BRTA Westbury Forum Agenda - All Welcome - Saturday 18 May at The Railway Inn, Station Road, Westbury BA13 4HW

Statement to follow. If you want more and better, be willing to attend our meetings and engage more!

Notes from the BRTA Westbury Forum held on Saturday, 18 May 2024 at the Railway Inn, Station Road, Westbury BA13 4HW – By Simon Barber.
Present: Simon Barber and David Ferguson (BRTA), Peter Grant, Graham Ellis (Wiltshire County Councillor), David Northey (Travel Watch South West) and Christopher Maltin
Apologies: Sarah Dyke (MP Somerton and Frome), Christopher Jones and Dan Norris (West of England Combined Authority), Cllr. Sarah Warren (Bath and NE Somerset Council), Cllr. Adrian Dodgson (Radstock Town Council) , Colin Crawford and David Start(BRTA members).
1.      Radstock – Frome: More people tend to commute from Radstock to Bath rather than Frome, since Radstock faces Bath. Therefore, we agreed that it would be more convenient from Radstock to connect to Limpley Stoke (on Bath-Westbury Line), and a light rail was suggested which in fact was the site of the Titfield Thunderbolt film from 1952. BRTA CEO: This should be feasibility study to evaluate choice and options. What of integrity of route for example either way?
2.      Taunton – Barnstaple: Barnstaple has a parking problem and most people commute to Exeter Central which is the centre of that town. BRTA CEO: That is now, but A361 needs a rail option to take volumes off roads and onto rails more. Exeter from London or Bristol for North Devon is a great way round!
3.      Bristol Metro: Upgraded stations at Filton Abbey (site of University of West of England). Also, stations at both Patchway and Pilning which is close to the Aztec Business Park.
4.      New stations on the West of England main line: All these stations are needed (Devizes Parkway, Somerton, Langport, Cullompton, Wellington).
5.      New stations on South Wales main line: Grove Road Wantage is a top priority, since Great Western Railway is planning to run direct services to Bristol Temple Meads and Oxford as proposed by England’s Economic Heartlands (EEH). Also, Corsham and Wootton Bassett stations are needed.
6.      Gravity Site near Bridgwater: Bridgwater has a transport problem, and a light rail is suggested for that site. BRTA CEO – why? What is the comparative cost-demand with heavy rail options? What evaluations have been made? What about Cirencester?
7.      Bristol Temple Meads – Weymouth: We call for more frequent services along that corridor i.e. 1 per hour. Castle Cary station needs upgrading which caters for Glastonbury Festival and also the Shepton Mallet showground (e. g Bath and West), and also Yeovil Pen Mill station which is close to Yeovil’s town centre. BRTA CEO: What about Yeovil Curves?
8.      New bridge over River Severn: Severn tidal barrage is in its early planning stage which will be close to the M4 bridge. BRTA CEO: A study is needed with options for more by rail/capacity.
9.      Gloucester – Ross-on-Wye – Hereford: The Gloucester – Ross-on-Wye section is easier since there are no bridges across the River Wye, compared with the other section from Ross-on-Wye to Hereford where there are several bridges. Michelden station is a possible site for re-opening.

T: BRTA Author and contact: 0208 940 4399   E: simon4barber@gmail.com

BRTA Westbury Forum Saturday 18 May at The Railway Inn, Station Road, Westbury BA13 4HW. Main BRTA Contact: Simon Barber: T: 0208 940 4399

E: simon4barber@gmail.com 1pm food, 2pm business.
 
Agenda:
 
1.                 Appointment of a chair (not Simon) and someone to take notes
2.                 Apologies for absence
3.                 Frome-Radstock reopening
4.                 Taunton-Barnstaple reopening
5.                 Bristol Metro including Portishead, new stations at Ashley Down Station(between Bristol Temple Meads and Henbury) and Charfield (on Bristol Temple Meads-Gloucester line)
6.                 New stations on the West of England main line - Devizes Parkway, Somerton, Langport, Cullompton, Wellington, Corsham
7.                 New station on Grove Road Wantage (on Great Western's South Wales main line)
8.                 The Gravity Site near Bridgwater - Efforts to deliver a new rail link to the site (which is a development for an employment hub and was originally priced at £50m) remain at a standstill until the potential occupier has signed on the dotted line
9.                 Bristol Temple Meads - Weymouth service
10. New bridge over the River Severn to enable more capacity for more by rail between England and Wales
11. Bridport Reopening
12.Yeovil direct curves reinstatement inc. Weymouth-Exeter direct as a result.
13.Gloucester-Ross-on-Wye-Hereford (Southampton-Shrewsbury) avoiding Birmingham  to free up train paths and ease congested railway hot spots causing delay and restricting growth.
14. Any Other Business
15.Day, Date, Time and Place of Next Westbury Forum (suggest thrice yearly).
 
Notes:
1.                      Please bring your agenda with you and contribute
2.                      All welcome to attend, join and make common cause.
3.                      Simon and David are our main contacts for the West County.
4.                      When you mention that preservation got to do with BRTA, that was in fact that the North Somerset Railway will aim to enable reintroduction of national railway operations between Radstock and the Somer valley and the Network through partnerships with GWR, Network Rail, the DfT. and Local Councils.
5.                      BRTA has lots of potential volunteering opportunities – can you be an area rep to grow members, a team and campaign for some of the things on this agenda? Contact Richard Pill, BRTA CEO 01234 330090 / richard.erta@gmail.com 

See: https://ertarail.co.uk/get-involved-volunteering/
6.                      Feedback always useful

7.                      BRTA is transitioning from ERTA to BRTA. 

Please bear with us.