Metrowest Status

[whole diary]

[Western Pathfinder]

Thank you Lee good to know .

[johnneyw]

Thanks from me too Lee.

On the subject of costs of the Portway Station (which has also been raised on another thread too) the 2013 quote of £400k was based, I think, on using new kit form, bolt together platforms. Why the more expensive "bricks and motar" option was chosen instead at something like £2.2m I do not know but I would like to think that the powers that be see the Severn Beach Line as being important enough to merit this more permanent structure.
Lee's previous post refers to the cost including "minor signalling works" which might translate as "inexpensive signalling works", or is there no such thing?

[grahame]

Lee's previous post refers to the cost including "minor signalling works" which might translate as "inexpensive signalling works", or is there no such thing?

Stop boards to indicate where the driver pulls up to.

Also (perhaps) sensors to know when the train arrives / leaves for train monitoring purposes.  Giving data for operation use, but also the feeds that station displays and industry feeds from which things like Rail Time Trains pick up their information.

[Red Squirrel]

Also (perhaps) sensors to know when the train arrives / leaves for train monitoring purposes.  Giving data for operation use, but also the feeds that station displays and industry feeds from which things like Rail Time Trains pick up their information.

That'd be nice. Am I right in thinking that there's nothing between Clifton Down and Avonmouth at the moment?

[Western Pathfinder]

Other than Sea Mills!!....

[Red Squirrel]

Other than Sea Mills!!....

Ah, OK; Sea Mills doesn't show an 'actual' time on trackit, but realtimetrains shows it as well as Shirehampton...

[Lee]

Perhaps some valuable local insight into the viability of P & R serving an urban rail based system will be obtained from the results of the Bristol Portway P&R^▸ (Park and Ride) station when it is finally up and running (and when the service becomes half hourly).

I wouldn't hold your breath about that... Line capacity is not there; the signalling installation couldn't cope; the train with its circuitous route actually tales longer than the bus currently does to get to BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)); and even the provision of a simple single platform might run into difficulties over having to purchase land and/or lose parking spaces (which itself is the opposite intention of a P&R scheme ) Whilst doing some research about this on another forum I happened to notice that a) the only people proposing this are some Bristol City Councillors and b) the P&R bus service receives a council subsidy. It might not be too much of a leap to conclude that the only reason some are in favour of it is to save the council money and put the financial burden on DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) and GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)...

I sure won't hold my breath until it opens but the completion date is by the end of the year, all funded, land aquired and ground surveys complete. The minor signalling changes are, I am informed, included in the budget and half hourly services will be part of the Metrowest project.

I notice that Graham is involved with the Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways. Perhaps he can give us an update

Latest update received:

Further update regarding Portway Parkway received from Bristol City Council for the benefit of forum members:

There has been some delay in Bristol City Council determining the planning application whilst some follow up ecological issues were addressed. All outstanding issues have now been addressed and we are expecting to get an update on determination by the end of this week.

The current cost estimate for the scheme includes provision for some minor signalling works connected to the operation of the level crossing just north of the site on West Town Road. This is because the sighting of the current signal which operates the crossing for trains heading towards Avonmouth would mean that additional barrier downtime at the level crossing would be incurred whilst trains stopped at the new station. This signal mitigation will mean that the level crossing can be operated once the train is ready to leave the new station thereby removing any potential for additional delay.

EDIT: Also posted here due to ongoing relevant thread.

I will ask again early next week.

Planning consent for Portway Parkway Railway Station now granted - details and documents here.

I have a detailed catchup on Portway Parkway pencilled in for 15th April. Please feel free to have a good look, and if there any aspects you want more details on, or if you have any other Portway Parkway-related questions, then let me know before then and i will ask.

[SandTEngineer]

Lee, thanks for posting that.  Although its not in my 'local' area I've always had an interest in this type of scheme since producing several ideas in my RT days.  One thing not clear is, on the drawings, it appears that you have to walk through the car park, along the road, from the bus set down/pick up point.  Have I read that correctly (or seen it properly)?

[Red Squirrel]

According to the 'Transport Development Management' document (in the planning submission Lee links to):

Any local residents, commuters etc. wishing to access and use the new platform and bus services will be able to access Portway Park and Ride via the existing entrances as they will remain unchanged as part of this proposal.

Although there are new facilities being provided for the platform, the existing cycle parking, electric vehicle charge points, disabled parking and public car parking will be available for rail passengers.

The 'Transport Statement' says:

The Objectives of the Project
3.6 As part of the funding bid to the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) the project has outlined a number of objectives which
the scheme should deliver;
xTo provide an alternative mode of transport for car users entering the centre of Bristol;
xTo improve connectivity to other stations in north and inner Bristol;
xTo provide direct connections to the wider rail network via Bristol Temple Meads;
xTo improve connectivity to the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone and the planned new
Bristol Arena at Bristol Temple Meads, as well as the Avonmouth Severnside
Enterprise Area;
xTo enhance the carrying capacity of the local rail network;
xTo complement the existing bus based Park & Ride service which primarily serves the
city centre;
xTo reduce road congestion, airborne pollution and car parking demand in inner Bristol,
particularly at peak times;
xTo make a positive contribution to social well-being, life opportunities and improving
quality of life (along the affected corridors in particular);
xTo reduce the adverse environmental impacts of the local transport network as a
whole;
xTo deliver a new single platform, located adjacent to the existing local authority
operated Portway Park & Ride facility;
xSufficient passenger capacity should meet the forecast usage demands of the P&R^▸ (Park and Ride)
facility;
xAccess from the P&R facility to the Station which ensures access for all users; and
xA new station which provides broadly a 40 minute passenger service frequency until
MetroWest Phase 1 is delivered and then a half hourly service frequency.

...and

Pedestrian/ Cycle Access
3.14 This will remain as the existing existing car park access points to the pavement and public roads from the side of the Portway which is adjacent to the entrance point for the park and ride buses. Access through the car park will use existing paths/ ramp and steps. The only minor construction works required are infill around two of the existing tree pits to be capped with permeable resin bound gravel to essentially increase the width of walkway around two trees (which in itself would not require planning permission) to improve the width of the pavement for wheelchair/ pram users without having to remove the two affected trees.

So in essence the train service is simply an addition to the existing bus-based Park and Ride; this is not meant to be a bus/rail interchange. Given that the endpoints of the bus service are similar to those of the proposed train service, it is hard to imagine many people wishing to go from one to the other.

To my mind there are two very good reasons that this station should be called 'Portway Park and Ride' rather than 'Portway Parkway'

1. It is a commuter station which will be largely used by people travelling relatively short distances into Bristol and, perhaps, Bath, and the site is already known as Portway Park and Ride. 'Parkway' suggests a travel hub with long-distance (say inter-city) options, to my mind.
2. Portway Parkway is a very, very silly name.

[Lee]

Interesting point - "Parkway" does seem to be a default brand name in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) for such stations on the National Rail network. Here's some others:

Coleshill Parkway

East Midlands Parkway

Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway

Sutton Parkway

Tame Bridge Parkway

Warwick Parkway

Aylesbury Vale Parkway

Didcot Parkway

Haddenham and Thame Parkway

Luton Airport Parkway

Oxford Parkway

Southampton Airport Parkway

Whittlesford Parkway

Buckshaw Parkway

Horwich Parkway

Liverpool South Parkway

Bodmin Parkway

Bristol Parkway

Tiverton Parkway

Ebbw Vale Parkway

Port Talbot Parkway

I'm not having much luck finding National Rail network stations with "Park & Ride" in the title. There is a station on the Swanage Railway that many refer to as "Norden Park & Ride", but its official name is "Norden".

Anyone want to add to the list?

[grahame]

Anyone want to add to the list?

Lostock Parkway?

Only "Rides" are
East Kilbride
West Kilbride

[Lee]

Nope - Just as with the station formerly known as Alfreton & Mansfield Parkway, its just plain old "Lostock" now:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/LOT/details.html

https://youtu.be/Z_GzkCkPUko

Debate past, present and future as to the name though:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/lostock-or-lostock-parkway.34367/

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/17340941.platform-could-be-brought-back-to-life-at-railway-station/

[Red Squirrel]

Hmm... quite a few of the stations on Lee's list don't meet my definition of a 'Parkway'; I've obviously fallen into the trap of trying to prescribe (rather than describe) a usage..!

Still think Portway Parkway is a silly name though.

[grahame]

Hmm... quite a few of the stations on Lee's list don't meet my definition of a 'Parkway'; I've obviously fallen into the trap of trying to prescribe (rather than describe) a usage..!

Still think Portway Parkway is a silly name though.

Isn't "Parkway" the modern word for "Road" on the end of a station name?  Means "as near as we'll get you" in many cases.

Beaulieu Road, Builth Road, Llanbister Road, Stapelton Road.  Confused by a duplicate use where the "Road" is the road name in the town, such as Gainsborough Lea Road, Blackhorse Road, Angel Road, etc.

Castle Cary -> Shepton Mallet Road ... no - I had better not suggest that.

But, really, what else would you call the new park and ride station on the parkway?  It's all very well us being critical but ... what alternative?  Looking at a map - but just a quick look - no new name shouts out.   Sponsored name? Public competition - "Station McStation Face"?  Some sort of commemorative name?  Perhaps we have too many "Brunel"s ... but we could do worse; name it after anyone more recent and I suspect you'll have arguments.  "Beeching's End" to celebrate railways making a comeback?

[Red Squirrel]

...Stapelton Road

Stapleton Road is the road to Stapleton, but Stapleton Road Station (SRD) is on Stapleton Road - right on it, not 'as near as we'll get to'! The road is more of a destination than the erstwhile village it leads to.

But, really, what else would you call the new park and ride station on the parkway? 

Portway Parkway, as proposed, is on the Portway, not the Parkway (which is the M32, for us with long memories); in a way you've made my point that it's a confusing name.

I can see that whoever is responsible for naming railway stations sees 'Parkway' as a sort of brand name - but applied unthinkingly, this can lead to the kind of absurdity whereby the venerable Grand Hotel in Bristol was taken over by Thistle Hotels and became the Bristol Thistle (and if you don't see the problem with that, try saying it with a mouthful of spongecake).

I'd call the new station Portway Park and Ride, which is the well-established name for the place it serves.