Ashton gate halt and the Portishead rail line (Merged)

[BrizzleRed]

14 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Wonder if they'd cancel it in Birmingham, Liverpool, London, Manchester let alone the Celtic nations.

We seem to get the s****y end of the stick down here in respect of Government input irrespective of party yet unlike London aren't a megapower economically.

Worst of both.

Trouble is, there are far too many people banging on about Bristol being a wealthy city, so they probably think we should be finding the money ourselves.

Certainly doesn’t feel wealthy when you live around here!

[Mr Popodopolous]

2 minutes ago, BrizzleRed said:

Trouble is, there are far too many people banging on about Bristol being a wealthy city, so they probably think we should be finding the money ourselves.

Certainly doesn’t feel wealthy when you live around here!

It's a strange one, Bristol. There are high paying jobs and high paying sectors certainly we are not bad for law, finance, creative marketing but the spread of it.. then there is wealth in the form of high property prices eg that us nonetheless unrealised until such time as it is sold.

While since I've delved into that but Government expenditure per capita in major cities, bet we come in quite low.

[BrizzleRed]

2 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

It's a strange one, Bristol. There are high paying jobs and high paying sectors certainly we are not bad for law, finance, creative marketing but the spread of it.. then there is wealth in the form of high property prices eg that us nonetheless unrealised until such time as it is sold.

While since I've delved into that but Government expenditure per capita in major cities, bet we come in quite low.

Yes, I agree the high property prices do skew things a fair bit, and most of Bristol’s trade has moved from manufacturing to finance related these days.  Fine for those in those high paying jobs, but that wealth doesn’t seem to filter down much.

It definitely feels like Bristol constantly misses out on funding.  Oh to have had just some of that levelling up money that went oop north.

[Mallorcan Red]

11 hours ago, Eddie Hitler said:

 

I know that "billions" makes it seem a lot, and it is for an individual, but twenty billion is peanuts in terms of government spending, it's 1.6% of the projected 2024/25 expenditure.

I don't know why the press is swallowing this small figure as being a massive issue and a good reason for axing worthwhile capital projects and raising taxes.

"Track and trace" alone saw £38bn go up in smoke.

Plus Ed the Red Miliband (not a robin though) is freely lobbing 12bn in "overseas aid for the climate crisis", to our friends in far away places to help reduce emissions. 

[Monkeh]

They amount that's already been spent on this as well.....

[Never to the dark side]

LIVE statement now on BBC news channel

[GrahamC]

Absolutely no chance this would have happened if it was in Wales.

Awful, short sighted decision & the South West loses out (as usual).

[lenred]

So we get stiffed yet again.  Sick of our city and our region as a whole getting continually shafted.  When are we going to have politicians that actually ‘ing do something about it instead of just stand there and taking it (rhetorical - it’ll never happen!).   

[BS3_RED]

7 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Absolutely no chance this would have happened if it was in Wales.

Awful, short sighted decision & the South West loses out (as usual).

I live in Newport and Wales have been shafted a couple of times with rail. The electrification of the GWR line was cut short  ( now being paid for by Wales) and Wales funding is different to Scotland and Wales didnt get its equivalent percentage funding due to HS2 being deemed a English and Welsh project which it clearly is not..

[GrahamC]

9 minutes ago, BS3_RED said:

I live in Newport and Wales have been shafted a couple of times with rail. The electrification of the GWR line was cut short  ( now being paid for by Wales) and Wales funding is different to Scotland and Wales didnt get its equivalent percentage funding due to HS2 being deemed a English and Welsh project which it clearly is not..

My mother in law lives in Pembrokeshire, they have a railway station in just about every hamlet going..

Somerset & Cornwall in particular were decimated by Beeching, whereas Welsh MPs objected & got loads of opt outs.

If you think Wales (& Scotland) aren’t massively favoured by the Barnett formula I have a bridge to sell you.

There’s a reason every prescription there is free, you get free bus travel at 60, as opposed to 67 here & tuition fees are capped- we pay for it.

Edited July 29 by GrahamC

[BS3_RED]

1 minute ago, GrahamC said:

My mother in law lives in Pembrokeshire, they have a railway station in just about every hamlet going..

Somerset & Cornwall in particular were decimated by Beeching, whereas Welsh MPs objected & got loads of opt outs.

If you think Wales (& Scotland) aren’t massively favoured by the Barnett formula I have a bridge to sell you.

Well i get fee prescriptions. 

[Never to the dark side]

Would over head wires really make that much difference to the Cardiff to Swansea route?

South East Wales will be having brand new trains for the valley routes to Treherbert,Aberdare,Merthyr and Rhymney.

All the English regions ever get is cascades

In other words rubbish that another region don't want any more

[beaverface]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-13683065/Man-United-make-plans-replace-Old-Trafford-brand-new-100-000-seater-stadium.html

Another example of the Government looking to prop up Manchester/Northen facilities with improved transport.

[Never to the dark side]

not to mention free parking at hospitals

[Robbored]

3 minutes ago, BS3_RED said:

Well i get fee prescriptions. 

So does everyone 60 or over if you live in England.

[Mr Popodopolous]

11 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

My mother in law lives in Pembrokeshire, they have a railway station in just about every hamlet going..

Somerset & Cornwall in particular were decimated by Beeching, whereas Welsh MPs objected & got loads of opt outs.

If you think Wales (& Scotland) aren’t massively favoured by the Barnett formula I have a bridge to sell you.

There’s a reason every prescription there is free, you get free bus travel at 60, as opposed to 67 here & tuition fees are capped- we pay for it.

NI gets goodies to keep the peace to put it crudely too.

Albeit the South West seems particularly hard hit even set against certain English regions albeit perhaps not as much as the Celtic nations which are ahead again.

Wider than just rail..sure public money went into Arenas in other English cities.

[W-S-M Seagull]

6 hours ago, Never to the dark side said:

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/long-awaited-portishead-railway-line-9443561#source=breaking-news

Change isn't always good. 

[Sir Geoff]

38 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

My mother in law lives in Pembrokeshire, they have a railway station in just about every hamlet going..

Somerset & Cornwall in particular were decimated by Beeching, whereas Welsh MPs objected & got loads of opt outs.

If you think Wales (& Scotland) aren’t massively favoured by the Barnett formula I have a bridge to sell you.

There’s a reason every prescription there is free, you get free bus travel at 60, as opposed to 67 here & tuition fees are capped- we pay for it.

Thank you. I will think of you next time I jump on the bus and don't have to pay.

[REDOXO]

6 hours ago, Never to the dark side said:

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/long-awaited-portishead-railway-line-9443561#source=breaking-news

At least we all now know why Sunak called the election so early. 
 

 

[pongo88]

Back in the 70s there was a Bristol Euro MP who spent a lot of time and effort trying to get the line reopened. It would have finished on the docks behind M Shed. So, we’ve only been going for approx 50 years on this, which is par for the course in the UK

[Roger Red Hat]

So, has it been cancelled?

[Eddie Hitler]

3 hours ago, Mallorcan Red said:

Plus Ed the Red Miliband (not a robin though) is freely lobbing 12bn in "overseas aid for the climate crisis", to our friends in far away places to help reduce emissions. 

 

Fair point.

Just to emphasise that I wasn't making a party political point - that would belong on another forum - but rather trying to put the sum of £20bn into context.  When people hear "shortfall of billions" they think it's a national disaster, but when viewed as a 1.6% variance, something that inflation could easily wipe out, it becomes a bit of a non-story.

It is a case of "follow the money".

Labour made a lot of political capital about the £500m, or thereabouts, "wasted" by the Conservative government on the Rwanda plan but to me that entirely misses the point.

In terms of government spending £500m is loose change, a rounding even.  That they only committed £500m to the Rwanda plan shows clearly, to me anyway, that they were never serious about it in the first place.  It was just for show.

Now whether or not you thought it a good idea is one for the politics forum, but whatever you may have thought of the plan it was never going to be a reality with such small sums being committed to it.  Though I am sure that the Rwandan government appreciated the free money.

Think of it as foreign aid with spin.

It's important not to be blinded by "it's a very big number" and instead to put it into context.

 

The full spring budget 2024/25 is at the link.

The key figures are in section 8.

• Total UK government revenues £1,139bn
• And expenditure £1,226bn.

Those are very big amounts indeed. 

£20bn is not, and £500m is piffling.

Obviously this is in terms of government spending as they are spending Other People's Money.

And not on a personal level, since even the Lnasdown family would view £500m as being a decent wedge.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spring-budget-2024/spring-budget-2024-html

[Slippin cider]

16 minutes ago, Roger Red Hat said:

So, has it been cancelled?

Looks very much like it , what a shambles 

[italian dave]

30 minutes ago, Roger Red Hat said:

So, has it been cancelled?

Seems so. Portishead's new Labour MP is going to have some explaining to do.

[pillred]

Council committed to opening Portishead rail link despite cuts - BBC News all is not lost though by the time they get their act together the price will have risen again.

[archie andrews]

Always said if this was japan or germany it would be built by now... 

[Nomad]

1 minute ago, archie andrews said:

Always said if this was japan or germany it would be built by now... 

Built, upgraded and then rebuilt from scratch.

[italian dave]

19 minutes ago, archie andrews said:

Always said if this was japan or germany it would be built by now... 

Brunel built the whole GWR in about a tenth the time the Portishead line has taken! 

[marmite]

7 minutes ago, italian dave said:

Brunel built the whole GWR in about a tenth the time the Portishead line has taken! 

And his bridge is still working well as opposed to the Cumberland Basin bridge which needs replacing. Progress in Bristol???? Don't make me laugh. 

[Roger Red Hat]

1 hour ago, italian dave said:

Seems so. Portishead's new Labour MP is going to have some explaining to do.

Also '2 jobs Dan'.

[Roger Red Hat]

Just now, City Slicker said:

2 jobs Dan? Dan Fry?

WECA mayor.

[Jim Davey]

2 hours ago, archie andrews said:

Always said if this was japan or germany it would be built by now... 

If this was Japan or Germany it would not of been closed in the first place .

[phantom]

Copied from a GWR forum:

We need clarificatiion to be 100% but I don't think Portishead is a "Restoring Your Railway" scheme - it long predates that programme.  I agree re Euston too and I think the line to Crewe will also be built.   We'll see soon enough.

 

#In response to a question from the new Lib Dem MP about Wellington Station,Rachel Reeves said that any project at GRIP^▸ stage 4 or above would go ahead. Portishead was there 4 years ago!.I emailed the new Labour Mp for North Somerset about Portishead and he replied within the hour. I think this one single issue will make or break his reputation as an MP.

[Red-Robbo]

18 hours ago, Roger Red Hat said:

So, has it been cancelled?

If so, it'll be for this government financial year. Not necessarily forever. 

Nonetheless,unwelcome news.  

[BS3_RED]

2 hours ago, phantom said:

Copied from a GWR forum:

We need clarificatiion to be 100% but I don't think Portishead is a "Restoring Your Railway" scheme - it long predates that programme.  I agree re Euston too and I think the line to Crewe will also be built.   We'll see soon enough.

 

#In response to a question from the new Lib Dem MP about Wellington Station,Rachel Reeves said that any project at GRIP^▸ stage 4 or above would go ahead. Portishead was there 4 years ago!.I emailed the new Labour Mp for North Somerset about Portishead and he replied within the hour. I think this one single issue will make or break his reputation as an MP.

You have a link please

[Port Said Red]

3 hours ago, phantom said:

Copied from a GWR forum:

We need clarificatiion to be 100% but I don't think Portishead is a "Restoring Your Railway" scheme - it long predates that programme.  I agree re Euston too and I think the line to Crewe will also be built.   We'll see soon enough.

 

#In response to a question from the new Lib Dem MP about Wellington Station,Rachel Reeves said that any project at GRIP^▸ stage 4 or above would go ahead. Portishead was there 4 years ago!.I emailed the new Labour Mp for North Somerset about Portishead and he replied within the hour. I think this one single issue will make or break his reputation as an MP.

 

NORTH Somerset’s new Labour MP has said he is “distressed” at reports that the Portishead Line could be cancelled today.

Sadik has made his views known quickly at least, I am not sure how much pressure he can bring to bear as a new boy though.

"The long-awaited plan to reopen the railway line to Bristol with new stations in Portishead and Pill has made progress recently, with North Somerset Council unanimously backing the scheme in January with hope construction could start in August.

But now the scheme is among those that could be cut by the government today, the Sunday Times reports.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will make a statement to the House of Commons today where she is expected to cut a number of projects to save money, amid claims the Conservatives left the country’s finances in a worse state than thought with a £20bn black hole in finances.

According to the Sunday Times, the £500m Restoring Your Railway Fund will be cut back or scrapped and the Portishead Line is likely to be at risk.

Ms Reeves is expected to tell Parliament: “If we cannot afford it, we cannot do it. People up and down our country will understand that. When household budgets are stretched, families have to make difficult choices and government needs to do the same.”

But Sadik Al-Hassan, North Somerset’s first ever Labour MP, has raised concerns with the government over the threat to the Portishead Line.

In a letter to Darren Jones, chief secretary to the Treasury, and transport secretary Louise Haigh, on Sunday Mr Al-Hassan said: “I am distressed to hear this morning in the Sunday Times about the risk to the vital railway project in the North Somerset constituency.

“The project has long been awaiting in the area and will help connect our Portishead and Pill towns to the rail network via Bristol.

“I would like to raise my concern with both of you about this issue. The re-opening is part of Metrowest Phase 1B and has received a Development Consent Order with multiple partners involved in funding the £152m commitment and £32m spent already.

“This infrastructure project to improve transport in my constituency is immensely important to me and my constituents so I would like to work with you both to deliver it.”"

[exAtyeoMax]

 

Good News?

Edited July 31 by exAtyeoMax

[archie andrews]

46 minutes ago, exAtyeoMax said:

 

Good News?

Might be good news but at least get on with the ******* job now...... 

[TonyTonyTony]

Ill believe it when i see it and have been saying this for the last 10 yrs…

[phantom]

Taken from a GWR forum:

The latest edition of Todays Railways (#271) is reporting on Page 7, that 'Labour's new North Somerset MP Sadik Al-Hattari said that he had had it confirmed to him, that the Bristol-Portishead re-opening, part of the Metrowest scheme that predated the Restoring your railways programme, IS SAFE, not least as Network rail is about to submit what seems to be the 493rd update of its business case!

[Never to the dark side]

Bristol City council collected 2.2 million pounds per month since the introduction of the CAZ

More than enough money to construct a step free access at Parson Street.

[archie andrews]

37 minutes ago, Never to the dark side said:

Bristol City council collected 2.2 million pounds per month since the introduction of the CAZ

More than enough money to construct a step free access at Parson Street.

More money to go on "feasibility studies" no doubt...... 

[italian dave]

3 hours ago, Never to the dark side said:

Bristol City council collected 2.2 million pounds per month since the introduction of the CAZ

More than enough money to construct a step free access at Parson Street.

Is that £2.2m a gross or net figure? All the revenue goes to BCC, but they then have to pay a large chunk to central government who provide the system to operate the zone.

Whatever is left though has to be spent on transport projects, so could certainly include step free access at Parson St.

Worth noting also that the first year of the scheme saw a reduction of 12.6% in NO2 levels inside the zone, compared to a reduction of 7.8% in parts of the city outside the zone. 

[frenchred]

8 minutes ago, italian dave said:

Is that £2.2m a gross or net figure? All the revenue goes to BCC, but they then have to pay a large chunk to central government who provide the system to operate the zone.

Whatever is left though has to be spent on transport projects, so could certainly include step free access at Parson St.

Worth noting also that the first year of the scheme saw a reduction of 12.6% in NO2 levels inside the zone, compared to a reduction of 7.8% in parts of the city outside the zone. 

Surely all these zones just "kick the can down the road" and push the "problem" elsewhere?

Just a huge money making scheme!

[italian dave]

28 minutes ago, frenchred said:

Surely all these zones just "kick the can down the road" and push the "problem" elsewhere?

Just a huge money making scheme!

Not sure about that, especially since air quality is improving elsewhere too. There’s an argument that by encouraging people to drive less polluting vehicles it actually benefits areas outside the zone too.

But I didn’t really post that to get into this debate here (there’s threads elsewhere): just to recognise that there are two sides to it, and that it’s not just a money making scheme. Whether you like it or not you have to acknowledge that it’s improved air quality in some of the most polluted parts of the city. 

[Port Said Red]

There's definitely ground work being done at the Portishead end, I have to drive past it most days and the activity has increased again.

[Redland]

5 hours ago, frenchred said:

Surely all these zones just "kick the can down the road" and push the "problem" elsewhere?

Just a huge money making scheme!

And it doesn’t take into account the detrimental effect on the Bristol economy. I haven’t visited central Bristol since the zone was introduced and I’m sure there are many others like me.

[frenchred]

5 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

There's definitely ground work being done at the Portishead end, I have to drive past it most days and the activity has increased again.

But unless I am wrong they aren't working on the bit where the railway and station would be? The line will not go across galingale way!

[Port Said Red]

1 minute ago, frenchred said:

But unless I am wrong they aren't working on the bit where the railway and station would be? The line will not go across galingale way!

The station is set to be to the right of where the road is currently as you approach from the sail roundabout. The part they are working on is going to become a car park.

 

 

[frenchred]

18 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

The station is set to be to the right of where the road is currently as you approach from the sail roundabout. The part they are working on is going to become a car park.

 

 

Ah ok mate, I stand corrected 

[East End Old Boy]

6 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

There's definitely ground work being done at the Portishead end, I have to drive past it most days and the activity has increased again.

I believe some rails beyond Quays Avenue, towards Sainsburys and which wouldn’t be required, are be removed to be used elsewhere!

[Port Said Red]

28 minutes ago, East End Old Boy said:

I believe some rails beyond Quays Avenue, towards Sainsburys and which wouldn’t be required, are be removed to be used elsewhere!

I think so, and then they will flatten that area for construction vehicles to use until they tarmac it properly near the end, probably.

[Never to the dark side]

Can I request a favour from those who use Parson street after the game?

I am won't be able to get to the station today,would any mind taking a rough count of the numbers that board

 

Edited August 24 by Never to the dark side

[Simple Red]

6 hours ago, Never to the dark side said:

Can I request a favour from those who use Parson street after the game?

I am won't be able to get to the station today,would any mind taking a rough count of the numbers that board

 

About 150. The earlier WSM to BTM was very busy with City fans, who were all catching the same couple of trains due to the early start, rather than being shared out over a much longer period of time.

[Never to the dark side]

Thank you.

Normal service will be resumed when Oxford visit on 21st September

[phantom]

From the Portishead Railway Group



Dear Member,
 
Thank you to everyone who signed and helped gather signatures for the Public Petition to restore the missing funding for the Portishead and Pill line reopening.
 
We ended up with 5,604 signatures, collected in just over 2 weeks. The petition was handed to Sadik Al-Hassan, MP for North Somerset, and he has told us that he will be delivering it in Parliament this Thursday.
 
Just to be clear, in the light of some comments in the press and social media, the reopening project is under review. It has not been cancelled and the majority of the funding remains in place.
 
We have no timetable for the spending review that is currently underway, but we assume it will be completed before the October budget. All our local councils and MPs continue to support the reopening project and will be exerting whatever influence they have.
 
As our petition stated, the project offers important benefits to Portishead, Pill and the wider Bristol area, benefitting the environment, reducing congestion and emissions and encouraging investment and economic growth.
 
The foolishness of stopping a project that has 10 years’ work already completed and over £32 million already spent is not hard to see. The project to reopen the railway to Portishead and Pill is ready for construction to start and, given the necessary funding, could deliver a flagship completed reopening and operational railway in less than three years.

Regards,
Peter
 
Peter Maliphant
Membership Secretary
Portishead Railway Group