Portway Park and Ride Station

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

Is that to do with being usable by people in wheelchairs, perhaps?

Well that's a very good point. I can see that designing something that's vandal-proof (which probably rules out making the screen adjustable), and accommodates people from wheelchair height to 2m tall (me, near enough) is quite a challenge...

[JayMac]

who's that bloke with the proper camera?

His video is now on YouTube. You yellow t-shirted lot feature in the first few seconds. Then an interview with some tall squirrelly FoSBR^» (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways - site) chap.
https://youtu.be/wIwyON6SA-k

[Western Pathfinder]

Not only difficult to use the ticket machine,but when you manage to select the ticket you require,it won't take payment by card of any sort,connection error by the looks of it ,many people frustrated today.

[infoman]

Not to take anything away from the opening but another new train station was opened on Monday 31 July
 (although the article said it was opened on 31 January 2023 presume predictive text went wrong?)

Thanet Parkway near Ramsgate was due to cost 10 million pounds but actual cost was 35 million pounds

From the film footage,unable to see if there is a footbridge,although I presume it can be accessed easily from both up and down lines.

Over network rails dead body will there ever be a under pass built under railway lines ever again,South Bristol link road is the exception

[stuving]

From the film footage,unable to see if there is a footbridge,although I presume it can be accessed easily from both up and down lines.

There's a pre-existing foot subway near the eastern end of the platforms. Not underneath, because there are houses with gardens right up to the embankment on the other side of it preventing the platfroms being any further east.

[ChrisB]

And that is the access to the up platform, if you look at NRs^» (Network Rail - home page) video...

[Red Squirrel]

Meanwhile, back at Portway P&R^▸ (Park and Ride): https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1686408118094163968

[johnneyw]

The local news said it cost 5.8 million pounds,that seems a bit on the low side,any one else thinking the same?

WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) website quotes the £5.8 million figure too.

[grahame]

Speeches, as reported by the Department for Transport Press Release

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

Today’s opening of Portway Park and Ride Station is the latest example of this government’s plan to invest in infrastructure and grow the economy.

It will provide a boost to Bristol and its surrounding area by improving local transport links while connecting passengers to business hubs and thousands of high-skilled job opportunities.

Managed by Great Western Railway (GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)), the new station will ease congestion on local roads and provide an additional transport option for the 9,000 people who work in the surrounding area.

It will also support local growth by improving access to the Avonmouth and Temple Quarter Enterprise Zones, which are expected to create 31,000 new jobs by 2050.

Marvin Rees Mayor of Bristol said:

I am incredibly proud and delighted to open Bristol’s first railway station in 96 years. Portway Park and Ride station will offer local people and commuters an efficient and sustainable travel option. Having boosted the number of free parking spaces at our park and ride site, it offers commuters more options to park up and catch a train or the bus.

Completion of the railway station highlights our commitment to developing modern and accessible travel solutions. As we look toward a future of improved connectivity through a mass transit system, Portway Park and Ride is a key step on our journey towards a better connected Bristol and South West.

We are grateful for the support and collaboration of our project partners and eagerly anticipate the positive impact this station will have on our city.

Portway Park and Ride Station marks Britain’s 2,577th railway station and follows closely on the heels of the opening of Marsh Barton station in the South West earlier this month, also opened by the Transport Secretary. The opening forms the latest in the government’s drive to invest in infrastructure to grow the economy and boost connectivity across the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

Marcus Jones, Network Rail Western Route Director, said:

This announcement marks an important milestone in our efforts to transform rail travel for our passengers in and around Bristol and the wider West of England area.

I’d like to thank our partners in the project – Bristol City Council, the West of England Combined Authority and GWR – for their hard work and dedication in bringing this new station to the city. We hope that passengers from Bristol and beyond will experience the benefits that this new station will bring for years to come.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris said:

Passengers are pleased that the new Portway Park and Ride Railway Station is opening – the first new station built in this incredible city since the Roaring 20s.

Delivering for local people is what our multi-million-pound Reverse Beeching programme is all about.

This is undoubtedly a good day for Bristolians and the West of England region, and I’m proud it’s been made possible by a substantial £3 million-plus investment from my West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.

But this is just the beginning. We need to press ahead with work to give even more residents access to new stations as we strive to meet our ambitious West of England net-zero-by-2030 targets.

Joe Graham, Business Assurance and Strategy Director at Great Western Railway, said:

We are delighted that services will be operating from the new Portway Park and Ride station. It will offer customers regular trains to and from Bristol Temple Meads twice an hour with a journey time of 25 minutes.

Situated alongside the M5, this new station will provide a great alternative for those travelling into Bristol city centre or wanting to connect with the wider rail network.

[TonyK]

…and bikes!

...and cruise ships!

The local news said it cost 5.8 million pounds,that seems a bit on the low side,any one else thinking the same?

It's a bit more than the original estimate of £400.000, but for a single platform in an existing car park beside an existing railway, I suppose it's what it costs these days.

Nice words from the politicians who had nothing to do with it.

[chuffed]

Would love to see one of the Aida cruise ships docking at Portway park and ride. There are some bollards on the opposite bank from the days of the Pill 'hobblers' which might help !!

Perhaps TonyK would like to adopt a new moniker for this thread ...Four Cruisers Now !

[TonyK]

Would love to see one of the Aida cruise ships docking at Portway park and ride. There are some bollards on the opposite bank from the days of the Pill 'hobblers' which might help !!

Perhaps TonyK would like to adopt a new moniker for this thread ...Four Cruisers Now !

That would be a sight to see. The cruise terminal was, however, just around the corner from the P&R^▸ (Park and Ride). On checking, I believe ships now dock at Royal Portbury instead of Avonmouth.

[Red Squirrel]

...I believe ships now dock at Royal Portbury instead of Avonmouth.

Shame there's not a railway there..!

[johnneyw]

It only required a short detour on my travels today to see how the new station is doing.  Arrived from Redland about 12.10 with 3 people including myself getting off and 5  getting on.
There were also another 5 who boarded the train in the opposite direction a few minutes later but I forgot to check how many got off.  The only other person on the platform was a young chap with a "proper camera".
The car park pictured was fairly full but not occupied as far as the extended bit.  The waiting bus seemed to hold half a dozen passengers, perhaps a few more.

It's not really a scientific survey but for the time of day, this early in it's existence, that seems fairly encouraging usage.

Note:  It did occur to me that early station numbers might be somewhat artificially boosted by visiting rail enthusiasts but these passengers didn't hang around the station and instead appeared to using Portway for other purposes.

[grahame]

Would love to see one of the Aida cruise ships docking at Portway park and ride. There are some bollards on the opposite bank from the days of the Pill 'hobblers' which might help !!

Perhaps TonyK would like to adopt a new moniker for this thread ...Four Cruisers Now !

Just outside the Park and Ride - photo from Monday



Past recommendation to cruise passengers arriving they train has been to get a taxi from Temple Meads, but perhaps (*if* they dock at Avonmouth) one could now walk in?