News Archive - 2009 and 2008                                         Go to current news ...

North Somerset Council completes land purchase
November 2009: North Somerset Council have completed purchase of the three miles of disused track.

New Network Rail 10-year plan
1 September 2009: A Network Rail report titled ‘Great Western Route Utilisation Strategy’ defines a 10-year plan to expand rail services in the West including options for services to Portishead. Alan Matthews said ‘It is another piece in the jigsaw towards reopening the line.’ See Clevedon Mercury article 3 Sept.

Train Operating Companies include Portishead line in new report
15 June 2009: A new report “Connecting Communities” from the Association of Train Operating Companies, ATOC, includes the Portishead line in a list of lines which it says could be re-opened. It describes congestion at M5 Junction 19 as ‘chronic’. The public are invited to give their views. Email: russ.cunningham@atoc.org. For full details see www.atoc.org where the full report can be downloaded.

Network Rail study to go ahead
27 January 2009: Network Rail is to be commissioned to carry out a technical evaluation on the potential re-opening of the Portishead railway line. Alan Matthews, group chairman, said: "It looks like North Somerset is doing what it said it would do and they deserve a big pat on the back for this. It is absolutely brilliant news and it looks like more pieces of the jigsaw are slotting together.” He said the report could be carried out in as short a period as nine months if everything goes to plan. See Press release and BBC News report and North Somerset Times article.
New Portishead and North Bristol Rail Campaign
30 October 2008: Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways (FOSBR) have launched a new campaign supported by Portishead Railway Group. The aim is ensure that our local politicians include funding to open the Portishead and Henbury loop freight lines (map) to passengers in the current round of spending. Press release.

BBC TV Programme on Portishead line
26 October 2008: A documentary was broadcast on BBC1 (West) on Sunday 26 October featuring the need to reopen the Portishead line.  More details ....

Council to buy three mile stretch of line
19 August 2008: North Somerset Council is reported to be intending to purchase the three miles of disused track from British Railway Board (Residuary) Ltd (BRB). PRG chairman Alan Matthews, said: "This is a brilliant step forward to re-opening the line. It shows that NSC is committed to working towards getting a rail link up and running for Portishead." See Evening Post article   19 August 2008.

Study shows rail link feasible and could be running by 2014
19 June 2008: The Halcrow study has concluded that it would be feasible to reopen the railway. NSC Executive Member for Transport Cllr Elfan Ap Rees, said “I am delighted that this report shows that the idea is not only feasible but would contribute to reducing traffic on the A369 and would have economic benefits to the town”. PRG Chairman Alan Matthews said “This is fantastic news for all the people who have campaigned for the re-opening of the railway link in Portishead. Now the Council has an accurate study and costings for opening up the railway and can start to take the issue forward.” A full report on the study will be available next month. See Press articles 19 June 2008, 23 June 2008, and 29 June 2008.

Proposal to re-open Ashton Gate station
10 June 2008: FOSBR are proposing to Bristol City Council that Ashton Gate station be re-opened by extending the Severn Beach route. They believe the reopening of the station would be a major step towards the revival of the rail link to Portishead, and it could also act as a transport hub, greatly improving access to the rest of the city for people in south Bristol. See Evening Post article 10 June 2008.

North Somerset Council to do feasibility study on Railway reopening
6 March 2008: North Somerset Council has asked consultants Halcrow to do a desktop study of reopening the Portishead to Bristol line to passengers. The Portishead Railway Group is being consulted. See Clevedon Mercury article 6 March 2008.

PRG Chairman rebuts crazy water-taxi suggestion
20 Feb 2008: Alan Matthews, PRG Chairman, rejects suggestion to use water taxis to take commuters into Bristol. See Evening Post article 20 Feb 08.

North Somerset Council to buy disused railway line?
31 Jan 2008: North Somerset Council is considering the purchase of the 3 miles of disused railway line from British Railways Board (Residuary) Ltd in order to safeguard it’s possible future as a railway line. See Evening Post article  31 Jan 08.

Rail link return ‘not a priority’
18 Jan 2008: The Government said it was not a priority to open the Portishead branch, in a reply to the recent petition. North Somerset councillor Elfan Ap Rees said the fight was not over. See full report from BBC.


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