and was pleasantly surprised by how much it felt like a railway station compared to a few years ago - what a difference a regular service makes. Both platforms were busy. I got there as a Severn Beach train arrived, with a Parkway train arriving a couple of minutes later. I work one day weekly in Stapleton Road, very close to the station, and often take the chance to visit Sweetmart for those exotic ingredients that make the difference between a decent curry and a cracking curry. I never feel uncomfortable, but I wouldn't spend time there after dark voluntarily.

I was surprised by the election result, especially in Cabot ward which had a shocking turnout of 17%. The sitting Lib Dem councillor, Mark Wright, was re-elected. Elsewhere, in Ashley, Dr Jon Rogers lost to the greens. The Doctor was one of the leading proponents of Bust Rabid Transit in Bristol. Rob Telford, like the other green candidates, is wholly against it. In funky Bishopston, where just over a third of the SPOOLAs* turned out to vote, the sitting Lib Dem was beaten into 3rd place, with Daniella Radice winning for the greens. I strongly expect that she will be offered a seat in the Mayor's cabinet. She is pro-rail, anti-BRT^▸ (Bus Rapid Transit), and in favour of a major overhaul of bus services. All in all, I think there has been a significant shift away from supporters of BRT, even if it wasn't the central issue for most voters. The battle will be between the West of England Partnership (WEP), versus the mayor and the majority of councillors in Bristol.

In other political news, local MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) Charlotte Leslie is quoted in the Post as having written to transport minister Simon Burns, asking him to ensure funding is allocated for Four Track, Now! I haven't copied the article because it is rather long. Those of us who remember Theresa Villiers announcing four-tracking last year will wonder how many times something has to be announced before it actually gets done. Crazy!

(*Stripped Pine, Olive Oil, Laura Ashley.)

[JayMac]

...asking him to ensure funding is allocated for Four Track, Now!

What will you spend the money on? 

[TonyK]

What will you spend the money on? 

Four-tracking mainly, although I shall certainly embezzle some. I will spend most of that portion on beer, and probably squander the rest.

[Red Squirrel]

Daniella Radice and John Rogers both stood against George Ferguson in the mayoral election, of course.

In the last couple of weeks John Rogers was been canvassing opinion on Mayor Ferguson's plans to greatly expand Residents' Parking Zones. You may think Dr John saw this as a way of fomenting discontent; I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Seems to me that if you make it harder for commuters and shoppers to park, they'll either use public transport or go somewhere else (say, for example, South Dibley where motor cars rule and car parks are... well, mostly full most of the time). I think it's a brave move by the Red-Trousered One, but he's going to have to work hard to sell the idea. I didn't ask  our new man Rob Telford what he thought about the Residents' Parking Scheme when he knocked on my tree, but I'd take a wild crazy guess he's in favour.

I think the expansion of the RPZ's will work - but we need the carrot as well as the stick, and a key element of that carrot must be Re-Quadrification, Imminently!

Anyway must go, I need to re-oil my Laura Ashley pine scatter-cushion.

[TonyK]

RPZs done well are a great help. Done badly, they are a hindrance. The one around Kingsdown and Cotham seems to have worked, and reaction has been positive, except from those households with four cars.. The big problem there was parking by hospital staff. No more! For the uninitiated, a household without off-street parking can apply for 3 permits. The first costs ^30 pa, the second ^80, and the third ^200 pa. If the car has low emissions (like my Nissan Note), then the first permit is FOC^▸ (Freight Operating Company). Members of the scheme also get 50 free visitor permits per annum, and can buy up to 50 additional permits at ^1.00 each. There are arrangements for disabled and carers, as well as some pay and display parking. businesses are also able to buy a small number of permits.

The problem if there is one is the paucity and unreliability of public transport in the area. You have the choice of the 8 / 9 circular route, or the 20, all served by single deckers, and not worth waiting for if you can walk. Redland and Montpelier stations are shifting ever-increasing numbers of passengers, but will not be the answer on their own.

Sadly, the Hare on the Hill now lies within the zone, making a quick drive-by pint a little difficult.

[Brucey]

I lived for about six months on Cotham Lawn Road, on the corner of Hampton Road.

My road had no residents parking zone, Hampton Road was double yellows down to the roundabout, then you were into a RPZ.

Unfortunately, two problems occurred for us:
1. We lost half the spaces that we could previously use to park in, as the council concluded we were not in the RPZ, even though that was where most residents in my building parked.
2. All the city centre/hospital/university workers who parked in the RPZ area were now parking on our road, limiting the number of spaces even further.

I was strongly against the RPZ boundary right from the start for this very reason.  It would have been much better thought through it the area were extended right down to Redland station, where the railway line could have acted as a good boundary.

[Red Squirrel]

Unfortunately, two problems occurred for us:
1. We lost half the spaces that we could previously use to park in, as the council concluded we were not in the RPZ, even though that was where most residents in my building parked.
2. All the city centre/hospital/university workers who parked in the RPZ area were now parking on our road, limiting the number of spaces even further.

It seems to me that one of the benefits of an RPZ is that all spaces are marked - thus cutting out parking on corners, pavements and other obstructive places. Of necessity this reduces the total number of parking spaces.

George Ferguson's proposal is to to extend zones muuch further out all in one go, to avoid the ripple effect where as each new zone is created, the pain is shifted outwards.

[Red Squirrel]

From 'Bristol Post', 7th May 2013:

Julie Boston, FOSBR^▸ (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways):

"Network Rail is hoping to begin work on the disused steel bridge [presumably over Stapleton Road - ed] in the autumn and this will include its complete renewal.

"So far, so celebratory. But the final decision to fund this is due to be made in June."

I can't find confirmation of this but I presume Julie has access to better sources of information than I do! If so, this is excellent news as it would be the first concrete step towards requadrificatrion of Ashley Bank.

I seem to remember that the state of this bridge and the cost of renewing it was one of the reasons for dequadrifying in the 1980's.

[TonyK]

I think you are right about the state of the bridge, RS. I have read elsewhere that there are some 4000 tonnes of ballast on it that need to be shifted, yet Network Rail don't want to use heavy machinery on it, out of fear. Replacement isn't going to be easy. That bridge is basically one continuous run from Stapleton Road to the far side of the M32, so covers two very heavily used roads. I'm guessing there will be weekend closures during the dismantling phase. The usual building method of assembly next to the site, then slide into place will be tricky too. Should give us some wonderful photo opportunities, though.

I am glad to hear that design is proceeding. Julie Boston's positive outlook reflects NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s, as shown in the Strategic Business Plan leaflet/ Page 18 tells us NR's plans locally:

Greater Bristol programme:
Improvements to facilitate the proposed Intercity Express Programme (IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.)) service, including:
^ Four trains per hour between Bristol and London Paddington
^ Local service growth and reduced journey times from the south west into Bristol and on to Birmingham
^ Proposals for a package of schemes to reduce journey times, increase capacity and service frequency in and around Bristol
^ An additional platform at Bristol Parkway
^ Filton Bank four-tracking
^ Bristol East Junction remodelling
^ Bristol Temple Meads additional platform and extra station capacity
^ Station master plan linked to wider urban redevelopment.

Julie is a very astute lady, with considerable passion for what she does, and I am sure she receives additional information from on high. This event is a bit of trumpet blowing and flag waving in advance of the announcements of funding, due soon, to keep a high political profile for these plans. The hope is that they will turn from wish yo reality very quickly. In the 80's running down services was an acceptable strategy to avoid spending money on running repairs. Not acceptable today!

I think the auguries are good - at least, I hope so. NR describe four-tracking as an "improvements to facilitate the proposed Intercity Express Programme (IEP) service", suggesting that without it, the whole electrification project will be stunted. Which, of course, it is. The local MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) are keen for these improvements to happen, too. Charlotte Leslie convened a cross-party meeting of local MPs more than a year back to press for Bristol Metro infrastructure, and Bristol is the only city to have chosen an elected mayor. There will have been a great deal of lobbying.

[JayMac]

Isn't it actually two (currently disused) separate bridges over Stapleton Road and the M32?

Stapleton Road has the rusting truss bridge and the M32 has a plain beam bridge identical to its neighbour which carries the current double track.

That beam bridge over the motorway is, I imagine, maintained to the same standard as the one carrying the running lines. The Highways Agency would, I think, be making sure Network Rail maintain the beam over their motorway. Cosmetically it looks to be in the same condition as it's neighbour.

So, is it not possible that only the truss bridge over Stapleton Road needs replacing? Leaving the M32 unnaffected. Dismantling would probably be the greater logistical challenge. A new beam bridge could be built on site and slid over Stapleton Road to abut with the existing beam over the M32.

It's interesting to note that the truss bridge is actually the newer structure over Stapleton Road. The brick arches built by the Bristol and South Wales Union Railway opened to traffic in September 1863. Construction of the line from Temple Meads to the New Passage Pier (for the ferry across the Severn) started in 1858, so the arches over Stapleton Road and adjacent land are at least 150 years old. They built things to last in them days!

Wouldn't expect anything less when the engineer who surveyed the route for the B&SWUR was that bloke with the cheroot and top hat. 

[Red Squirrel]

 That bridge is basically one continuous run from Stapleton Road to the far side of the M32, so covers two very heavily used roads.

The rusting truss bridge abuts the beam bridge over the M32, but the truss is a much older structure as BNM says. The M32 bridge, however, is also two structures - the southern one carrying the remaining working lines, and the northern one (which has non-parallel sides, presumably to accommodate the start of a siding) is out of use.

It may be that this northern structure has not been maintained to the same standard as the southern one.

I'll have a look at how the truss and the beam join next time I'm down that way, but I would have thought it would be possible to renew the truss wothout disturbing the beam.

Edit: This view from Google Street View clearly shows that the beam bridges have their own separate bearing, as we would expect: http://goo.gl/maps/t6kRb

It has struck me in the past as a bit ironic that the newer bridge over Stapleton Road has been outlasted by its predecessor, but perhaps with a bit of maintenance it would still have been OK!

Another edit: There is undeveloped land adjacent to the truss viaduct (i.e. an informal park) so it may, as FT, N says, be possible to do one of those amazing jobs where they build the new bridge nearby and then slip it in overnight. Can't wait!

Yet another edit: Ashton Swing Bridge is, I suggest, in a rather worse state than the Stapleton Rd bridge; however as part of the Bonkers Rusty Transit scheme they plan to repair that... wonder why the Stapleton Rd bridge has to be replaced rather than repaired? Personally I think it makes a really good contribution to the local streetscape, and I can't help wondering if it was declared knackered by the same team who said Ribblehaed Viaduct was on the point of collapse... I'm sure the deck needs attention, but the trusses look pretty solid to my layman's eye...

[TonyK]

I stand corrected, at least in part. The bridge over the M32 is clearly a separate entity. But leading to the abutment, across that unofficial park, is one long bridge, or possibly a few shorter ones, joined together. Spike Milligan, in Puckoon, says "There was a long pause, then a shorter one, but so close together it sounded like just one very long pause" or something similar. I have a picture of the underside of that bridge , although it is difficult to see the scale.



I have remarked previously about the irony of the older bridge being perfectly intact, whereas its newer companion is falling apart. Build it cheap, build it twice. I don't think we will have a new stone arch bridge, but hopefully, something better designed and longer lasting. The pieces across the top of the two sides of the bridge look as though they were not part of the original structure, and would have to go to allow electrification.

Ashton Bridge has history attached to it, although it is a pale shadow of its original double-decked and swinging structure. That explains why Bust Rabid Transit will retain it, although I reckon that if and when building starts, it is suddenly found to be to need substantially more work than anticipated, with the attendant cost overrun. It is truly an embarrassment waiting to happen.

There's more in The Post today, as we read Charlotte Leslie MP saying "Four Track, Now!" Nice to feel wanted.

[Red Squirrel]

...one long bridge, or possibly a few shorter ones, joined together...

I think the technical term might be 'viaduct', isn't it?

[TonyK]

I think the technical term might be 'viaduct', isn't it?

I know, but it seems far too grand for that particular loose collection of rusty Meccano bits. Let's keep the V-word for Ribbleshead, Maidenhead, even Pill.

[Rooke]

Stapleton Road Bridge was damaged during the war and only temporary repairs were ever carried out.It always had a speed restriction on it.