Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I have posted some general thoughts on most appropriate (most useful) discussion and campaigning at http://www.passenger.chat/25953sanityneeded which included a hefty chunk on Portishead.  I am not crossposting the whole thing here, but to take a look, and by all means quote here. Let's leave all the options in the archive (they already are), get on with it.  By all means promoting development and how we can usefully help here, and providing inputs to help progress and tune the project.

[Red Squirrel]

The Portishead DCO^▸ (Driver Controlled Operation) inches forward. The further question being raised seems to relate to whitebeams in the Tilio-Acerion woodland of the gorge. A response is required by 9th Feb.

https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-content/ipc/uploads/projects/TR040011/TR040011-001685-220126%20consultation%20letter%20-%20Defra%20questions_Redacted.pdf

[TonyK]

The Portishead DCO^▸ (Driver Controlled Operation) inches forward. The further question being raised seems to relate to whitebeams in the Tilio-Acerion woodland of the gorge. A response is required by 9th Feb.

https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-content/ipc/uploads/projects/TR040011/TR040011-001685-220126%20consultation%20letter%20-%20Defra%20questions_Redacted.pdf

Hopefully a step forward. It doesn't raise huge issues, and if the redacted part says "Barry Cash", it is looking for a response rather than a detailed rebuttal.

[Red Squirrel]

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)'s Politics West did a piece on Portishead this Sunday: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0014jkw/politics-west-13022022

There was some FoSBR^» (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways - site) (or was it FoBSR?) involvement...

Scroll forward to 20:30

[Western Pathfinder]

I hope your children approve this time Tim.

[TonyK]

Sorry - did that chap at the end say £650 million for road schemes? I may have identified the issue here.

Very well put, Tim. It's nice to hear positives rather than just moans.

[TonyK]

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading
Due to a road vehicle blocking the railway between London Paddington and Reading the London Paddington bound local stopping line is closed.

Not Barry Cash trying to prove a point, I hope?

(Seems to have ended without injury, before you ask)

[RichardB]

Interesting tweet here - evidently the deadline for the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) decision is next Tuesday (19th)

https://twitter.com/philatrail/status/1514197259071766531

[johnneyw]

Interesting tweet here - evidently the deadline for the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) decision is next Tuesday (19th)

https://twitter.com/philatrail/status/1514197259071766531

Nowt on the DfT website so far today that I can find.

[grahame]

Interesting tweet here - evidently the deadline for the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) decision is next Tuesday (19th)

https://twitter.com/philatrail/status/1514197259071766531

https://travelwest.info/projects/portishead-rail-line-metrowest-phase-1 ...

Deadline for the DCO^▸ (Driver Controlled Operation) decision extended until 19 April 2022

On October 20th 2021, a Written Ministerial Statement was presented in the House of Commons stating that the deadline for the DCO decision is to be extended to 19 April 2022 (an extension of 6 months) to allow further consideration of environmental matters.

And here we are ... listening ...

[chuffed]

And ever more twiddling of thumbs....just had a email from Dft to say the decision has been delayed YET AGAIN to 19th February 2023 to give North Somerset more time to secure all the funding.
Absolutely ridiculous !!

I have been asked by my right honourable friend, the Secretary of State to make this written ministerial statement. This statement concerns the application made by North Somerset District Council under the Planning Act 2008 for the construction of a new railway on the trackbed on the former branch line from Bristol to Portishead.

Under section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make his decision within 3 months of receipt of the examining authority’s report unless exercising the power under section 107(3) to extend the deadline and make a statement to the House of Parliament announcing the new deadline.

The Secretary of State received the examining authority’s report on the Portishead Branch Line – MetroWest Phase 1 development consent order application on 19 July 2021 and, following an earlier extension of 4 months to allow further consideration of environmental matters, the current deadline for a decision is 19 April 2022.

The deadline for the decision is now to be extended to 19 February 2023 (an extension of 7 months) to allow North Somerset District Council further time to demonstrate that funding for the entire scheme has been secured.

The decision to set the new deadline is without prejudice to the decision on whether to grant or refuse development consent for the above application.

Published 19 April 2022

[grahame]

The deadline for the decision is now to be extended to 19 February 2023 (an extension of 7 months) to allow North Somerset District Council further time to demonstrate that funding for the entire scheme has been secured.

I make that ten months not seven - or has Autumn been cancelled this year?

[johnneyw]

So that's how they do it.  Off course the previous funding won't cover everything with the recent surge in costs....even less so in 7 months.  Goodbye Portishead line and the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), with much hand wringing, will then insist that it's not their fault.

[IndustryInsider]

It’s looking less and less likely it’ll happen at all now.

[chuffed]

I am informed by a reliable committee member of the Portishead Railway group that there is a 34 page letter somewhere justifying this decision to kick the can down the road yet again. It would be helpful if someone could track that down and post it here.