Plans
to
reopen
the
railway
to
Portishead
near
Bristol
are
going
ahead.
The
scheme
had
been
included
in
the
Restoring
Your
Railway
programme,
but
this
was
scrapped
by
the
government
in
July
2024
on
economic
grounds.

West
of
England
Combined
Authority
Mayor
Dan
Norris
held
new
talks
wtih
rail
minister
Lord
Hendy
before
the
weekend,
and
the
minister
has
now
confirmed
that
the
scheme
has
been
revived. 

It
is
hoped
that
construction
can
begin
this
summer,
and
passengers
could
be
travelling
on
the
line
again
by
the
end
of
2027.

The
service
was
recommended
for
withdrawal
in
the
1963
Beeching
report,
and
the
last
passenger
trains
ran
to
Portishead
in
September
1964,
although
the
line
continued
to
be
used
for
freight
until
1981.
A
spur
to
Royal
Portbury
Dock
was
built
for
freight
in
2002,
while
the
abandoned
line
to
Portishead
town
still
exists,
although
it
has
been
blocked
by
at
least
one
new
road.

The
council
said
bringing
back
the
Portishead
trains
will
mean
that
the
travelling
time
into
Bristol
when
compared
with
road
will
be
cut
by
half.
It
has
also
estimated
that
car
commuting
will
be
reduced
by
5.5
per
cent,
and
that
the
line
will
help
to
achieve
an
estimated
£43
million
in
economic
growth
each
year.

Mayor
Dan
Norris
said:
‘This
is
a
massive
moment
for
the
West
of
England:
one
that
generations
have
eagerly
waited
to
see.
This
is
great
news
for
residents,
businesses,
and
our
environment,
and
a
truly
red-letter
day
for
our
fantastic
region.
The
Bristol
and
Portishead
line
was
a
victim
of
historic
rail
cuts,
but
today,
with
a
Labour
government
and
a
Labour
mayor,
we’re
delivering
the
latest
stage
of
my
“reverse
Beeching”
plan.
I’m
delighted
to
confirm
that
this
project
is
now
finally
steaming
ahead.’

A
further
£30
million
is
needed,
and
this
is
set
to
be
confirmed
next
month
by
the
West
of
England
Mayoral
Combined
Authority
Committee.
This
includes
a
contribution
from
North
Somerset
Council.

What
do
you
think?
Please
click here  to
send
an
email
to
Platform
at
Railnews.

Moderated
comments
will
be
published
on
this
site,
and
may
also
be
used
in
the
next
print
edition.