After years of ponderous consultations,
it seems 21st century planners, politicians and engineers have yet to re-open
for passenger trains the 10 mile stretch of railway between Portishead and
Bristol which their visionary predecessors thoughtfully provided for
them almost 150 years ago.
In such circumstances the scheme for
three underground metro lines linking Bristol Airport, Bradley Stoke and
Emmerson’s Green to the city centre is sheer fantasy.
Furthermore, the cost of the scheme has
reportedly increased from £2.5billion to £4.5billion in 3 months – Bristol council
taxpayers take note! The Mayor of
Bristol, Marvin Rees, has apparently been sounding out the prospect of Chinese
funding for the project which, if his ambitious plan comes to fruition, could
mean yet another chunk of England’s infrastructure being under foreign control.
Bristol’s leading politician should stop
dreaming of grandiose multi-billion-pound schemes that will in all probability
never see the light of day and start focusing on workable, practical ideas which
could make the most efficient use of existing transport systems. Promoting the reopening of the Portishead to
Bristol railway for passenger trains would be a good beginning.
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