News 2018 – newer at top Go to latest news ...
6 December 2018:
Portishead Railway Group has issued a December Update, summarising the current progress on the project.
4 December 2018:
On 4 December North Somerset Council Executive Committee approved the transfer of £1.4m from a contingency budget to the 2018/19 MetroWest Phase 1 budget, in order to finalise the Development Consent Order. The DCO is now due for submission in April 2019. See Press article 18 Dec 2018.
27 November 2018:
Portishead Railway Group issued its response to the Tram-train proposal. Details >>
21 October 2018:
Proposals for the use of Tram-trains by Chris Grayling, Sec. of State for Transport, and Metro Mayor Tim Bowles, as a way of reducing costs have been criticised by North Somerset Council. See Press article 17 Oct 2018.
17 July 2018:
MetroWest has published the report on the Stage 2 Consultation held in late 2017. View report >>
15 June 2018:
North Somerset Council together with Gloucestershire County Council and Wiltshire Council, has submitted an ‘expression of interest’ to the Department of Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund as one of a number of options to secure the remaining funding required for MetroWest Phase 1. See NSC News item.
6 June 2018:
Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling has written to North Somerset MP Liam Fox, pledging his support for the Portishead line scheme. See Press articles 6 June 2018.
20 May 2018:
MetroWest has failed in its bid for £46 million funding from the Large Local Major Transport Schemes fund. However, this doesn’t mean the project is dead, just that that particular source of funds is not available. Funding of a total of £70 million is already in place leaving £46 million which MetroWest still needs to source.
18 February 2018:
Railfuture has submitted its response to the Public Consultation on the extension of the Great Western Railway Franchise. View document here >>. See also GW Franchise page.