Portishead and Pill railway to be restored in southwest

Pic: A special train took partners and stakeholders along the line towards Portishead

One of the most-anticipated rail projects in the southwest have taken a major step forward, as contracts worth £200 million were signed at Bristol Temple Meads last week to deliver two brand new stations and reinstate the Portishead railway line closed to passengers since 1964.

Three contracts have been awarded to deliver the project. Morgan Sindall Infrastructure will lead construction of the line and highways improvements at Portishead, Colas Rail will design and install a new digital signalling system and AmcoGiffen has been appointed to deliver bridge works and associated highways work in Bristol.

The core work involves building two new stations, relaying three miles of track and delivering the infrastructure needed to run a modern, reliable rail service along a corridor that has been dormant for generations. This project is funded by the Department for Transport (DfT), the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and North Somerset Council and will be delivered by Network Rail.

Construction is now underway, and once opened in winter 2028/29, the line will reconnect more than 50,000 people to the railway for the first time since the line was closed for passenger services in 1964, improving access to jobs, education and services while supporting more sustainable travel options.

Journeys to Bristol Temple Meads will take around 25min from Portishead and 20 minutes from Pill - around half the time it takes to complete these journeys by road. To mark the signing of these contracts, invited guests took part in a special train journey from Bristol Temple Meads along the line towards Portishead and the location of the new Pill station.

Those on board included: the Mayor of the West of England, Helen Godwin, North Somerset Council leader Mike Bell, Network Rail Western route managing director Marcus Jones, Great Western Railway managing director Mark Hopwood, Karin Smith, MP for Bristol South, Kerry McCarthy, MP for Bristol East and Sadik Al-Hassan, MP for North Somerset.

As part of GWR's Growing Places research, stations across the South West are projected to contribute billions of pounds in economic value and thousands of new jobs by 2036, and Portishead and Pill will play a key role. The Portishead Line project is forecast to generate an estimated £43 million in economic growth each year when complete.

Marcus Jones, managing director of Network Rail’s Western route, said: “This is a significant milestone in the return of the railway to Portishead and Pill, and a proud moment for everyone involved in bringing this scheme to life. With these contracts now signed, we are moving from years of planning into full delivery.

“This project will reconnect more than 50,000 people to the rail network for the first time in decades, unlocking better access to jobs, education and services, while offering a faster and ‘greener’ alternative to road travel.”

Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England, concluded: “This is an historic moment for Portishead, Pill and the whole of the West of England, as we continue to grow our regional rail network and look to increase the frequency of trains across the board. Through this new £200 million train line, the West of England and North Somerset, alongside our industry partners, we can connect more people to work, nature, and leisure. This investment will also help unlock sites for new homes and strengthen the country’s fastest-growing regional economy.”