STATION USER GROUP STEPS IN TO STOP PASSENGERS BEING STRANDED
Pilning Station Group stepped in promptly when they discovered that a slip-up by rail operator GWR would have left the station without any trains on New Year’s Eve. Pilning only gets two trains a week (yes, really!), but GWR had rescheduled both of these on Dec 31st to run through the station without stopping. Pilning Station Group immediately swung into action, tweeting GWR to point this out and requesting urgently that stops at Pilning be reinstated so that passengers would not find themselves helplessly stranded on the platform as the train swept past them. GWR duly responded by ordering two other trains to stop at the station instead, but the reason for the oversight is as yet unknown. Said Pilning Station Group Chair, Parish Cllr Olga Taylor, This highlights the vital role that rail user groups play in keeping an eye on things and calling train operators to account when…
Current Timetable and Travel Ideas (2022)
CURRENT TIMETABLE Currently Pilning has just two trains a week, on Saturdays only, both towards Bristol, at 08:32 and 15:32. However, with a bit of ingenuity and changing trains where necessary, you can get to/from a surprising variety of places, see some attractive scenery and spend a few hours exploring. Here are just a couple of examples: PILNING TO BRISTOL & BACKOUTWARD Pilning dep 08:32 Bristol Temple Meads arr 08 52 – direct train RETURN Bristol Temple Meads dep 14:32 Pilning arr 15:31 – changing trains (and direction) at Severn Tunnel Junction PILNING TO WESTON-SUPER-MARE & BACK OUTWARD Pilning dep 08:33 Weston W-S arr 09:22 – direct train RETURN Weston W-S dep 14 02 Pilning arr 15 31 – changing trains (and direction) at Severn Tunnel Junction PILNING TO GLOUCESTER & BACK OUTWARD Pilning dep 08:32 Gloucester arr 10:28 – changing trains at Filton Abbey Wood RETURN Gloucester dep 13:58…
The return of the 15:32 (May 2021)
Pilning Station Group are celebrating the return of the 15:32 service from May 2021. Sadly, this is not an extra stopping train, but rather a replacement of the current 14:32 service. Nevertheless, this is still a cause for a modest celebration as it will give Pilning travellers an extra hour to enjoy a day out.
Taking Stock of 2020 – the Campaign Continues…
The Group’s application to the DfT’s Ideas Fund for reinstatement of the station footbridge was unsuccessful, but useful pointers were offered for making future submissions and the campaign continues. After that disappointment, the Group was delighted to find that the latest ORR Station Usage statistics showed yet another significant increase in usage (55%) for the period April 2019 – March 2020 – making a staggering 1,440% increase since the footbridge was demolished in November 2016. The Group therefore put a well-argued case to GWR, asking them to recognise this increase in interest and demand by providing one extra train on Saturday lunchtimes. However, GWR refused this very modest request, giving no reasons but merely observing that the present service of two trains a week (Saturdays only) met DfT requirements and they had no plans to increase it. This disappointingly negative response is markedly at variance with Transport Minister Grant Shapps’…
Our Response to WECA The Future of the Region Consultation
West of England Combined Authority are developing a Spatial Development Strategy and invited everyone to help them shape the plan https://consultation.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/infrastructure/the-spatial-development-strategy/ This is Pilning Station Group’s response to the consultation: – It is discouraging that WECA continue to disenfranchise residents, commuters, and leisure travellers to Pilning and Severnside. Despite a long-running campaign (which stems back to the late 1980s), WECA continue to ignore pleas from the local campaigners and refuses to include Pilning in the plans for MetroWest. According to the letter from Tim Bowles to Jack Lopresti MP, dated 2 April 2019, the reason for that is that WECA feel that the demand for the services at Pilning will be limited and investments in Pilning will not deliver a high enough return. Upon further investigation, we found out that WECA’s assumption was not based on any tangible evidence. In the email to Pilning Station Group dated 21 February 2020,…
Another request to GWR for an extra Saturday stop at Pilning (spoiler: rebuffed again….)
By email to GWR Interim MD (sent 9 December 2020): – Dear Matthew, The latest Station Usage figures have just been released by ORR, and show a further significant increase for Pilning – 55% compared to 2018/19, and a truly remarkable 1,440% increase compared to 2015/16. This shows beyond doubt that the initial increase was no flash in the pan – it has not only been maintained, but usage has continued increasing year on year as more and more people become aware of the station and the journey opportunities that even its current very limited service offers. The normal reaction of any commercially-minded organisation to such an upward trend would be “There’s clearly demand and further potential here – what can we do to capitalise on it and develop it further?” Covid has of course affected usage since March, but our observations indicate that in the circumstances it is holding…
Pilning Station on Government List for Possible Improvements
A bid to secure improvements at Pilning station is among a number of schemes submitted to the Department for Transport’s Ideas Fund for restoring lost railway services to communities. Ten projects were successful in the first round of bidding (none in the Bristol or South Gloucestershire area), and bids for the second round closed on 19 June 2020. The Pilning bid is centred on reinstatement of the station footbridge, which was controversially demolished by Network Rail in November 2016 to make way for overhead electrification wires, cutting off access to the westbound platform and rendering the station’s service “one way only”. Reinstatement of the footbridge, above the overhead lines, would enable a two-directional train service to be restored at the station, and would pave the way for future much-needed service improvements. Despite its reduction to two trains a week (Saturdays only) in only one direction, the station’s recorded usage has…
An exchange with GWR
A blanket email from GWR, dated 30 March 2020 I wanted to drop you a quick note to confirm that FirstGroup and the Department for Transport (DfT) have signed a new Direct Award to continue operating GWR from 1 April 2020, when the current agreement comes to an end. This will run for three years, with the option for the government to add a further year and will run concurrently with the six months Emergency Measures Agreement now in place with the DfT. This will mean we can use our experience of managing the route over many years to keep the railway running for key workers and essential travel. Our responsibility right now is to run a service that can be relied upon, and this is where our current focus lies. It is also important to take a moment to look forward to a time when things return to normal,…
Response to WECA Bus Consultation
Pilning Station Group responded to WECA Bus Consultation. We request that a bus service is provided to connect with the weekly train service at Pilning Station, as at the moment, there is no public transport suitable for rail / bus interchange, despite the growing numbers of Pilning passengers. The majority of passengers arrive at Pilning either by walking from the 625 bus stop at Swanmoor Lane, walking from Severn Beach railway station, or by car. A provision of the bus service that coincides with the Pilning train arrival and departure would be very welcome. Read our proposed new times for a Pilning Station bus / rail interchange here
Filton Arena Development – Concerns over Transport Arrangements
Email from Pilning Station Group to Jack Lopresti MP Dear Jack, I am writing to you to express our concerns over the local transport arrangements in Severnside, particularly in the light of the new Arena at the former Filton Airfield being approved for development earlier today.I understand that the plans have been approved by the planning committee, and Bristol City Council decided that it should be referred to the Secretary of State. However, there were concerns raised by Highways England that the Filton location will have a negative impact on the already congested road network, in particular the Cribbs Causeway and Aztec West motorway junctions. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/filton-arena-m5-traffic-council-3905771 Pilning residents will start feeling trapped very soon – once the speed restriction measures on the B4055 have been introduced fully, bringing the speed down to 20mph through the villages and 40mph along Marsh Common Road it will probably be quicker and easier to get…