Bristol connections: Metro, Bus Rapid Transit, PTE, ITA and local councils - discussion

[whole diary]

[stuving]

Good point - the cross-platform interchange would have to be at St Andrews Road, not Avonmouth.

Just so I understand: Is 'St Andrews MCB^▸ (Miniature Circuit Breaker)' the entrance I referred to as King Road?

Yes - though officially it's called St Andrews Jn. (MCB), despite that junction no longer existing on the single line to Severn Beach (it's the tail end of the coal-hopper lines). 

St Andrews Road station has only one platform and is rather hemmed in by the coal-hopper lines on one side and the port on the other. You might squeeze in a second line along the back, or maybe not.

At a recent FOSBR^▸ (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways) meeting, Mark Weston (Conservative councillor for - hey! - Henbury) suggested that there is a pathing problem that came about after the Severn Beach line was singled; if I remember correctly he said that in effect the main through route was given over to the Port for freight. The fact that this led to less-than-ideal crossing movements wasn't considered that important given that the passenger service was seen to be on its way out.

I'm not sure if this is related. Currently the bulk terminal (coal-hopper lines) operates via Henbury and does not need to interact with the single line from Avonmouth to Severn Beach. The single-line operation is described as "One train working without staff". However, there are some sidings at West Wharf on the other side of the single line, so a few trains have to cross it at Holesmouth Junction (by the bulk terminal entrance). They thus enter the single line's block, and the relevant rule is "NB a train cannot be routed between Hallen Marsh Jn and Avonmouth West Wharf if another train occupies the section between Avonmouth and Severn Beach (inclusive of Severn Beach turnround time)".

Presumably single line working would need to be replaced by full signalling on the section from Avonmouth to Holesmouth Junction, and might not be worth retaining on the rest.

[Red Squirrel]

Good point - the cross-platform interchange would have to be at St Andrews Road, not Avonmouth.

Just so I understand: Is 'St Andrews MCB^▸ (Miniature Circuit Breaker)' the entrance I referred to as King Road?

Yes - though officially it's called St Andrews Jn. (MCB), despite that junction no longer existing on the single line to Severn Beach (it's the tail end of the coal-hopper lines). 

St Andrews Road station has only one platform and is rather hemmed in by the coal-hopper lines on one side and the port on the other. You might squeeze in a second line along the back, or maybe not.

At a recent FOSBR^▸ (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways) meeting, Mark Weston (Conservative councillor for - hey! - Henbury) suggested that there is a pathing problem that came about after the Severn Beach line was singled; if I remember correctly he said that in effect the main through route was given over to the Port for freight. The fact that this led to less-than-ideal crossing movements wasn't considered that important given that the passenger service was seen to be on its way out.

I'm not sure if this is related. Currently the bulk terminal (coal-hopper lines) operates via Henbury and does not need to interact with the single line from Avonmouth to Severn Beach. The single-line operation is described as "One train working without staff". However, there are some sidings at West Wharf on the other side of the single line, so a few trains have to cross it at Holesmouth Junction (by the bulk terminal entrance). They thus enter the single line's block, and the relevant rule is "NB a train cannot be routed between Hallen Marsh Jn and Avonmouth West Wharf if another train occupies the section between Avonmouth and Severn Beach (inclusive of Severn Beach turnround time)".

Presumably single line working would need to be replaced by full signalling on the section from Avonmouth to Holesmouth Junction, and might not be worth retaining on the rest.

Thanks for that explanation. 

I just wish I could get to the bottom of how Charlotte Leslie sees the loop service dovetailing with the service pattern that's already planned along the Severn Beach line.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Bristol Post:

LIVE UPDATES: Bailiffs move in to evict Stapleton Allotment tree-top protesters


Bailiffs are moving in to evict the Stapleton Allotment protesters

After more than a month making a stand against Metrobus plans by living in trees above Stapleton Allotments, protesters look set to be evicted this morning.

According to a Bristol Post reporter on the scene, at least 30 bailiffs have surrounded a make-shift camp with more being dropped off by bus.

The move comes two days after the council secured a second possession order for land in the area occupied by the Rising Up Group, which has said it will strongly resist any moves to get them off the land.

It is not the first time there has been activity by security staff at the site, however reports from the scene suggest this is the first time bailiffs have been making obvious moves towards the camp.

[bobm]

So that's why I was treated to the sight of a naked bottom on the lunchtime BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Points West while I was eating my sandwich!

[chuffed]

Well.one of your fellow moderators thinks Metrobust is a bit  of a bum deal after all.....

[Chris from Nailsea]

As someone involved in the noble game for many years, I cannot believe that my colleague bobm hasn't seen more than the occasional bare bottom from time to time.

And she seemed rather cheeky, too:

One of the protesters was seen being chased naked by five bailiffs, after shedding her clothes while they tried to detain her.

She eventually managed to put them back on before slipping back into the camp and being evicted again.

Here she is with clothes on...

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

MetroBus final route work approved for Bristol


The ^200m project will create 50km of segregated bus-ways and bus lanes

Building work on the third section of the MetroBus scheme around Bristol will begin next month, the government has confirmed.

It was announced in Wednesday's Budget that the North Fringe to Hengrove route had been granted full approval which allows construction to begin.

The ^200m project will provide an express bus service on 31 miles (50km) of segregated bus-ways and bus lanes.

Permission for the third route was granted by council planners last year.

The joint project between Bristol City Council, North Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council is expected to have bus services in operation next year.

There has been some opposition to the scheme locally, including a tree-top protest camp set up at Stapleton Allotments which is being relocated as part of wider work on the the project.

Protesters spent 40 days on-site but were evicted last week after Bristol City Council was given the backing of the High Court to clear the land.


The North Fringe to Hengrove route (in pink) has been approved by the government

[TonyK]

Pah!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Purely out of idle curiosity on my part ... is that 'Pah!' as in 'Undecided', 'Not Convinced' or 'Rabidly Opposed'? 

[grahame]

The North Fringe to Hengrove route (in pink) has been approved by the government

Looking at the map ... that appears to serve Parson Street Station, Bedminster in one direction and have a Bristol Parkway terminus for some legs.   The nearest it comes to Bristol Temple Meads is Redcliffe Hill.

I am not a Bristolian / regular visitor to the city so rarely comment here on Bristol matters - though it does vwey much form a part of the North (Chippenham, Corsham, Melksham) and West Wilts travel to work area.   Indeed, on Wednesday evening I stayed at the Mercure hotel on Redcliffe Hill and walked there from the station.   We were picked up for an event outside the City Centre yesterday, and the organisers had the coach travel from both the hotel AND from Temple Meads station, which gives rise to the view that Redcliffe Hill and Temple Meads are NOT close enough to each other to be considered the same place / an adequate interchange. 

[TonyK]

Purely out of idle curiosity on my part ... is that 'Pah!' as in 'Undecided', 'Not Convinced' or 'Rabidly Opposed'? 

As if you need to ask, CfN!

Looking at the map ... that appears to serve Parson Street Station, Bedminster in one direction and have a Bristol Parkway terminus for some legs.   The nearest it comes to Bristol Temple Meads is Redcliffe Hill.

We were picked up for an event outside the City Centre yesterday, and the organisers had the coach travel from both the hotel AND from Temple Meads station, which gives rise to the view that Redcliffe Hill and Temple Meads are NOT close enough to each other to be considered the same place / an adequate interchange. 

If those were the only downsides, I wouldn't be so anti. Truth is that this is a road building scheme first, with  thin bus services to justify asking for the money for public transport. Over ^200 million for a bus lane?

You noticed as well that MetroBust connects Parkway to near Temple Meads, then Bedminster and Parson Street. So do trains, without congestion. That makes it even dafter.

[Red Squirrel]

At Redcliffe Roundabout work has started to reshape the junction, better to accommodate MetroBus.

FT, N! will no doubt be delighted to read that you can follow the spending of every soundly-invested penny on this project at http://travelwest.info/projects/metrobus/metrobusbuild

Not sure if MetroBus really qualifies as a 'Campaign for new and improved services' now that work has started...  I think most would argue that it never did, but there isn't a 'Campaigns against squandering public money' board.

[TonyK]

FT, N! will no doubt be delighted to read that you can follow the spending of every soundly-invested penny on this project at http://travelwest.info/projects/metrobus/metrobusbuild

Not sure if MetroBus really qualifies as a 'Campaign for new and improved services' now that work has started...  I think most would argue that it never did, but there isn't a 'Campaigns against squandering public money' board.

FT, N! is already aware of the scant information being put out. t seems odd that the first job in a bus scheme is to enhance cycling and pedestrian access at a place where no bus has ever had trouble turning in the past. A bit of mission creep, maybe?

[Red Squirrel]

...scant information...

To be fair, there's 170 documents available online for the revised route of AVTM alone (search 13/05648/FB on the BCC^» (Bristol City Council - about) Planning Portal...). Without this I would have been unable to tell you that, according to one of the documents, the new bus infrastructure will have a 'medium positive' impact on the 52.6% of the population who are athiests in the catchment area.

[Bmblbzzz]

At Redcliffe Roundabout work has started to reshape the junction, better to accommodate MetroBus.

Which Redcliffe roundabout? The one by the church, at the end of the very-occasionally-swings bridge? The one the other side of the river, at the end of East St? Or the one at the end of Victoria St, that used to have a flyover many years ago?