It’s been over 60 years since we last saw passengers using the railway line between Bristol and Portishead. But that’s about to change very soon. The government has officially announced its support to bring back the defunct railway line in a multi-million-pound announcement. This paves the way to mobilise in the autumn to start work in spring/summer 2026.
Back in February, an agreement was made between the Department for Transport, the West of England Combined Authority, and North Somerset Council to revive the Portishead Railway. But now, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has pledged a further £27.6m towards the scheme.
The government has now contributed £47m to the £182.21m scheme. This will help provide a new line and stations that will connect an additional 50,000 people to the rail network—with new stations planned for both Portishead and Pill, and potentially Ashton Gate, St Anne’s Park, Lockleaze and Saltford too.
Supporting economic growth and providing connectivity to planned housing in the area, it’s estimated that £43 million could be unlocked each year by the revival of the rail network. The first passengers could even be using the line between Bristol and Portishead by 2028.
Mayor of the West of England, Helen Godwin, said:
The Bristol & Portishead Line has been missed for generations. Its return has been long promised, with too many false starts. Now, in this new chapter for our region, we will build it together.
The West of England and North Somerset, with government backing and industry partners, will connect more people to opportunity, leisure, and nature. We’re investing in jobs and economic growth. Local people will see and feel the difference from commutes being cut in half through train travel, and building this key transport infrastructure will unlock sites for much-needed new homes.
Pill and Portishead are two of the five new railway stations being built in the West over the next few years. But our ambition goes further. Delivering projects like the Bristol & Portishead Line now lays the foundations for a better transport system overall for the West of England, building the suburban railway network that other places take for granted.
Last month in the government’s Spending Review, we secured £752 million for that next stage. That means that the West can get out of the slow lane on transport and start to catch up with other city-regions, with better buses, more trains, and mass transit – with trams and much more on the table.
The last time you could catch a train to the coastal town of Portishead from Bristol was in 1964. If all goes smoothly, we’ll be enjoying day trips to Portishead’s Marina, open-air swimming pool, beach and more very soon—with journey times down to just 23 minutes.