Campaigners fighting to reopen the Portishead-Bristol rail line to passenger trains have been accused of jumping the gun over a bid for funding.
The Transport for Greater Bristol Alliance (TfGB) has also been criticised by councillor Elfan Ap Rees, North Somerset's deputy leader, for unfairly attacking the area’s local enterprise partnership (LEP) for delays in getting the green light for the long-awaited scheme.
Coun Ap Rees, whose portfolio includes strategic planning and transport, told Bristol Business News: "It will be at least a year before we can put in a bid and we do not believe it is realistic to expect the line to be up and running for passengers before 2015.”
On Saturday TfGB launched the Portishead Now campaign for the line along with a number of other lobby groups, suggesting that the West of England LEP had turned its back on the chance to apply for government funding this year.
"The plans for Portishead are not advanced enough to put in a bid at this time," said Coun Ap Rees. "There are a series of steps that have to be taken with Network Rail including sorting out technical issues such as upgrading the track, signalling and train times.
“Only then will we be ready to put together a case showing that the investment would result in enough passengers and give a good return on the money spent.
"If the Alliance would listen to what we say they would not raise expectations which cannot be delivered at this stage.
"People in Portishead understand the hoops that need to be gone through before we can move ahead and we do not need this group from Bristol to tell us what to do!
"We have bought the land for a new station in Harbour Road and are linking that to the existing track but most of the line to Bristol will have to be relaid because, although it is adequate for freight trains to Portbury, it is not suitable for passenger use."
Network Rail, which is working with the council on the scheme, identified a number of engineering requirements in a report last year. They include:
- Upgrading works to the existing Portbury freight line to a line speed of mainly 55 mph;
- Reinstatement of Pill railway station;
- Replacement of the dis-used track between Portbury Dock Junction and Portishead;
- A new road bridge at Quays Avenue (road over the railway);
- A new station at Portishead in Harbour Road.
In the meantime, said Coun Ap Rees, the council is strongly supporting the proposed rapid transit route from Ashton to Bristol Temple Meads.
"We are also improving the road from Portishead to Bristol to cut delays, particularly at Junction 19 of the M5 with a dedicated bus lane,” he said. “We are doing as much as we can – everybody needs to be realistic about just how quickly improvements can be achieved."
