Planners look to extend Severn Beach railway line to Bristol Parkway
Councillors are looking at ways to increase the number of trains going to the new Henbury station
Transport planners are looking at the possibility of extending the Severn Beach railway line to Bristol Parkway train station. After reaching Parkway, trains would then turn around and head back the other way, instead of looping around the city as some councillors are calling for.
A study was commissioned by the West of England Combined Authority to look at options for increasing the number of trains going to the planned Henbury station. One option would be to allow passenger trains running from Avonmouth to use an existing freight line to Henbury.
This would connect up the west and north-west of Bristol with the north and the north-east, including major employment centres like the port with newly built housing estates. It’s not clear when the study will be completed, but new details were revealed in a member forum meeting on Tuesday, January 13.
Green Councillor Ed Plowden, chair of the transport policy committee, said: “We’ve invested a lot in rail, we’ve seen the Ashley Down station and the Portway station, and these are really good things. They’re actually busting our expectations so I’m really hoping that the way we do the appraisals of future things actually learns from the success we’ve already had.
“I’m very concerned that we’re ruling out options, for example to make it into a loop. They’ll have to drive in and reverse out again and do some sort of complicated manoeuvre. We need to recognise that it’s a highly regulated environment, it’s an existing live line that we’re talking about which has freight on it, and we have to listen to the experts.”
The plan falls short of filling out the Henbury Loop, which would effectively create a circle line around Bristol. With this idea, the northern end of the Severn Beach line would connect to Henbury, which would then go down to Temple Meads and rejoin the line at its southern end.
The Severn Beach line calls at Lawrence Hill, Stapleton Road, Montpelier, Redland, Clifton Down, Sea Mills, Shirehampton, Portway Park and Ride, Avonmouth, St Andrews Road and Severn Beach. Two new stations are planned in north Bristol, at Henbury and North Filton next to the new YTL Arena.
Conservative Cllr Mark Weston, who represents Henbury and Brentry, has long advocated for the Henbury Loop option. He tabled a motion for the full council meeting on Tuesday, January 13, seeking to get cross-party support for the Henbury Loop, although this did not get debated due to a lack of time.
Cllr Weston said: “The last time we looked at the loop, the experts said that only eight journeys a day would loop from Henbury to Avonmouth. That’s four return journeys, eight movements. So forgive me if I’m slightly sceptical when an expert says that.”
Despite his motion not getting debated, the idea was supported by Green Cllr James Crawford, who represents Bishopston and Ashley Down, where the new Ashley Down train station was recently built. Although trains only run once an hour, he said local residents were keen for more investment in the railways.
Cllr Crawford added: “It has been proven, time and time again, that access to high quality, regular public transport is key to strengthening local economies. It improves access to local services and housing. It brings communities closer together. And with the climate crisis progressing at pace, it enables a more sustainable and convenient lifestyle for residents.
“Expanding the Henbury Line will go a long way to meeting this untapped demand. There are obviously technical challenges to overcome, but provided the political will is there, I believe there is incredible potential in creating a true circle line for Bristol.”