Rail First look at how planned new station could look
IMAGES have been released showing how Portishead’s new railway station could look. The designs have been revealed at the same time as it has been announced that an examination into the proposals to re-open the Portishead to Bristol railway line will start next month.
The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) has written to North Somerset Council confirming the examination process on the proposals will begin on October 6.
The examination is part of the complex Development Consent Order (DCO) process.
Nationally-significant infrastructure projects require a DCO before they can be built.
As part of the process, the Planning Inspectorate is required to hold the examination, which takes around six months.
The DCO application to reopen the Portishead line is part of the MetroWest Phase 1 scheme, a West of England Combined Authority and North Somerset Council project delivered in partnership with Network Rail.
The project was accepted by the Planning Inspectorate in December 2019.
The scheme involves reopening over 5km of railway which will be added to the national network, the construction of two new stations at Portishead and Pill and works to upgrade 9km of freight only railway.
This will enable an hourly passenger train service on a reopened Portishead Line, while maintaining the current freight train operation to and from Royal Portbury Dock.
In addition, the wider Phase 1 proposals - which is not part of the examination - will bring significant train service improvements to two other railway lines - the Severn Beach Line and the Westbury to Bristol Line - and will deliver train service upgrades for 16 existing stations.
During the examination, the inspectors will look in detail at the DCO application which seeks powers to build and operate the disused section of railway from Portishead to Pill, minor works to the existing freight railway through the Avon Gorge and for the compulsory acquisition of land needed for the railway to reopen.
A panel of inspectors have been appointed to undertake the examination.
The process begins with a preliminary meeting which is being held online because of Covid-19 restrictions and will be in two parts on October 6 and October 19.
After these meetings, the formal examination process begins, with an open floor hearing on October 19 when interested parties can give the panel their views on the project.
North Somerset Council leader Don Davies said: “This is a hugely complex scheme that has to go through many stages in order to progress.
“The start of the examination process is one of those key milestones, and we anticipate it will be a very intense six months for the project.
“The Portishead line is a key priority scheme putting jobs and infrastructure into the heart of our economic growth strategy.
Despite all of the current challenges we are pressing on with a nationally significant project that will deliver wide ranging environmental and economic benefits to our region, and all aspects need to be considered by the Planning Inspectorate.
“Once completed, MetroWest Phase 1 will connect an additional 50,000 residents directly to the national rail network and improve the level of service for a further 180,000 residents on the Severn Beach and Westbury corridors.”
The upgrade for the Severn Beach and Westbury lines are set to see improved train services start in 2021 with the Portishead line re-opening in 2024.