Re-opening of Bristol & Portishead line given go-ahead
The first passengers could be using the line between Bristol and Portishead by the end of 2027.
Last updated 10th Feb 2025
The first passengers in over 60 years could be using the line between Bristol and Portishead by the end of 2027, it was announced by Mayor Dan Norris today, after he reached a landmark agreement with the Government on plans for the railway.
This paves the way for construction to begin this summer.
The reopening of the railway, which was axed back in 1964, will slash travel times in half, reduce car commuting by 5.5%, and unlock an estimated £43 million in economic growth each year.
“This is a massive moment for the West of England: one that generations have eagerly waited to see”, said Mayor Dan Norris, who pledged in his manifesto in 2021 to make progress on the iconic rail project. His Mayoral Combined Authority has invested £25 million into the project to date.
The Mayor led crunch talks in London with Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy last week and now the minister has written to him with confirmation of the deal.
Dan Norris, the Mayor of the West of England, continued:
“This is great news for residents, businesses, and our environment - and a truly red-letter day for our fantastic region.”
“The Bristol & 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.”
The final £30 million boost to ensure that the long-awaited reopening becomes a reality will be ratified in March at the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority Committee. This includes a contribution from North Somerset Council.
The Bristol & Portishead Line first opened in 1867. Passenger services were scrapped in 1964.
The Mayor is also leading work to explore more new stations including at Ashton Gate, which sits on the Bristol & Portishead Line; Lockleaze; St Anne’s Park, and his personal favourite, Saltford.
Mayor Dan Norris has opened two new train stations since 2023 (Portway Park & Ride and Ashley Down), with five more scheduled to open in the next few years. Work on North Filton is being accelerated, and aims to open in 2026. Charfield, Henbury, Pill, and Portishead stations are due to open in 2027/28.
Councillor Mike Bell, Leader of North Somerset Council and Executive Member for Major Projects said: “The Portishead to Bristol rail line stands to be transformative for North Somerset and the wider area, connecting 50,000 people back into the rail network through regular and sustainable transport whilst offering access to the opportunities of growth across the southwest.
“Working in partnership with West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, Department for Transport and Network Rail, we have put in the hard work and were the country’s first passenger rail scheme to secure a Development Consent Order to re-open a branch line.
“Together, we have risen to challenges of rising costs, understanding the value that these train services will offer to our communities. I’d like to thank everyone involved for their effort to date and look forward continuing our work to get the first trains up and running.”
A train journey between Bristol and Portishead, at rush hour, would take half the time as driving by car or going by bus (23 minutes vs 50 minutes vs 1 hour and five minutes). MetroWest phase 1 (including this line with new stations at Pill and Portishead), should remove 8 million car miles from the road network by 2044.
This project is part of an ambitious plan for the wider West of England’s rail network, that should see seven stations opened in the space of four to five years, giving around 100,000 more people access to train services:
Portway Park & Ride station opened in 2023 (the first station to open in the City of Bristol for almost a century, after Parson Street opened in 1927);
Ashley Down station opened in 2024 (closed in 1964 due to the Beeching cuts);
North Filton station is being accelerated, aims to open in 2026;
Charfield station is due to open in 2027/28;
Henbury station is due to open in 2027/28;
Pill and Portishead stations are due to open in 2027/28.
The Mayor has also led work to explore new stations including at Ashton Gate, which sits on the Bristol & Portishead Line; Lockleaze; Saltford; and St Anne’s Park. Last year, eight stations in the region benefitted from new and improved seating, shelters, and signs. Work continues to ensure that older stations, like Lawrence Hill, have step-free access with new lifts.
The Bristol & Portishead Line first opened in 1867 (158 years ago), after first being proposed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1839 (186 years ago). Passenger services stopped in 1964 (61 years ago), with freight services stopped in 1981 (44 years ago) before resuming in 2002 (23 years ago).
Under the previous government, three former Secretaries of State for Transport (Grant Shapps, under Boris Johnson; Annie-Marie Trevelyan, under Liz Truss; and Mark Harper, under Rishi Sunak) delayed the project by taking three years to consider a Development Consent Order (which should take eighteen months at most), bringing major programme and cost impacts.
All government funded projects are currently subject to the national Spending Review.
Attached image: Dan Norris, the Mayor of the West of England. Credit: West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. The Mayor has also shared the news on his social media platforms, linked below, with the attached graphic.