saltford's getting closer

A petition signed by more than 2,000 people calling for the reopening of Saltford railway station has been presented in Parliament.

North East Somerset MP Jacob Rees-Mogg handed over the petition in the House of Commons as a campaign gathers pace to get trains stopping once again at the halt which closed in 1970.

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   From left, Chris Warren, Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, Richard James and Duncan Hounsell

A team of more than 30 campaigners knocked on doors in the village to collect 2,028 signatures, which they estimate represents support from around two-thirds of households – with success at around 90 per cent of homes where someone was in.

Nearly 800 of the people signing up said they would use the station at least once a week, with 261 saying they would be daily users.

Mr Rees-Mogg met representatives of the Saltford Station Campaign Group at Westminster Hall to receive the petition and later formally handed it in during a session in the main chamber.

Group spokesman Duncan Hounsell said: “Jacob Rees-Mogg has given the campaign whole-hearted support from the outset. Handing in our petition to the House of Commons gives our campaign another boost.”

The station campaign is backed by B&NES Council, which has agreed to act as the official promoter of the reopening project, Bath Spa University and the West of England Partnership.

Mr Rees-Mogg said: “Reopening it makes a lot of sense. The A4 is a very heavily used road and if we can move more people from road to rail, that would have great benefits for the community.”

He said the speeding up of trains with the electrification of the line through the village meant it would be less disruptive to introduce more stopping services into timetables.

“In the 13 years from 1997 to 2010, just ten miles of line were electrified. There are now plans for 800 – that is a huge increase.”

the view from bristol

Thanks to Jim Type and of course Chris Warren for this!

I WOULD like to thank everyone who was involved in organising the excellent Rail Conference that took place on November 4 in Bristol. It was great to hear about the GWR electrification project and the outcome of a workshop session that resulted in the Evening Post-backed 'Bristol Metro' being given top priority by those attending.

A practical demonstration of how such a scheme could work was laid on by the fantastic people at First Great Western.

We started by travelling along the Portishead Branch. It was a lovely trip, passing under the Clifton Suspension Bridge as we trundled up the Avon Gorge. We travelled through Pill, across the viaduct and through the derelict station. We paused to look at where the line would diverge as it carried on into Portishead, tantalisingly close. Next up was a ride around the 'Henbury Loop' then back along the Severn Beach line.

The purpose of this tour was to indicate that a 'Bristol Metro' using existing infrastructure and re-opening closed stations such as Saltford is eminently feasible. It also put into sharp focus the absurdity of the continuing debacle of the re opening of the Portishead line.

Our local politicians really should hang their heads in shame as to why this much discussed proposal to bring relief to the good people of Portishead has taken so long.

I congratulate the Evening Post and First Great Western for championing a cause, the Bristol Metro, that thousands of people who have to live and work in Bristol so desperately want.

I ask all our local politicians of whatever political persuasion, to forget the folly of having a transport system based around the private car, bin this ridiculous and failed 'Bendybus' idea, and put serious money into the local rail network.

We owe it to ourselves and future generations.

Chris Warren

Saltford Station Campaign

a glimpse into the future ...

Well the Saltford meeting went extremely well!

This is Chris Warren's report -

Great shout again on the blog. Well, the meeting was an outstanding success! 138 people attended, a straw poll was conducted, 'who would support and use Saltford Station?' Only THREE against! We had a lively discussion and amazingly we had cross party support for the Station from Francine Haeberling, Tim Warren and Matthew Blankeley(CONS) and Roger Symonds who is the Lib Dem cabinet member with the transport brief. All these are BaNES councillors. We have a PRO RAIL local authority!!

Was very funny watching the former Chair of BaNES and Saltford councillor Francine squirm in her seat after I had handed her a flyer last week and she almost snatched it out of my hand and was very dismissive about the station, to suddenly have a 180 degree turn around in front of 130 or so of her constituents and say she was in full support!! She must be very upset that her pet project BRT along the Midland trackbed has been scrapped and here is a viable, low carbon transport proposal coming from her own back yard! Politicians eh?

Anyway, looking good for any S&D expansion.

saltford TONIGHT!

Saltford Station Campaign.

JUST A REMINDER OF THE MEETING IN SALTFORD TONIGHT - IF YOU ARE FREE PLEASE TRY TO GET ALONG!

Saltford Environment Group was formed about four months ago by a group of like minded residents to raise awareness of a nationwide initiative called 'Transition Towns' which aims to prepare communities for a 'post oil' world. With fossil fuels becoming more scarce and prices rocketing, many experts feel we have reached 'Peak Oil' and need to adapt quickly in order to reduce the shock of a post oil economy.

In the last six months the government announced it is going to electrify Brunel's Great Western Mainline from London Paddington through to Cardiff. This will be a massive infrastructure project, and will eventually see electric trains running through Bath, Keynsham and Saltford.

This is an opportunity that is too good to miss for Saltford. Electric trains mean faster acceleration and deceleration which means quicker timings and gaps in the timetable for re opened stations. We as a group felt the time was right to start a campaign to get our station back. Indeed, Paul Crossley, the new leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council, has already mentioned Saltford as one of the stations he'd like to see re opened! I have spoken to Roger Symonds who is a cabinet member with the transport brief and he is very keen also.

With the ever increasing cost of private motoring, a re opened station gives the residents of Saltford a vital and environmentally friendly transport asset that will 'future proof' the village. Many residents commute to Bath, Bristol, London and beyond. Saltford has quite a large student population who attend universities all over the country, Portsmouth, Birmingham etc.. Many people visit the village, a railway station will give people the option to visit without using the car.

We see the station as a small community facility. Not a vast 'Park and ride' set up. Many people will be able to access the station on foot as there is a comprehensive network of footpaths that the victorians put in place when the station was opened in 1841. It could open up the station site and turn it into a small business park or other village amenity.

It is with all this in mind we would like to give notice of a public meeting at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 26th July at Saltford Hall to discuss the possibility of a re opened station and to invite residents of Saltford along to express their support. Roger Symonds will be there as will members of Saltford Parish Council.

There will be a question and answer session too. [T]here will be available soon a 'Saltford' mug, bearing the original British Railways Western Region chocolate and cream Totem, which will be sold to raise funds for the campaign

the rail revival message spreads

This is a press release issued today from the group that plans to reopen SALTFORD station - please try to attend!

Saltford Station Campaign.

Saltford Environment Group was formed about four months ago by a group of like minded residents to raise awareness of a nationwide initiative called 'Transition Towns' which aims to prepare communities for a 'post oil' world. With fossil fuels becoming more scarce and prices rocketing, many experts feel we have reached 'Peak Oil' and need to adapt quickly in order to reduce the shock of a post oil economy.

In the last six months the government announced it is going to electrify Brunel's Great Western Mainline from London Paddington through to Cardiff. This will be a massive infrastructure project, and will eventually see electric trains running through Bath, Keynsham and Saltford.

This is an opportunity that is too good to miss for Saltford. Electric trains mean faster acceleration and deceleration which means quicker timings and gaps in the timetable for re opened stations. We as a group felt the time was right to start a campaign to get our station back. Indeed, Paul Crossley, the new leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council, has already mentioned Saltford as one of the stations he'd like to see re opened! I have spoken to Roger Symonds who is a cabinet member with the transport brief and he is very keen also.

 With the ever increasing cost of private motoring, a re opened station gives the residents of Saltford a vital and environmentally friendly transport asset that will 'future proof' the village. Many residents commute to Bath, Bristol, London and beyond. Saltford has quite a large student population who attend universities all over the country, Portsmouth, Birmingham etc.. Many people visit the village, a railway station will give people the option to visit without using the car.

We see the station as a small community facility. Not a vast 'Park and ride' set up. Many people will be able to access the station on foot as there is a comprehensive network of footpaths that the victorians put in place when the station was opened in 1841. It could open up the station site and turn it into a small business park or other village amenity.

 It is with all this in mind we would like to give notice of a public meeting at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 26th July at Saltford Hall to discuss the possibility of a re opened station and to invite residents of Saltford along to express their support. Roger Symonds will be there as will members of Saltford Parish Council.

There will be a question and answer session too.  [T]here will be available soon a 'Saltford' mug, bearing the original British Railways Western Region chocolate and cream Totem, which will be sold to raise funds for the campaign.