Bristol’s new train station at Portway Park and Ride confirms …
A new Bristol train station is set to open within a matter of days, Great Western Railway[1] has confirmed. Portway Park and Ride will be Bristol’s first new railway station in almost 100 years, with Parson Street the last to open all the way back in 1927.
Construction on the station at began in early 2022 and it is now ready to welcome passengers after several setbacks. The original planning application outlined hopes for the station to open in early 2020, but this was pushed back to the end of the year before being delayed again due to coronavirus.[2][3]
The new facility near Shirehampton[4] and Avonmouth[5] is just off the Portway, one of Bristol’s busiest roads, next to the park and ride bus stop. It is also close to Junction 18 of the M5.
‘Summer 2023’ had previously been the time frame[7] given for opening, but now the exact date has been confirmed – and it is just days away. In a tweet this afternoon (July 26), GWR shared a video of the new station and announced: “We’re pleased to announce that Portway Park & Ride station will open on Tues 1 August!
“Portway Park & Ride will provide another sustainable transport option into Bristol city centre[8], Avonmouth and the wider rail network.”
GWR’s website adds: “The station will have a fully accessible single platform which will be served by existing trains on the Severn Beach line. It will be equipped with a ticket machine, smart ticket readers, live train departure screen [and] a help point.
“Access to the station will be through the existing Portway Park & Ride site. Once the station has opened, the existing bus Park & Ride site will remain in operation with buses departing to the city centre every 20 minutes.
“The station will be served throughout the day in each direction by half-hourly services on the Severn Beach line. Direct trains will run from here to Bristol Temple Meads, Avonmouth and Severn Beach with connections at Bristol Temple Meads to the rest of the rail network.”
As well as Temple Meads, trains running along the Severn Beach line stop at Shirehampton, Sea Mills, Clifton[9] Down, Redland, Montpelier, Stapleton Road and Lawrence Hill. In the other direction, trains also run to Avonmouth, St Andrews Road and Severn Beach.
The station has been paid for with funding from Bristol City Council[10], the Department for Transport and the West of England Combined Authority. The cost to the council rose by £1.4 million due to the delays, but a report in February[11] said City Hall chiefs will ask the combined authority to cover this.
It is not the only new station planned for Bristol – construction on Ashley Down station began in March and is due to last for a year. Last month the track was closed for 16 days[12] while workers build the new platforms.
The station is due to open next year, while new stations at North Filton[13] and Henbury are expected to open in 2026. Bristol City Council[14] is also trying to find funding to open new stations at Ashton Gate and St Annes.
References
- ^ Great Western Railway (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ began in early 2022 (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ delayed again due to coronavirus. (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Shirehampton (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Avonmouth (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Bristol resident’s huge pile of CAZ fines is a ‘massive shock’ (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ previously been the time frame (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Bristol city centre (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Clifton (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Bristol City Council (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ a report in February (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ closed for 16 days (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Filton (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Bristol City Council (www.bristolpost.co.uk)