Henbury and Portishead rail lines to re-open within 5 years
TRAINS could be running on the Portishead railway line again within five years.
That is the view of a rail industry insider who says plans to reopen the line from Bristol Temple Meads to the North Somerset town are already at an advanced stage.
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A train at the old Portishead railway station, circa 1950
The expert, who has asked to remain anonymous, believes the reopening of both the Portishead and Henbury Loop lines will be included in the new franchise agreement for the Great Western rail network.
This means the rail operator which takes over the running of the franchise next year will be obliged to run trains on both lines to meet the terms of their contract.
It is understood Portishead's railway station would be built on the site of the former station yard next door to the town's Waitrose supermarket.
The only major stumbling block is Quays Avenue, a road which intersects the line just before it reaches the proposed station. It is understood this could be overcome by either creating a level crossing or building a road bridge.
The terms of the Great Western franchise will be published in April or May.
The railway industry insider said the Department for Transport was responsible for choosing whether or not the reopening of the line should be included as part of the franchise agreement.
He said the Government was keen to see a rail operator bear the cost of reopening the line, rather than see it met by the public purse.
The insider said planning for reopening of the line was carried out years ago – right down to working out a timetable for the Portishead service. But he said a question mark had always remained over who would foot the bill for the project.
He said: "We firmly believe the Portishead and Henbury lines will be returned into the new franchise agreement. It's the Government's intention that the franchisee funds the reopening.
"In April or May, when the main invitation tender document is published, there will be an awful lot more detail.
"I've seen documents about the Portishead line for the last three years, including a full timetable. The problem has always been government departments arguing over who will pay for it.
"There's a lot of work going on behind the scenes trying to get these projects through.
"Reopening the Portishead line is easy to do. It would be a massive success and it would be a bonus for Bristol.
"The tracks are still there and the only issue would be crossing Quays Avenue. From the railway point of view, we don't like having level crossings. The best approach might be a bridge."
As well as the Portishead and Henbury lines, the source said he believed Henbury and Hallen stations would reopen, two extra lines of track would be added at Filton Bank by 2018, and a half-hourly Bristol Metro service would run between Yate and Weston-super- Mare.
He said a shuttle rail service could be set up between Henbury station and the Mall at Cribbs Causeway.
The insider said: "I can see this happening, especially with all the traffic that builds up around Cribbs Causeway at weekends. With the airfield shutting, it will allow some sort of transport link to be built – that would be desirable.
"Saltford has a very good case for reopening – we know people are seriously looking at that, and Ashley Hill as well."
Earlier this month, the Evening Post reported that Bristol City Council had joined forces with local transport groups to campaign to bring a metro rail service to the city.
The ambition of Bristol Metro 2013 is to run trains to local stations – including reopened ones – from Temple Meads every 30 minutes.
Those behind the campaign want whichever company that takes over the running of the Great Western rail network next year to include the improvements to local services.
Until March, the government is carrying out consultations on what the new 15-year franchise should include.
Campaigners want to convince transport companies that are likely to go for the franchise to include the Bristol Metro in their bid, and to convince the government that local improvements should be included in their list of requirements for the successful bidder.
First Great Western has already announced its intention to re-bid for the franchise, despite calling time on the existing contract early last year. In the process it avoided having to pay £800 million to the government thanks to a get-out clause included in their original 10-year deal.
There are dozens of other rail operators across the country that could potentially bid for the franchise but the list of bidders is not due to be revealed until May.
Last month North Somerset MP Liam Fox said he believed work on the Portishead passenger rail link could begin by 2015.
His optimism stemmed from a meeting he attended alongside North Somerset Council leader Nigel Ashton with Transport Minister Norman Baker at Westminster.
Passenger services from Portishead to Bristol were cut in 1964, although the line to Portbury Dock reopened in 2002 for freight trains only.
66 Comments
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by Magrathea2011
Sunday, January 29 2012, 4:26PM
“@threemasons,
So what are the councilloer really been up to - please elaborate ?”
by SpinyHedgehog
Saturday, January 28 2012, 1:27PM
“@Bert_Hindle
"as it is mostly in cuttings (where it isn't single-track)"
I believe it's all double-track now, and the only section in a cutting is where it runs up to Filton North Halt...”
by Magrathea2011
Saturday, January 28 2012, 10:59AM
“What you have reported re the Hallen line is truly a show stopper @Bert_Hindle !
'They' havent thought this through, have they ?
Many years ago there was of course another link to the main rail network, via Severn Beach and on to Pilning. However that is long gone - and it would cause a bit of a stir in the village to have so many containers trundling through it 24/7!
This is another example of how 'quick' cost cutting decisions made by one generation has stymied the aspirations/needs of a future generation.
This lack of long term strategic oversight has been at the root of countless decisions over the years which have come back to haunt future generations.
I suppose that they 'might' just get the PBA to foot the bill for a reconnection to the main line, 'peeling off' before Severn Beach and then across the green fields northeastwards to the southern side of Pilning Station !”
by Bert_Hindle
Friday, January 27 2012, 11:36PM
“Whilst I welcome any attempts to expand urban rail commuting around Bristol, I think we'd have to look closely about the returns from such proposals. Personally, I think the Portishead line *could* prove profitable, especially as it serves the employment areas of Ashton Gate and Bedminster.
The Henbury/Hallen line would also have the same potential to serve the north Fringe but sadly, I doubt there would be a justification of the cost to make it possible. People tend to forget that once the DSCT is finished at Avonmouth, freight trains will be shifting over 1,600 shipping containers *per day* up the hill, slowly, to the Stoke Gifford jucntion. This will make it impossible to run anything other than a very sporadic passenger service along this line, and as it is mostly in cuttings (where it isn't single-track), the idea of quadding the lines is a non-starter.”
by SpinyHedgehog
Friday, January 27 2012, 7:41PM
“@threemasons
What you say isn't entirely relevant to this subject, but I've been following the skate park saga with growing amazement. Just how far will these old fools go to stop kids having a recreation facility? Do they really want them to congregate on street corners drinking White Lightning?
SpinyHedgehog is 66”
by SpinyHedgehog
Friday, January 27 2012, 4:10PM
“Curious that we've heard nothing from the insiders about this since the article was published...”
by SpinyHedgehog
Friday, January 27 2012, 12:25PM
“@MrChuffChuff
"I do see some benefit to having the Portishead line but I can't see the profitability and I'm pretty sure any potential franchisee will think the same, although I'm sure they will pay lip service when they place their bid as I've said below if developing the Portishead and Henbury line is written into the agreement you can be sure there will be a get out clause."
That's far more to the point. I suspect that any potential franchisee is better informed then either you or me about the economics of reopening the line. It should be the DoT's job to ensure that the agreement is watertight, but I must admit that it doesn't have a good record in that respect.”
by threemasons
Friday, January 27 2012, 11:30AM
“Sadly this article was not published to bolster the future plans fro the Portishead line as can be seen by the vast contradiction between the bogus headline and the fantasy storyline ( and yes I would like to see the line reopened). Along with a handful of other stpries published in the local media of 'sacrifices' made by councilors not increasing their allowances (for once), money being given to Portishead Youth Centre to keep it running another year by Portishead Council, the decrease in council tax (if it had been kept at the current level nobody would have minded and it could have funded some of the cutbacks proposed). No, this tory was published to keep residents attention away from the atrocious display by councillors who openly lied (and got caught out) at the scrutiny panel meeting in a last ditch attempt to prevent a skatepark for the towns youngsters at Portishead lake Grounds. never have I witnessed such a desperate campaign of dishonesty and those councillors should be ashamed, but they obviously won't be as it is now par for the course. These are the very same councillors who if they had got their heads out of the sand when discussing planning permission with the large developers could easily have made a deal to provide section 106 capital available toward a train service rather than throw it all away on a traffic light system that was never going to work and 'improvements' to the Portbury roundabout which will benefit those coming toward the town but do very little to ease outward bound congestion. These are the people who deserve the flack and should be getting it instead of using deceptive articles to divert attention from serious issues. There has not been a single article in the local press about the conduct of these councillors at that scrutiny panel meeting and it makes me wonder how much control the council now have over local media.”
by MrChuffChuff
Friday, January 27 2012, 11:27AM
“You seem to think that passengers will have to pay extra for changing trains, which is simply not true.
If that is the case I stand corrected.
I do see some benefit to having the Portishead line but I can't see the profitability and I'm pretty sure any potential franchisee will think the same, although I'm sure they will pay lip service when they place their bid as I've said below if developing the Portishead and Henbury line is written into the agreement you can be sure there will be a get out clause.”
by Oddly
Friday, January 27 2012, 11:27AM
“A line to Knowle would be very helpful too. Thankyou”