News 2016 – newer at top Go to latest news ...
Ashton Vale Road consultation
December 2016: Consultation on proposals for Ashton Vale Road alternative access closes at midnight on 12 December. Details …
Bristol rail electrification delayed indefinitely
8 November 2016: The Government announced that parts of the London to Bristol electrification were to be delayed indefinitely. Network Rail says that this will not have any impact on the reopening of the Portishead line.
Land Purchase
28 August 2016: North Somerset Council is reported to have purchased two small pieces of land in Portishead which will be used for the railway. See North Somerset Times article 28 August 2016.
Official updates released
11 August 2016: North Somerset Council issued Portishead Rail Services Summer 2016 update which explains the reasons for the delays to outline engineering design work in GRIP 3.
MetroWest Newsletter No 6
24 June 2016: Outline engineering design work is taking longer than expected due to technical difficulties in the Avon Gorge and completion is now delayed until this autumn. The Stage 2 formal DCO consultation will now take place following that. See MetroWest update June 2016. Updated timescales are not yet available, but estimates are shown on our timescales page. See also Bristol Post article 28 June 2016.
Land Purchase
19 April 2016: North Somerset Council is to purchase two parcels of land which are required for the stations at Portishead and at Pill. Most of the land required for the project is already owned by either by NSC or Network Rail. See also North Somerset Times article 20 April 2016. See also 28 August 2016.
Railway works – temporary line closures
April 2016: The Portishead line is dependant upon work being first completed elsewhere on the railway network, e.g. Filton Bank four-tracking and Bristol Area Signalling Renewal. Details here … Progress is now being made on these, resulting in some temporary line closures. See details of closures …
New public consultations
29 February 2016: Two new MetroWest Phase 1 public consultations have been announced. One is for proposed improvements to Pill Station with a closing date for feedback of 22 March 2016. The other is for Ashton Vale Road level crossings with a closing date for feedback of 23 March 2016.
Official updates released
22 January 2016: North Somerset Council issued Portishead Rail Services Winter 15/16 update. Slippage of about 6 months was announced. Building work is now expected to commence in 2018.
Opening to be delayed by one year?
20 January 2016: Newspaper reports say that opening could be delayed by up to a year. Official confirmation is awaited. See Bristol Post article 20 Jan 2016.
MetroWest Newsletter No 5
14 January 2016: MetroWest has published a newsletter about the Stage 1 Public Consultation. See Newsletter …