Cost of re-opening abandoned line in Bristol soars by a third

Apart from reopening of the line between Bristol Temple Meeds and Henbury, which was closed in the 1960s as part of the Beeching cuts, the project includes the construction of new rail stations at Henbury, North Filton and Ashley Down.

The estimated cost of the programme at the outline business case stage was £54.2M, but recent estimates presented to Bristol City Council’s cabinet set the cost at £72.6M.

Among the reasons behind the £18.45M cost rise are “higher market prices than previously estimated” due to inflation and material cost increases.

Additional costs were also a result of station redesigns. Ashley Down Station was re-designed so that its platforms could be 500mm wider to meet industry accessibility standards, while Henbury Station’s car park was re-designed to reflect emerging flood risk information shared by the Environment Agency. There was also a re-design of the footbridges at Ashley Down and North Filton to reflect feedback received during the planning consent process.

Increased provision for risk and contingency and a rise in biodiversity offsetting requirements for Henbury Station were also cited as contributors to the cost hike.

Funding for the project originate from the West of England Combined Authority, South Gloucestershire Council, Bristol City Council and North Somerset Council and the government via the Local Growth Funding.

The West of England Combined Authority Committee and Joint Committee approved the final business case and decided on how the £72.6M funding will be allocated earlier this year.

In a meeting earlier this week, Bristol City Council’s cabinet approved the additional £1.9M funding for the project. Its total investment in the project stands at £9.2M.

South Gloucestershire Council’s allocated budget for the project is now £34.5M, £7.1M higher than the original budget.

Additional funding of £8.8M will be provided through the Investment Fund/Transforming Cities Fund, with the total amount from these funds for the project reaching £19.9M.

The rest of the additional funding needed will come from North Somerset Council that will provide £0.17M on top of its initial £1.83M budget, local contributions of £300,000 and Great Western Railways that will fund £140,000.

According to the report, the programme has been split in two phases. Ashley Down station construction is in the first phase and it is expected to be completed in 2024.  Construction of the Ashley Down station in Bristol is progressing well, with works being carried out for the construction of two new platforms and the realignment of the track.

North Filton and Henbury stations will be delivered as part of the second phase, with their completion expected in 2026. Earlier this year, South Gloucestershire Council granted planning permission for the new North Filton Station.

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