TravelWatch SouthWest

MetroWest -from concept to delivery

James White

4 October 2014

MetroWest

Background• Rail growth – 10.7% 2013, 94% 10 years, 1m SVBL• Earlier rail strategies • Joint Local Transport Plans –

Portishead and Greater Bristol Metro

• Portishead GRIP Stage 3• Regional Funding Allocation• Campaign groups• Many aspirations….

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Target

Actual

Aspirations

What to do?Don’t look

back!

Rail Conference Nov 2011

• Eminent speakers DfT, Network Rail, First Great Western, TravelWatch South West

• Set the scene for Workshop

• Identify Top Three priorities

• Rail tour of the local network courtesy of First Great Western

Top Trains Trumps

• Prioritise Top Three schemes• Value for money and

business case• £70m budget (£400m+

worth of schemes)• Package schemes up• West of England focus• 45 minutes

Results – Priorities!

1. Greater Bristol Metro – half hourly cross Bristol services to all stations

2. Portishead line reopened3. Additional rolling stock

Thin, even spread for 25 other schemes.

West of England Rail Studies 2012-13

• First study – conference plus 68! Including:- Thornbury line- Badminton, Bathampton,

Charfield, Flax Bourton, St Annes Park, Winterbourne, Chipping Sodbury stations

- Radstock to Frome line- Platform and car park

extensions• Great Western Franchise

consultation

MetroWest

Project Objectives

• Support economic growth• Improve accessibility• Improve quality of life• Reduce traffic congestion • Enhance capacity of the local

rail network• Reduce environmental impact • Links to other major schemes

including MetroBus

MetroWest Phase 1• Cost £58.2m, £56.9m in place• Construction 2017 to opening

2019• £1.5m development costs

budget 2014/15• Previous GRIP 3 work refreshed• MetroWest modelling incl.

Crossrail Iteration 5 • GRIP Stage 1 – 2 and

Preliminary Business Case, Sept 2014

• Portishead station locations consultation June/July 2014

• All new stations accessible

MetroWest Phase 2• Cost £43.1m, opening 2021• £0.6m development costs

2014/15• GRIP Stage 1-2 and Business

Case briefs published end June 2014 (Henbury Line loop with spur test and freight issues)

• North Fringe Stations study (incl. Henbury Line) – March 2014

• Bristol New Stations Study (Ashley Down and Horfield) – late 2014

• Decision on single option to take to GRIP Stage 3, March 2015

New Stations Package

Endorsement• Joint Transport Executive

Committee 7/03/12 Phase 1 and 2 agreed for franchise consultation

• JTEC 12/12/12 development costs Phase 1 and 2 agreed

• Local Transport Body 14/06/13 prioritised Phase 1 for post 2015 major transport scheme funding

• Strategic Economic Plan key priority

• Joint Transport Body 12/09/14 endorsed Preliminary Business Case

Preliminary Business Case

• Value for money, commercial footing, financially affordable and deliverable in 2019

• Two service options with same infrastructure

• Clock face timetable• BCR 2.28 to 5.99• Total cost including development costs

= £58.2m with 30% contingency• Annual subsidy £1.141m to £1.765m• More technical work on costs and

revenues for Outline Business Case, October 2015 and

• Great Western Franchise Direct Award

Risks• Funding – capital and

revenue• Third party delivery –

Network Rail and TOCs• Business Cases not strong• “Mission creep”• But we’ve got development

costs, bulk of Phase 1 construction costs, technical case and priorities

Dates and funding

• Phase 1 opens 2019, cost £58.2m

• Phase 2 opens 2021, cost £43.1m

• £81.4m devolved major transport scheme funding

• £11.7m Local Growth Fund

• Revenue and Direct Award

Key points• Building a modern local railway• Realistic, pragmatic, affordable• Need lots of passengers!• £5m+ a station (10,000 catchment)• Rolling stock (£0.75m per extra train

unit)• Long trip• But 2 new lines, up to 10 new

stations and ½ hourly services

MetroWest

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What we have to do!Summary of Engineering Works Needed• Rebuild the Portishead to Pill Line • Closure of historic crossings• New station at Portishead• Reopen former station at Pill• Double track works at Pill and Ashton Gate• Investigate improvement of highway access to Pill tunnel• Environmental mitigation measures• Enhancement to Parson Street Junction• Re-signalling the entire line between Temple Meads and

Portishead• Bathampton Turnback• Additional signalling at Avonmouth station• Partial reinstatement of Down Relief Line to assist

recessing/regulation of freight trains

Between Marsh Lane and Sheepway Bridge (looking towards Sheepway)

Relaid section with concrete sleepers and rails dated 1974 between Portbury station and Royal Portbury Dock bridge

Infrastructure Needed in Pill

Parson Street Junction and Partial Reinstatement of the Down Relief Line

Portbury Junction from the Portishead Line – freight only line to Royal Portbury Dock curves off to the left and to the right to Pill and Bristol Temple Meads

To do – Phase 1• Historic crossings and

footbridges, cycle path, noise barriers, maintenance access

• Development Consent Order for 4.5km of disused line

• Portishead station location• Environmental Impact

Assessment• Outline and Full Business

Cases• GRIP Stage 3 to 8• Rolling stock• Great Western Franchise