New stations are always a positive thing to be welcomed, but I would be interested to know what is the target market? As far as I can see it is located in a low density housing area
If you actually look at the local area there is plenty of housing within a walking distance to the station. Largely low density yes (though not solely), but an awful lot of housing nonetheless.
has no obvious destination appeal other than the college.
And the Memorial Ground for Bristol Rovers, the County Ground for Gloucestershire cricket club and the general Gloucester Road area (which itself is very much both a destination and an origin).
As a point of origin, to where will people travel? Temple Meads is so poorly located to the Broadmead Centre that no one will use the train to go shopping in Bristol?
For one it should become a decent railhead for people making longer journeys (at the moment the area is very car dependant). And secondly the area around Temple Meads isnt exactly no mans land, there's plenty of offices etc around there, with that area only becoming more and more developed as time goes on.
I am not trying to be confrontational, but I just don't see what the flows will be and how the passenger numbers will stack up.
It isnt just about serving one particular area, but instead the start of expanding rail based public transport within the Bristol city area. On the same line there's due to be Filton North and Hanbury over the next few years too.
Not sure you'll get direct trains to Bristol Parkway there, the hourly service is down to be the Henbury service, which will be half-hourly in the peak hours. Its a shame it only has platforms on the relief lines as you could potentially stop one of the Gloucester services there.
I don't think it's been confirmed if the extra peak services will be extra Henbury (initially Filton I assume) services or if it will be additional stops on other services has it?