Proposals . / . Futures . / . Summary . / . Timetables
Author : Stuart Hall , November 1998
including additional input from :-
Poole Agenda 21
and
East Dorset Friends of the Earth
This document describes a way forward for the Rail Network in the Christchurch /Bournemouth /Poole Area. The aim is to develop the current rail network to increase the number of passengers which would lead to a reduction in car usage, traffic congestion and pollution. The main proposal is for the introduction of a light-rail scheme (Dorset Area Rapid Transport System (DARTS) similar to that implemented in Manchester which would use the current rail infrastructure but with the addition of some street running.
Where the recommendations impact other aspects such as organisation and bus transportation then these are also commented upon however the main topic of this proposal is to do with the Rail network.
Of all the transport facilities in the Bournemouth Area the current Rail Network is under utilised. For the vast majority of time the Network is not in use. The current timetable is detailed in Appendix A. The current low utilisation provides great potential for increased usage with minimal impact on the environment. However, there would need to be a number of problems to be overcome and improvements made to encourage more passenger use.
Problems with the current rail service are as follows : -
Dorset Area Transport Executive (DATE)
The formation of a single body needs setting up to co-ordinate all public transport activities in the area with the power to integrate rail and bus timetables and provide a more simplified ticketing system. In addition, the body would have the power to operate its own trains across the conurbation. The area of responsibility would encompass Swanage, Wareham, Wimborne Minister, Ringwood, and New Milton. This body would be able to give priority to the local rail services which is currently not the case with South West , Virgin and Connex Trains as their focus seems to be London and the other cities.
New Train Service - Dorset Area Rapid Transport System (DARTS)
DATE would develop and operate DARTS, a fast and frequent train service across the urban area beginning with a fifteen minute service between New Milton and Wareham. The service would operate from 0600 - 2400. The current timetable would not be affected as there is ample capacity to run these additional trains with minimum impact on the current schedules. The proposed timetable is in Appendix B. Other services would be progressively introduced as detailed later in this document.
New Trains
To provide the above light-rail service, new train units would be introduced using a similar design to the successful Manchester Metro trains but allowing for 750V DC 3rd rail pick-up as well as overhead pick-up. The design of the train's coaches would provide ease of access and carriage for the elderly, wheelchairs, pushchairs, bicycles, people with small children, and of course passengers laden with shopping. Train doors would be sliding and push-button operated. The floor of the train would be level with the station platform to provide ease of access.
The new trains would be maintained at the Bournemouth Traincare Depot.
Bournemouth Centre
To resolve the problem of the distance between the centre of Bournemouth and the current station, use would be made of the tracks that used to terminate at the old Bournemouth West Station. The line is still intact through the Bournemouth Traincare Depot and almost up to Queens Road. One or two of the current tracks on the Nelson Road side of the Depot could to be used for this through traffic. There is even enough space for additional tracks to be built if necessary. This line would then be extended through to Bournemouth Square.
There are two possible routes for this extension. The preferred route would be via the Wharfdale Road Service Road, then under Wessex Way at Queens Road, along Suffolk Road (going under the Wessex Way link road) and through to the Triangle and then via Avenue Road down to the Square. The other route is alongside/under Wessex Way then along Bourne Avenue into the Square. The track would provide minimum impact to the road way as in the main it would be single track and would also allow cars and trains to operate on the same sections of road. Double track would be in place up to the Wharfdale Road Service Road. There would also be a passing loop at the Triangle.
Stations would be built at the Triangle and at the Square. It should be noted that street level stations would not take up a large area and could be built with minimum impact as has been the experience on the Manchester Metro system. The street stations would be unobtrusive with raised sections only being provided opposite the train doors.
One bonus of using the old line would be the opportunity to build a new station at Westbourne where the line crosses over Prince of Wales Road. This would provide access not only to Westbourne itself but also to the offices of the rapidly expanding Liverpool Victoria Company.
In summary, the service would begin at New Milton, go via the current Bournemouth Station, onto Westbourne via the currently unused viaduct over the Bourne Valley, thence to the Triangle and the Square. The train would then continue its journey back to the Triangle, Westbourne, then Branksome and onto Wareham. Trains would also operate in the exact reverse of the above.
The switch from 3rd rail pick-up to overhead pick-up would be accomplished at Westbourne as the on-street running would require overhead pick-up.
Other Additional Stations
Two areas of population not currently served by the train are Burton and Somerford. The geography of the area channels all their westward travel to one of the three bridges over the Avon which only helps to worsen the traffic congestion. The current railway line actually splits the areas into two. The proposal is therefore to provide a new station at Staple Cross. The station would be situated between where the line crosses over Salisbury Road and Hawthorn Road. Access from Somerford is already enabled via the footbridge over the Christchurch bypass. This could also be the location of a future Park and Ride scheme because of its convenient location next to the Christchurch bypass.
A similar service to that provided at Hinton Admiral would also be introduced at Staple Cross by South West Trains The length of the platform at Staple Cross would easily accommodate one of the Wessex Electric's 5-car units.
Changes to current Stations
Modifications would be made at New Milton and possibly Wareham to provide a single siding alongside the current platforms. There is currently adequate room at each station for an additional track as these sidings used to exist prior to the rationalisation in the 1960s. There would be no need to build any new platforms. These platform sidings would ensure that the additional trains would have minimal impact on the current services.
All stations would be refurbished to provide :- CCTV surveillance, automatic ticket vending machines, secure bicycle storage areas, updated car parks, information displays, emergency assistance buttons, public address systems, and improved access for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
New tickets
DATE would provide a single ticket that would enable any number of transport changes to be made for a single journey. A number of European cities have a system whereby a ticket is valid for a reasonable period of time but allowing any number of transfers. These tickets should be available at shops such as Newsagents to speed up boarding times - especially for buses. They would require to be validated / date-time stamped on boarding or immediately prior to boarding the first bus or train.
Additional benefits
The extra train services at New Milton and Wareham could provide for the expansion of bus services into the New Forest and Purbeck thereby reducing the number of cars accessing these two areas .
Using the current railway system outside of the town centre means that high speeds would be attainable to provide an overall journey time faster than that achievable by car.
DATE would not need to venture into designing any new technology as all items have already been extremely well tried and tested on the Manchester Metro system scheme which would be the prime model for the Bournemouth scheme.
One of Manchester's transport problems was very similar to Bournemouth's i.e. the main railway stations are remote from the shopping area. Manchester's experience with providing rail access to those shops along with the other improvements has seen the number of passengers double since the first year of operation with a reduction in road traffic of 6% along parallel roads.
A large number of jobs would be created ranging from highly skilled to manual.
The whole area would gain an additional tourist attraction.
Extension of the service to Poole Ferry Terminal
By using the freight-only Hamworthy Branch line that currently terminates beyond the Poole Ferry terminal, a servicecould be introduced between Bournemouth Square and the Poole Ferry Passenger Terminal. The track would be upgraded with either 3rd-rail or overhead electrification. Probable stations would be situated at Lake, Hamworthy Park, and the Poole Ferry Terminal. This would help to alleviate the current road bottleneck at the Poole Harbour bridge.
Details of a possible timetable are in APPENDIX C.
Provision of a more extensive service between Christchurch and Bournemouth Square
There is still capacity in the rail network to provide an additional service between Christchurch and Bournemouth Square. This would be incorporated alongside the current mainline and the proposed light rail New Milton/Wareham service thereby providing a more frequent service along the central transport corridor. Christchurch station has space for a holding siding (where track used to be in place) where trains would wait between journeys to ensure minimal impact on current mainline services. Details of a possible timetable are in APPENDIX D.
The introduction of the two above services would provide trains every 7.5 minutes across the Bournemouth Urban area between Christchurch and Hamworthy thereby providing the ideal of a �turn-up-and-go� system.
Extension of the line in the centre of Bournemouth
There are a number of other central areas of Bournemouth that could be reached by extending the street running of the new rail line, thereby providing greater access for potential passengers. The line could continue from the Square, onto Gervis Road, St. Peters Road, Firvale Road, Old Christchurch Road, Madeira Road, Landsdowne Road, Coach House Place Bus Lane and into the current Bournemouth station. An additional benefit of this approach is that trains could use this direct route across Bournemouth instead of having to almost change direction at Branksome. There are of course a number of other possible routes across Bournemouth between the Square and the current railway station.
For the above extension Stations could be provided close to the Police Station (for the Landsdowne area), and St Peters Road (for the Old Christchurch Road pedestrian precinct). This could be achieved with minimal impact other than possibly converting one or two of the roads to one-way traffic.
This extension would reduce the overall journey times across the Bournemouth Urban Area and would also enable a rationalisation of the timetable to take place to provide easier travel across the Urban Area. A feasibility study would of course be needed as regards the town centre extension.
Swanage Railway
Co-operation with the Swanage Railway should be developed to re-introduce the through route from Wareham to Swanage.
Options to be considered would be :-
Additional Stations
Consideration should be given to re-opening the station at Boscombe which would provide access to Boscombe town centre, Kings Park and of course AFC Bournemouth. There is also a large catchment area of potential passengers.
Additional Routes
This proposal would provide immediate benefits for the East-West corridor however there is the potential to develop the Network in a northerly direction by using some of the long since disused railways.
Although some of the disused lines could not be used it is still just possible to relay track to form a line through Upton, Broadstone and through to the Wimborne Minster area. It would then be realistic to have alternate trains going to Wareham and Wimborne Minster.
One possibility is reversing at Hamworthy, or by building a short curve, a line could be re-laid using the Upton Trailway, and then the Castleman Trailway to reach as far north as the Willett Arms. Extension beyond the Willett Arms would be more difficult but by using space in front of the Willett Arms and space alongside the Wimborne Bypass it would be possible to reach an area of old track-bed which lies directly alongside Wimborne Market.
The two Trailways are now being put to good use as bicycle paths but there is adequate room for the bike path and a single rail track to coexist with adequate security provision etc. Double tracking of the rail track would only be required in a small number of places and where appropriate. Stations could be built at Upton, Broadstone Pinesprings Drive, Broadstone Centre, the Willett Arms, and Wimborne Market.
Another possible route into Broadstone would be to lay track alongside the cycle path on Broadstone Way beginning at the point where Broadstone Way and Holes Bay Road meet the current rail track. This route would also enable a link to be made to Tower Parks via Dorset Way with future links to the University and onwards to Bournemouth Station or The Square.
Feasibility studies would of course be needed as regards the above extensions.
All towns across the Bournemouth Urban area and in South East Dorset have major road traffic problems which are getting worse. The direction of both the British Government and the EU is to move away from road building as a solution. Improved Public Transport is the only realistic alternative.
A summary of the proposal is as follows :-
Proposals . / . Futures . / . Summary . / . Timetables . / . Return to Poole LA21 Site