Don't Give up on Redland, Train Users Urge Council

By Al_Shaw | Saturday, February 20, 2010, 11:25

Local rail users are lobbying the City Council this week to urge them to resist making cuts to the frequency of trains on Bristol's main suburban rail line, which runs from Temple Meads to Severn Beach via Redland.

redland station in the snow

In May 2008, the Council put up money to run an additional train each hour on the line, resulting in large increases in users at Redland Station. Julie Boston of Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways claims that average weekday passenger numbers at Redland Station have leaped from 264 to 635 since the extra trains were introduced. As the Council reviews its budgetary commitments, the Friends are urging them to protect these improved services.

"Since May 2008 our train service has been more frequent and reliable because Bristol City Council has paid for a second train between Temple Meads and Avonmouth Stations. The Council is reviewing its budget so if we want this better service to continue we need to make the case for it!"

The passenger group wants the Council to go further in their commitment to the train line by including the track's subsidy in its Medium Term Financial Plan and by planning for costs and resources up to 2014.

Statistics from Severnside Rail show that over half a million journeys were made on the Severn Beach Line during 2008.

"The Bristol Temple Meads to Avonmouth and Severn Beach train is one of Bristol’s hidden gems," says Julie. "It’s green, it’s clean and far more reliable since there has been a commitment to a second train on the line."

The lobby of the Council will take place on Tuesday 23 February at the Council House on College Green at 1.30 pm.

Do you use the Severn Beach Line? Have you started doing so recently? What effect would a reduced timetable have on you?

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Comments

I'm actually a member of FoSBR myself and fully support the general thrust of what they want to achieve, but sometimes I do get a little baffled by how they operate!

By Neil3296 at 09:44 on 23/02/10
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Thanks for the update Neil.

Anyone from FOSBR want to comment here?

By Al_Shaw at 09:38 on 23/02/10
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Al - this is a red herring story! There is no danger of the 2010/11 support for the Severn Beach Line being withdrawn at next week's Council meeting. There is no budget amendment submitted to do so, so it is simply impossible. I have tried to explain this to FoSBR, but either they are not understanding or they are trying to drum up some sort of party political furore. The Medium Term Financial Plan will not be discussed until the 25th March meeting of Cabinet and there are no plans to remove it from there either!

I and many of my councillor colleagues are users of the Severn Beach Line and we don't need convincing of the value of it and of the more frequent service - I use it much more for business trips now as it fits with Temple Meads trains much better. The real challenge is to convince First Great Western to invest in it properly, like by fitting ticket machines at stations or employing more fare collectors.

Councillor Neil Harrison, Cotham Ward

By Neil3296 at 20:50 on 20/02/10
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