BRISTOL’S rail network has received a double boost with the opening of the Portway Park & Ride station and significant progress towards opening Henbury Station.
It’s all part of the MetroWest programme, spearheaded by the Metro Mayor Dan Norris.
He was joined by the Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper and Bristol City Council’s transport lead Don Alexander for the launch of the £5.8 million Portway station, between Shirehampton and Avonmouth.
The single-platform station between Shirehampton and Avonmouth is mainly funded by Mr Norris’s West of England Combined Authority. It connects the existing park and ride site, which has been expanded from 555 parking spaces to 792, with the Severn Beach railway line.
Passengers will be able to access half-hourly services between Bristol Temple Meads and Avonmouth, and an hourly service to Severn Beach.
Mr Norris said Portway was the first new station to be built in Bristol since the 1920s.
He said: ” This is undoubtedly a good day for Bristolians and the West of England region,
“Delivering for local people is what our multi-million-pound ‘Reverse Beeching’ programme is all about.
“We need to press ahead with work to give even more residents access to new stations as we strive to meet our ambitious West of England net-zero-by-2030 targets.
“I urge locals to come and catch a train from the brand-new Portway Park and Ride Station.”
Mr Harper added: “The opening of Portway Park and Ride Station is the latest example of this Government’s plan to invest in infrastructure and grow the economy. It will provide a boost to Bristol and its surrounding area by improving local transport links while connecting passengers to business hubs and thousands of high-skilled job opportunities.”
Work is under way on a station at Ashley Down and plans for a station at North Filton, to serve the Brabazon development on Filton airfield, have been given the go-ahead.
On August 21 it was announced that a planning application had gone in to South Gloucestershire Council for Henbury Station. It will be located on the eastern side of the A4018 dual carriageway and will eventually form part of the planned Cribbs Patchway new neighbourhood being built around it.
It will have a single platform on the northern side of the railway lines with a covered waiting area, cycle parking and ticket machines.
There will be 31 parking spaces at the station, which will be accessed on an approach road from Passage Road off the A4018.