Update on Charfield train station

But a neighbour living next door to where the station will be built has complained that public announcements from the Tannoy will wake her up every morning.

Construction work could soon begin on the £22-million train station in Charfield, as South Gloucestershire Council is expected to grant planning permission imminently.

The station will run regular passenger trains to Bristol and Gloucester from about 6.30am until 11.30pm.

Transport planners hope the new station, which has been discussed for three decades, will improve access to jobs, education, shops and leisure. Councillors on the strategic sites delivery committee voted to approve planning permission on Thursday, March 2.

But due to a council error with a public consultation, the final decision on granting planning permission will be taken in the next few days.

Bethan Coleman, project sponsor at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “There’s currently high car ownership and car use in Charfield as the public transport alternatives are neither attractive nor convenient for most journeys.

"Passenger services are already running through Charfield but are not stopping.

“This represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to finally deliver this much needed and transformative scheme.

"The benefits are clear, providing local people with improved access to jobs and education, helping to broaden opportunities for residents, and helping to boost the local and regional economy.”

While local residents appear to be broadly supportive of the new station, some have raised concerns about an increase in parking in the village.

The station will have two new car parks, with a combined 98 parking spaces, but it’s unclear whether drivers will be charged to park there.

Many passengers are expected to come from outside Charfield to use the station.

At least eight announcements an hour will also be made on a public announcement (PA) system, which would likely cause a nuisance to people living next door to the station.

However, the PA system must initially be set at a certain volume, due to legal rules — although it could later be turned down if neighbours find the regular announcements too noisy.

Naomi Carter, who lives next door to the planned station, said at the planning meeting: “First thing in the morning in Charfield is currently very quiet.

To get the PA system down to levels that have negligible impact on local residents, the planning report seems to indicate that the PA system would be rendered unintelligible.

“We believe that environmental health are planning on doing further testing once the PA system is installed, but we argue that installing something that proves to be too loud after testing is possibly a waste of taxpayer money.

A more logical approach would be to mandate the use of low noise-bleed systems now, as a condition of planning.

“The number of announcements, a minimum of eight an hour, will impact on the lives of local residents if a typical Tannoy loudspeaker is used.

There needs to be a better balance between the needs of train users and local residents, without discrimination towards either.”

Other concerns from local residents include an increase in parking in the village, as people living nearby might choose to drive to the station and leave their cars on the village streets, rather than the new car parks.

But one local councillor welcomed the new train station, which had “wide support in the area”, and would lead to more opportunities for jobs and education.

Liberal Democrat Councillor John O’Neill, representing Charfield, said: “I’ve campaigned to reopen the station in Charfield for many years. The bus service in the rural area can at best be described as poor, and is set to become obsolete with the withdrawal of the 84/85 service.

“The failure of the bus service to meet the needs of the community has led to the area becoming car reliant.

"A reopened station will be a lifeline for residents who do not have their own transport.

"It will allow our young people to attend UWE or Filton College, and open up employment prospects, allowing them to commute to Bristol or Gloucester.”

Luke Hall MP also welcomed the recent news regarding Charfield Railway Station. 

“This is fantastic news. The village’s railway services will be a vital asset for our community, whether it is continuing to work, visiting family, or travelling to school and colleges," he said. 

"The village has been without a station for almost 60 years and opening a new station in Charfield will make public transport more accessible for rural communities and help encourage more people to make the switch to sustainable travel.”  

“Opening Charfield Railway Station has been a long-running part of my Positive Plan for Transport in South Gloucestershire.

"I am delighted to see planning permission has been granted to make this aspiration become a firm reality.

"There has been a huge amount of community support for opening the station, which has demonstrated to the Council and the Combined Authority the need for a new station and to get these plans over the finish line.”

Construction is expected to take between 12 to 18 months.

The new station is expected to open at the end of next year.

Trains are expected to run at least every hour to Bristol Parkway in 18 minutes, Bristol Temple Meads in 32 minutes, and Gloucester in 22 minutes.