Category: Services
Mass Transit for Bristol and Bath: Will we fail again?
Bristol Rail Campaign is concerned that the West of England’s aspiration for a mass transit system for Bristol and Bath is once again in danger of being thwarted by local politics. We have been here before. Will we fail again? A successful mass transit system must make extensive use of segregated routes if it is…
Tram-trains: A mass transit solution for Bristol and Bath
The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority is considering its options for Bristol’s Mass Transit system. Could tram-trains be the solution?
Portway Park & Ride: Bus or Train?
Portway Park & Ride station is finally open. But after all the excitement of the opening ceremony, one question keeps cropping up: why do we need a train station when there is already a frequent bus service into Bristol? Which is best – bus or train?
Cam & Dursley station – still an hourly service
Cam & Dursley station missed out on a service upgrade as part of the new (from May 2023) half-hourly Gloucester-Bristol Temple Meads service. The service remains hourly as every other train runs through stopping only at Yate, Bristol Parkway and Filton Abbey Wood. Passengers and community leaders around Cam & Dursley station are disappointed they…
Would you use a Boxing Day train service?
Would you use the train if some services operated on Boxing Day? Many people return home after visiting friends and family on 27th December. Others travel to shops and for entertainment. Services can be very busy. Would it be better if trains also ran on Boxing Day? Network Rail often use the closure of the…
How could Severn Beach Line capacity be improved?
FoSBR support a higher frequency passenger service on the Severn Beach Line. How could capacity be improved?
Bus Branch Lines
Bus Branch Lines are bus routes which link with rail services. GWR is promoting this method of feeding passengers into the rail network.
Remembering Julie Boston: 2
On Friday 9th December Bristol Amblers invited FoSBR members on a walk to celebrate Julie Boston who passed away in October. Julie was an enthusiastic ambler, and a founder member of FoSBR. The trip was scheduled to combine a train ride to Severn Beach, with a walk around Severn Beach. These elements happened, but with…
Rail usage figures for 2022
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) have released rail usage figures to 31st March 2022. With the easing of pandemic restrictions, a total of 990 million passenger journeys were made between April 2021 and March 2022. This is more than double the 388 million journeys made in the previous year (April 2020 to March…
Portishead DCO Granted
On the 14th November 2022, the Secretary of State for Transport granted development consent to North Somerset Council’s application to restore passenger rail services to Portishead and Pill. As the explanatory note to the full Development Consent Order (DCO) explains: This Order authorises North Somerset District Council to construct a new railway on the formation…