Proposed GWML IEP depot at Stoke Gifford

[whole diary]

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

A new rail depot near Bristol could be built as part of plans to electrify the Great Western line between Bristol and London.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-13837318

[tramway]

NIMBY alert

Hundreds of residents have signed a petition opposing a rail depot which is being planned for Stoke Gifford near Bristol.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-15818689

[Chris from Nailsea]

If Stoke Gifford don't want the depot, with all the associated local employment and financial opportunities, how about using the existing sidings site at Flax Bourton - with plenty of level land around, direct access to the main line, etc.?

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Bristol Evening Post:

Petition against rail maintenance depot now signed by 550 people

More than 550 people have signed a petition against plans for a rail maintenance depot at Stoke Gifford.

The project, which could create up to 170 permanent jobs, forms part of the plan to electrify the railway between Bristol and London.

Hitachi Rail Europe, the company overseeing the ^1 billion project, wants to build the depot on what is known as the Filton Triangle ^ a triangular piece of land formed by railway lines close to Bristol Parkway.

If it gets permission, the 44-acre site will be used for a main maintenance workshop, offices and stores, a train wash building, fuel storage, sidings, a wheel lathe building and accommodation for drivers and cleaners.

But there are concerns among local residents that it will be too close to houses and generate noise, dust, light and chemical pollution. They fear they will be disturbed by round-the- clock working and the value of their homes will fall.

More than 50 individual letters from residents have also been sent to South Gloucestershire Council, raising similar concerns and claiming consultation over the scheme was inadequate.

They said the area was already subject to high levels of noise from trains and flight paths of aircraft and claimed the depot would make matters worse.

They also said there were worries about flooding and extra traffic problems on already busy roads.

Although Filton Town Council has raised no objection ^ asking only for nearby householders to be consulted ^ Stoke Gifford Parish Council is opposed to the scheme.

It said it had concerns over noise levels, especially at night, and how the development would affect residents and the environment.

The site, reached off the A38 via North Way, is owned by Network Rail and leased to a third party for reclamation of inert building waste but is not allocated for any specific use in local development plans.

A group of South Gloucestershire councillors are due to visit the site on Friday, before a decision is taken on the application at a future planning meeting.

Under the proposal, rail access to the depot would be provided by new mainline connections to the Avonmouth and Filton line.

Hitachi Rail Europe wants the depot to be working during 2015 if permission is given and has pledged not to be a noisy neighbour.

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

Councillors view Stoke Gifford train depot site

Councillors have inspected the site of a planned train service depot on the Great Western main line.

Agility Trains wants to build the depot on land at Stoke Gifford, close to Bristol Parkway railway station.

South Gloucestershire Council said the depot could create up to 200 jobs.

Campaigners opposed to the plans said there had not been enough consultation and called on developers to pick a "more appropriate" site.

Several rail lines cross at the site of the planned depot, which is on the route between Bristol and Cardiff.

Agility Trains said it hoped it would take between 18 and 24 months to build the facility on land called the Stoke Gifford triangle.

The council's transport boss Brian Allinson said the depot was sited at an accessible location for the railway.

"When you look at it and realise the mainlines all converge at that point, it is quite a sensible place to put it," he said.

But Stokes Campaign against the Rail Electrification Depot (Scared) said not enough consultation had gone into the planning process.

Campaigner Leslie Cox said the group had "massive concerns" about the visual impact of the depot.

The main building would accommodate two full-length trains at once and would also include offices and storage space.

Several smaller buildings - for driver accommodation and train washes - are also part of the plan.

Ms Cox said: "We're concerned about noise pollution with klaxons going off, light and dust pollution and chemicals being washed into the stream.

"I would ask them to be sensible and pick a more appropriate site because we know there are more appropriate sites."

Agility Trains, a consortium of Hitachi and John Laing, said their studies showed the depot would not affect residents and that none of the statutory bodies had objected to the proposal.

[Lee]

Aside from Chris's suggestion of Flax Bourton, does anybody know where these "more appropriate" sites of which the scared people speak are?

[Timmer]

I would suspect scared would say St Philips Marsh could be adapted to take these new trains.

I think they have every right to be scared because unless there is a major compelling case for it not going ahead I think permission will be granted as it forms a major part of bringing a better train service to the region from London which brings the potential for more business to Bristol and surrounding areas.

[ellendune]

I am sure there are plenty of suitable sites in South Wales, but that would create Empty Stock Workings through the tunnel.  Not ideal!

[JayMac]

Stoke Gifford please!

I'm just one person who would be interested in the various job opportunities. Flax Bourton is a bit to far for me to get to on me bike*



*^ Norman Tebbit 1981 

[BPWuser]

Aside from Chris's suggestion of Flax Bourton, does anybody know where these "more appropriate" sites of which the scared people speak are?

How about the site of the ex Rolls Royce building, it's adjacent to the 'triangle' and railway the line? (and to Gypsy Patch Lane and the A38 for those who don't know the area)

[w1bbl3]

How about the site of the ex Rolls Royce building, it's adjacent to the 'triangle' and railway the line? (and to Gypsy Patch Lane and the A38 for those who don't know the area)

I thought the owners planned to build industrial units on that site? I supose with Filton runway due to close it could even end up as housing now.

Petition against rail maintenance depot now signed by 550 people
But there are concerns among local residents that it will be too close to houses and generate noise, dust, light and chemical pollution. They fear they will be disturbed by round-the- clock working and the value of their homes will fall.

They said the area was already subject to high levels of noise from trains and flight paths of aircraft and claimed the depot would make matters worse.

I would say the residents have every reason to be scared as I don't see any major grounds for South Gloucestershire council to reject the planning application. Should South Glos reject the application I'd be amazed if the decision wasn't "called in" by the Secretary of State on the grounds of "major importance having more than local significance".

The railway triangle is interesting peice of land for a depot as the space within the triangle is generally lower than the land outside of it, couple that with the tracks being banked up and you have natural screened bowl in which to build something not visible from outside. The planting and embankments will act as natural acoustic barriers but I'd guess Hitachi will have covered in the noise assesment report.. Chemical / water polution isn't really an issue these days as the Enviroment agency require all new industrial sites not to discharge directly into water courses. Light polution will be restricted by CAA^» (Civil Aviation Authority - about) rules over allowable lighting on the approach / vicinity of a commercial airport for anyone with knowledge of the area this is way the lamp standards around Cribbs Causeway are half the normal height.  The western part of the site has runway approach lights currently.

In terms of other suitable sites this side of the seven tunnel I supose you could build it in Avonmouth / Serven Beach / Pilning plenty of spare land and no restrictions over 24 hour working, but picking another location now certainly wouldn't get it open in time for the first trains.



Edit note: Quote marks fixed. CfN. 

[ellendune]

Picking up on another theme - this will be one of the issues that need to be resolved before the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) contract can be signed (by May).

[eightf48544]

Picking up on another theme - this will be one of the issues that need to be resolved before the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) contract can be signed (by May).

You'll be lucky that would require joined up thinking by DaFT^» (Department for Transport - critical sounding abbreviation I discourage - about).

[ellendune]

No that's what they said was one of the reasons for the delay

Delays to securing planning permission and the need to conclude commercial discussions with the Agility Trains consortium and their banks has resulted in a delay to commercial close of May 2012.

See http://www.number10.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DFT-srp-december-20111.pdf

Which was quoted in another thread http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=10150.msg105523#msg105523

[paul7575]

Ideas dept. 

Any chance this thread could be renamed 'Proposed GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) depot at Stoke Gifford'?   Before long they'll be building an actual 'electrification depot' for the project, to house and service the high output electrification plant, I think Swindon has been mentioned...

Paul