Work starts on Portway Park & Ride station

Construction has commenced on a new £4.2 million Portway Park & Ride station on the Severn Beach line. 

The single-platform station, which is said to be the first new station in Bristol since the opening of Parson Street in 1927, is being jointly funded by Bristol City Council, the West of England Combined Authority and the Department for Transport. 

It also forms part of the combined authority’s wider plans to upgrade the local network, through the MetroWest programme which aims to give 80,000 more people access to train services. 

Preparatory works completed by Network Rail in December included the replacement of safety fencing along the line, installing a ramp down to the track, and excavating the platform area so that foundations can now be laid. 

NR says that most construction work will be completed overnight, although the Severn Beach line will need to close between February 19-27 to enable signalling changes and drainage improvements to take place. 

During this time, trains were not due to call at stations between Bristol Temple Meads and Filton Abbey Wood or between Severn Beach and Stapleford Road.

Once the new station opens later this summer, it will be served by half-hourly services between Temple Meads and Severn Beach.