First new train station in Bristol for almost a century opens

The first new train station in Bristol for almost a century has been formally opened, with six more planned across the wider region. Passengers can start using Portway train station from Tuesday, August 1, with daily services taking 24 minutes into Temple Meads.

The train station was built in the existing Portway park and ride, just off Junction 18 of the M5 near Avonmouth^[1], costing £5.8 million. Services will run every half hour between Temple Meads and Avonmouth and hourly to Severn Beach.

The station was opened in a formal ceremony on Monday, July 31, in front of a small crowd. Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the transport secretary and the metro mayor said Portway station would encourage more people to travel by train.

Mark Harper, the transport secretary, said: “This gives you a seven day a week service, 24 minutes into the city centre, you’ve got park and ride here, you’ve got a bus interchange. It gives people who are travelling lots of choices open to them now that weren’t here before, if you’re in the locality of the station or you want to drive and park your car.

“It’ll hopefully encourage more people to use rail rather than other forms of commuting. This service goes right into the centre of town. Coming in the future you’ve got some big developments there. This morning I was looking at some of the big developments taking place around Temple Meads — the development of the university campus, a lot of new retail opportunities, and lots of new buildings and thousands of jobs being created.

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“Being able to go directly into the city centre by train into Temple Meads is a good choice for people to have. The business case for this station made sense and it was supported not just by my department, but also from the combined authority and the city council. These are local priorities which are being supported by central government.”

Portway train station faced some delays in its opening, due to issues with power connections. But Mr Harper said learning from experiences with Portway would help prevent similar delays to other new stations, such as Ashley Down^[4], which is due to open next May. Dan Norris, the West of England metro mayor, said delays were “not uncommon”, but added he would work to make sure future planned stations were built on schedule.

Mr Norris said: “It’s been a long long time since we’ve had a new railway station in Bristol. In 1927 Parson Street was the last new station in the city, and here’s the next one — I think we need to rejoice because it’s been so long. But what’s important is that this is the first of another six in Bristol and the greater West of England region. That’ll make a big impact on many millions of potential journeys.

“We anticipate over the next 15 to 20 years that something like four million journeys will not be made by cars, they’ll be made by rail instead. And we’re hoping it will be more than that over the coming decades.

“It does seem to take an awfully long time. I’m making sure my officers are on the others to try and make sure that they’re as on time as possible. Am I confident that the dates we’ve been told will be delivered? I’m not certain, we’ll wait to see. However, the encouraging thing is I went to see Ashley Down four months ago before there were platforms — I went back a couple of months ago and there’s already a platform. I’m hoping that progress will continue.”

The six other planned stations in the West of England Combined Authority’s MetroWest project are Ashley Down, North Filton^[5], Henbury, Portishead^[6], Pill and Charfield^[7]. No funding has been found yet for new stations at Ashton Gate nor St Anne’s^[8].

This project is separate to the mass transit system being pushed by the Labour^[9] administration at Bristol City Council^[10]. A mass transit system could include four light rail lines, which partly go underground, as well as upgrades to the bus network. Councillor Don Alexander, cabinet member for transport, said Bristol had “waited long enough” for one.

Speaking at the station opening, he said: “It’s vital that we look towards the future, easing congestion and improving public transport options for residents through a low-carbon mass transit system. Bristolians have waited long enough. Mass transit systems are essential for a modern growing city. Portway park and ride is part of a journey towards a better connected Bristol and South West.”

Mass transit plan

Estimates for how much a mass transit system would cost range from £4 billion to £18 billion, and it’s unclear whether the government would back funding the plans. Consultants have previously said that the project could partly be paid for with rising land values^[11] along the lines.

Mr Harper said: “If that’s something that the combined authority wants to support, we’ll obviously look very sensibly at the business case for that. Obviously once you start doing underground stuff, it does become very expensive. You have to look at the business case for these things and see what’s the investment, and what’s the return going to be in terms of the ability to grow the economy and create well paid jobs locally.

“The government is always happy to look at proposals like that, but obviously you wouldn’t expect me to write blank cheques for people. You have to look at the business case very sensibly. If the combined authority wants to work up proposals for future transport developments, the government would look at them.”

Portway train station lies in between Shirehampton and Avonmouth on the Severn Beach railway line. The park and ride was recently also expanded, with the total number of free parking spaces increasing from 555 to 792.

The West of England Combined Authority paid £3.153 million towards the station, while the Department for Transport spent £1.672 million, Bristol City Council paid £857,000, Network Rail spent £114,000 and GWR paid £70,000.

The first passenger trains to stop at Portway Park & Ride on Tuesday August 1 will be the 5.10am Bristol Temple Meads to Severn Beach, stopping at Portway at 5.34am — and the 5.53am Severn Beach to Bristol Temple Meads, stopping at Portway at 6.06am.

References

1. ^{^} Avonmouth (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Rovers start work on new stand at the Mem without planning permission (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Sign up to read our Bristol politics newsletter here (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
4. ^{^} Ashley Down (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
5. ^{^} North Filton (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
6. ^{^} Portishead (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
7. ^{^} Charfield (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
8. ^{^} St Anne’s (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
9. ^{^} Labour (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
10. ^{^} Bristol City Council (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
11. ^{^} rising land values (www.bristolpost.co.uk)