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

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Bristol Post:

Anti MetroBus campaigners burn mayor George Ferguson's election vision calling it 'broken promises'


Alliance spokesperson Pip Sheard sets fire to George Ferguson's election pledges outside council headquarters Photo: Dave Betts

Anti MetroBus campaigners burned a copy of George Ferguson's election vision because they claim he has broken promises he made before he became Bristol's first elected mayor.

Members of the Alliance to Rethink MetroBus put a match to the document outside Brunel House, the council offices in St George's Road behind City Hall.

Alliance spokesperson Pip Sheard said Mr Ferguson won many votes with the promise of transport changes but had failed to deliver. She said: "The Mayor seems to have forgotten who elected him. Campaigners think he has switched to the unaccountable, non-transparent and low aspirational West of England Partnership-style of conducting transport business.

Mr Ferguson replied: "This is a rather silly gesture. I found on coming into office that many of the anti BRT^▸ (Bus Rapid Transit) campaign's claims were based on incorrect information and assumptions. It would be totally irresponsible for me to put the citizens of Bristol to the level of financial risk and loss of a vastly improved public transport system by going along with the campaigners' unrealistic demands. Whatever has been said, Bristol cannot go it alone on a long standing agreement that involves all our neighbouring authorities."

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Bristol tree-top protest against Metrobus scheme


Protesters arrived at the allotments on Frenchay Park Road on Sunday afternoon

Campaigners have spent the night perched in trees in Bristol to stop them being felled for a new bus route.

The group wants to save them from being cut down on council-owned land at Stapleton Allotments for segregated lanes for the city's Metrobus scheme.

Protestor Tim Lawrence, from the Rising Up collective, said they would "stay up there as long as it takes".

Police said they were "monitoring the situation" and were at the site to "assist the council".

The Metrobus scheme has been designed to get more people using public transport and cut journey times. It involves three routes across the city which all have planning approval.


Campaigner Tim Lawrence, from Bristol, said the group wanted to "safeguard the wildlife"

Mr Lawrence said: "We're here to say we don't want these trees cut down. Some of us will be up there as long as it takes to get people to listen and to come up with a sensible alternative. We're here to safeguard and protect key food-growing land and wildlife habitats, which is a job that Bristol City Council should be doing - especially in our year as European Green Capital."

A council spokeswoman said: "Contractors working for Bristol City Council have started work on the reconfiguration of Stapleton Allotments. The affected allotments plots are being relocated to make way for a new bus-only junction as part of the MetroBus project."

She said "seven new trees within the reconfigured allotment site" would also be planted.

The three Metrobus Scheme routes are Ashton Vale to Temple Meads, Cribbs Causeway via Emersons Green to the city centre and South Bristol link between the A370 Long Ashton bypass and Hengrove Park.


Work on relocating the allotments to make way for the Metrobus project is set to start later this year

[TonyK]

I will lay odds that similar protests do not happen when the work to replace the missing tracks between Temple Meads and Filton Bank begins. The MetroBust project has been met not so much with open arms, more open hostility.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Bristol Post:

Metrobus protest: Campaigners issued notice to leave Stapleton allotments


Campaigners fighting plans for a new Metrobus route say they have no plans to leave the site

Campaigners who have set up a protest camp on land in Stapleton earmarked for a new commuter bus route have been told to leave.

Bristol City Council, which owns the land - including the Stapleton allotments - at Frenchay Park Road, has put up notices ordering the Rising Up action group to vacate the site.

Campaigners moved onto the land last Sunday and have spent the last week camped out on the site and occupying trees which make up a wooded area.

The group is protesting against council plans to use some of the land for a new MetroBus route.

In the notice it says the council is intending to exercise its lawful right to take possession of the Stapleton allotments on which they say the group is trespassing.

The council also warns it is intending to seek an order of possession of the land through the Country Court or High Court.

The notice states: "Bristol City Council requests you to leave this land immediately. No further notice will be given of any action. You should therefore make urgent arrangements to vacate the land immediately."

But campaigners say they have no intention of leaving the site.

Campaign spokesman, Belinda Faulkes, said: "A notice has been put up on several trees asking for us to leave the site. We have no plans to leave. We are looking at the legal situation at the moment. However whatever happens we will respond to it peacefully. We are also looking at the planning issues and questioning whether planning procedure and the law has been fully adhered to."

The local community has been rallying round to support the campaigners, many who have spent several nights in the trees in sub-zero temperatures. Local people have been supplying campaigners with food, hot water bottles and blankets.

Belinda added: "The local community has been fantastic and have been bringing food and other practical items such as blankets, tools and loo roll to the site. They have been amazing and some of the allotment holders have also been given us vegetables from their plots. It is challenging being in fields and up trees but we are trying to keep everything as clean, tidy and organised as we can."

The notice to vacate the site comes at the same time as campaigners held a protest walk through the city centre to highlight their fight to protect the land from being used for a new bus route.

Around 50 supporters of the Rising Up action group walked from the Trinity Centre at Old Market to College Green holding placards with the words 'We like buses, just not through our garden.'

Campaigners claim the MetroBus will ruin a conservation area and an area of rich agricultural soil which runs through Bristol.

Work will involve the removal of trees and shrubs so that the new allotments will be clear for cultivation and not overshadowed.

Seven new trees will then be replanted on the rearranged site, which is also home to the Feed Bristol project.

[TonyK]

I would be there myself in the tress, if it wasn't so cold, and if my settee wasn't so comfortable. I'm there in spirit though. Which  reminds me...

[Red Squirrel]

I would be there myself in the tress, if it wasn't so cold, and if my settee wasn't so comfortable. I'm there in spirit though. Which  reminds me...

Did you mean tress? Or truss? Or maybe dress? 

[TonyK]

I meant, of course, trees, as squirrels of any colour would know. A dress is impractical in cold weather, I find, although I would not rule out a truss.

I hope this clears up any misunderstanding. Time we had another pint, I reckon!

[Red Squirrel]

From Bristol Post:

Funding secured for Henbury Loop line; but Bristol Port Company holds key to reopening it to passengers

By Laura Hughes

The Bristol Port company holds the key to reopening the Henbury train loop line to passengers, it has emerged.

Funding for reopening the line has been secured and work will begin in 2020, according to the West of England Partnership.

However, the Bristol Port Company has revealed it is funding a full assessment by Network Rail into the costs and feasibility of placing the train track across one of the accesses to the port.

Once this is completed in a few months' time, they say it will give the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership the authoritative research to add to their assessment of whether or not the Henbury Loop is viable.

The Henbury Loop is currently a line linking Avonmouth and Filton which is only used by freight trains.

This development comes after Bristol East MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) Charlotte Leslie blamed the West of England Partnership for delaying the line reopening to passenger trains.

Sue Turner, director of communications at the Bristol Port Company, said: "From the outset,The Bristol Port Company has ensured that Charlotte Leslie is aware of the serious difficulties posed to Avonmouth Dock by the Henbury Loop.

"We have no problem sharing the freight line with passenger services but it is unthinkable to cut off the road access to one of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)'s major ports for three minutes out of every 15 which would lead to gridlock around Avonmouth and beyond.

"We are funding a full assessment by Network Rail into the costs and feasibility of placing the train track in a cutting in order to keep the straight, level access that the port has currently.

"Once this is completed in a few months^ time it will give the Local Enterprise Partnership the authoritative research to add to their assessment of whether or not the Henbury Loop is viable.^

Earlier this week, Ms Leslie said the plans for the MetroWest rail system were "conspicuously absent" from a list of priority bids for government funding from the West of England Partnership.

But in a statement from the partnership they claimed: "We have already asked for and received the funding for the Henbury line as part of the ^81.4m of devolved major transport scheme funding for MetroWest."

Their spokesman said: "We are doing all we can to progress the project and we expect construction to start in 2020. Before then we have to carry out detailed technical work which is a requirement of Network Rail's Governance for Railway Investment Projects (GRIP^▸ (Guide to Railway Investment Projects)) process, acquire any land needed and go through the public inquiry process."

Phase 2 will be funded by the Department for Transport's devolved major scheme funding, which will be available from 2021/22.

MetroWest is a partnership project with Network Rail delivering the scheme and First Great Western running the trains, but ultimately reopening the Henbury railway line is a matter for the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership.

"We work closely with the Department for Transport on MetroWest but ultimately it is the West of England making the decisions."

They say their MetroWest proposals include reopening the Portishead and Henbury lines and half-hourly services on the Severn Beach line and local stations to Bath and Yate.

The spokesman said: "The additional ^3.2m from the Local Growth Fund for developing MetroWest Phase 2 is very welcome."

I am confused by Sue Turner's comment - how does the Henbury Loop cut off road traffic, and where would this cutting be? I think she may be referring to the crossing at King Road, but that's on the 'main' Severn Beach line...

[stuving]

I am confused by Sue Turner's comment - how does the Henbury Loop cut off road traffic, and where would this cutting be? I think she may be referring to the crossing at King Road, but that's on the 'main' Severn Beach line...

Surely what she means by this -

"We have no problem sharing the freight line with passenger services but it is unthinkable to cut off the road access to one of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)'s major ports for three minutes out of every 15 which would lead to gridlock around Avonmouth and beyond.

- is that the King Road crossing at the port entrance is currently down for one train each way per hour at most, and less most of the day. If that becomes two per hour each way (and potentially more later on) that's a closure of three minutes every 15 minutes which is 20% of the time and that is too much.

Frankly I don't believe a word of it. Given that most of the bulk freight is coal and goes by rail the other way (Henbury), the idea that the stream of lorries going in and out is so continuous it can't get through in 80% of the time is not convincing.

[Red Squirrel]

This suggests that they think the Henbury Loop trains are going on down the Severn Beach Line to BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains), overlaid on the currently-planned 30-minute SVB-BTH^» (Bath Spa - next trains)/PHD service.

A fair chunk of the AVN-BRI line would presumably need to be redoubled for this to work, for which the are no plans as far as I know. If however the Loop service terminated at Avonmouth with a cross-platform interchange to the 'Beach line trains, everyone would be happy - wouldn't they?

[stuving]

This suggests that they think the Henbury Loop trains are going on down the Severn Beach Line to BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains), overlaid on the currently-planned 30-minute SVB-BTH^» (Bath Spa - next trains)/PHD service.

A fair chunk of the AVN-BRI line would presumably need to be redoubled for this to work, for which the are no plans as far as I know. If however the Loop service terminated at Avonmouth with a cross-platform interchange to the 'Beach line trains, everyone would be happy - wouldn't they?

Hardly! The port entrance (St Andrews MCB^▸ (Miniature Circuit Breaker)) is between Avonmouth and St Andrews Road, so the loop trains would still cross it.

[JayMac]

Interesting to note that Charlotte Leslie MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) (Con, Bristol North West*) isn't being critical of Bristol Port Company's (BPC) stance over this issue.

Sue Turner, director of communications at the Bristol Port Company, said: "From the outset,The Bristol Port Company has ensured that Charlotte Leslie is aware of the serious difficulties posed to Avonmouth Dock by the Henbury Loop.

That's a very telling quote...

It can't possibly have anything to do with the donations that she and her local party office received from the BPC. Donations she failed to register or declare to parliamentary authorities. Yes, she was cleared of any wrong doing, but the investigation was carried out in house as it were. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes. 

I'm led to believe that Ms Leslie continues to have links to the Bristol Port Company and whilst it isn't in doubt that she's campaigning tirelessly for passenger services to return to the Henbury Loop, one of the stumbling blocks is the BPC not wanting to give up freight paths. Her directing of criticism toward the West of England Partnership looks like a smokescreen to me.



*Not Bristol East as the Bristol Post article says. A Bristol newspaper writing about a Bristol MP and they can't even get her constituency right.  Bristol East is held by Kerry McCarthy (Lab)

[ellendune]

Interesting to note that Charlotte Leslie MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) (Con, Bristol North West*) ....

*Not Bristol East as the Bristol Post article says. A Bristol newspaper writing about a Bristol MP and they can't even get her constituency right.  Bristol East is held by Kerry McCarthy (Lab)

And if I have remembered the compass correctly Henbury is not in East Bristol.  Perhaps the post should invest in a compass.

[JayMac]

Is deffo not in da east. I lives but a spit from 'Enbry. Nor'wes ov Briz sender. 

[Red Squirrel]

This suggests that they think the Henbury Loop trains are going on down the Severn Beach Line to BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains), overlaid on the currently-planned 30-minute SVB-BTH^» (Bath Spa - next trains)/PHD service.

A fair chunk of the AVN-BRI line would presumably need to be redoubled for this to work, for which the are no plans as far as I know. If however the Loop service terminated at Avonmouth with a cross-platform interchange to the 'Beach line trains, everyone would be happy - wouldn't they?

Hardly! The port entrance (St Andrews MCB^▸ (Miniature Circuit Breaker)) is between Avonmouth and St Andrews Road, so the loop trains would still cross it.

Good point - the cross-platform interchange would have to be at St Andrews Road, not Avonmouth.

Just so I understand: Is 'St Andrews MCB' the entrance I referred to as King Road?

I'm led to believe that Ms Leslie continues to have links to the Bristol Port Company and whilst it isn't in doubt that she's campaigning tirelessly for passenger services to return to the Henbury Loop, one of the stumbling blocks is the BPC not wanting to give up freight paths.

At a recent FOSBR^▸ (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways) meeting, Mark Weston (Conservative councillor for - hey! - Henbury) suggested that there is a pathing problem that came about after the Severn Beach line was singled; if I remember correctly he said that in effect the main through route was given over to the Port for freight. The fact that this led to less-than-ideal crossing movements wasn't considered that important given that the passenger service was seen to be on its way out.