Police at the scene(Image: Jon Mills / SWNS)A man is being treated in hospital after armed police opened fire at a home in a quiet cul-de-sac Officers were called to the £350,000 detached home in Merlin Park Way, Portishead, north Somerset, at around 4.30pm yesterday. Locals say there were reports a man inside was armed with a shotgun. Police dog units were also deployed as the street - just half a mile from Avon and Somerset Police's HQ - was cordoned off to the public. Officers discharged their weapon and a man was later taken to hospital by ambulance with a hand injury. A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: "We were called at around 3.45pm today (Wednesday 30 April) to Merlin Park, in Portishead, to check on the welfare of a man. "Armed officers were deployed due to the mention of a firearm and negotiators attempted to engage with a man inside a property. "Sometime later a police firearm was discharged. A man has been taken to hospital to receive treatment for an injury to his hand which is not believed to be life-threatening. "No officers were injured in the incident. "A cordon remains in place while enquiries are ongoing but do not believe there is any wider risk to the public.'' The scene in Merlin Park Road, Portishead where a man was reportedly shot by police(Image: Jon Mills / SWNS)An elderly resident, who asked not to be named, said: "From what I've heard there was a man the house who wasn't very well. "Police were called and two gunshots heard. "Apparently the police had problems getting him into the ambulance, he didn't want to go even though he was injured." Later in the evening two, female plain-clothed CID officers could be seen making house to house enquiries and a CSI van pulled into the street. A uniformed officer was posted at the entrance to the 1970s built home. Three unmarked BMWs, two white and one black, remained parked outside the property which had a black Mini countryman parked in the driveway. Merlin Park Way is a large cul-de-sac made up of modern detached houses just a mile from the centre of Portishead town. About the Combined Authority The page you are looking for might have been removed or is temporarily unavailable The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and North Somerset Council have come together to announce that they are looking to contribute the additional funds needed to deliver the Portishead to Bristol rail line.  The Full Business Case for the long-awaited reopening of the rail line was submitted to the Department for Transport in December last year the business case identified an emerging gap in the scheme’s funding inflation and rising costs across the construction industry.   the West of England Combined Authority are set to contribute another £27m to this important railway scheme with North Somerset looking to provide the remaining £3m The additional funding from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority is set to be ratified at their March Committee meeting with North Somerset Council's contribution to be approved at their Council meeting in February If the additional funding is committed and the Full Business Case is approved by the Department for Transport which they have indicated will follow quickly construction of the rail line and stations at Portishead and Pill could begin soon afterward.  Leader of North Somerset Council and Executive Member for Major Projects said: “The reopening of the Portishead to Bristol rail line is set to be a transformative project for our area connecting 50,000 people back into the rail network so that they can use a regular and sustainable transport service to reach a wealth of opportunities across the southwest.   “Not only would this essential investment in local communities slash travel times in half and reduce car commuting by 5.5% it would also unlock an estimated £43 million in economic growth every year.   “This makes the Portishead to Bristol rail line a scheme of significant long-term benefit and something we’re proud to be pushing forward in partnership with the West of England Combined Authority the Department for Transport and Network Rail.   “The additional funding from both the West of England Combined Authority and North Somerset Council would close the gap on this shovel ready scheme bringing us ever closer to the first trains making their journeys in 2027 – the first passenger trains to do so since the line was originally closed almost 60 years ago.  I’d like to thank everyone who has put the work in over the past few years to get this vital project so close to construction I’d like to thank Mayor Dan Norris for his strong support and North Somerset MP Sadik Al-Hassan for his continued backing.”  The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response A police firearm was discharged as armed police and negotiators were at a stand-off with a man inside a property in Portishead At 3.45pm this afternoon (Wednesday, April 30), Avon and Somerset Police were called to Merlin Park in Portishead to check on the welfare of a man Armed officers were deployed due to the mention of a firearm Negotiators attempted to engage with a man inside a property Sometime later a police firearm was discharged The man was taken to hospital to receive treatment for an injury to his hand A cordon remains in place while enquiries are ongoing but there is not believed to be any wider risk to the public Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right By 2025-02-12T11:00:00+00:00 UK: West Of England Mayor Dan Norris has announced a ‘landmark’ agreement with the government which paves the way for construction works needed to restart passenger services on the Bristol to Portishead line to begin this summer to enable operation by the end of 2027 A peak-time train journey between Bristol and Portishead is expected to take 23 min compared to 50 min by car or 1 h 5 min by bus Norris said Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy had written to him with confirmation of the deal ‘This is a massive moment for the west of England: one that generations have eagerly waited to see’ The Department for Transport was more cautious, with a spokesperson telling Rail Business UK that ‘the full business case for reopening the Portishead line is currently being considered by the Department for Transport and is subject to the upcoming spending review’ Passenger services on the line ended in 1964 and freight services were stopped from 1981 to 2002 Norris said WECA had invested £25m in the reopening project and a final £30m is to be ratified by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority Committee in March This includes a contribution from North Somerset Council. ‘Working in partnership with the WECA, the Department for Transport and Network Rail we have put in the hard work and were the country’s first passenger rail scheme to secure a Development Consent Order to re-open a branch line’ we have risen to challenges of rising costs understanding the value that these train services will offer to our communities.’ The Combined Authority noted that the previous government had taken three years to consider a Development Consent Order ‘which should take 18 months at most’ and this has had major programme and cost impacts In 2023 Network Rail awarded VolkerFitzpatrick a multi-disciplinary works contract for the reinstatement of 5·5 km of disused line between Pill and Portishead to enable the reintroduction of passenger services to Bristol The £6·14m first stage covered detailed design and surveys enabling works and support for the preparation of the full business case is available as an option subject to funding and consents UK: North Somerset Council says it remains committed to reopening the Portishead to Bristol line despite the government’s cancellation of the Restoring Your Railway programme Rail schemes within the programme will now be subject to review by the Secretary of State for Transport UK: Network Rail has awarded VolkerFitzpatrick the multi-disciplinary works contract for the reinstatement of 5·5 km of disused line between Pill and Portishead to enable the reintroduction of passenger services to Bristol with the £6·14m first stage covering detailed .. UK: The Department for Transport has granted planning consent for reinstatement of the railway between Portishead and Pill This is the first passenger reopening to be approved using a Development Consent Order which includes planning and environmental consent and compulsory land acquisition Site powered by Webvision Cloud A deal has been struck between the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) and the government to fund the reopening of the abandoned Portishead Branch Line The project was previously due to be funded under the Restoring Your Railway fund but this initiative was cancelled last summer after the new government came into power The cancellation of these projects signalled an attempt from government to fill a £22bn hole it had discovered in its audit of public finances Weca has now confirmed the reopening of the line closed during the infamous Beeching Cuts in 1964 will go ahead after region mayor Dan Norris led talks with rail minister Peter Hendy last week Hendy has now written to Norris with confirmation of the deal The final £30M boost to ensure the reopening of the line will be ratified in March at the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority Committee meeting The funding mainly comes from from Weca but includes a £3M contribution from North Somerset Council If the additional funding is committed and the Full Business Case is approved by the Department for Transport (DfT) construction of the rail line and stations at Portishead and Pill could begin soon afterward with North Somerset Council hoping to see spades in the ground this summer The project is aiming for a completion date sometime in 2027 will see the disused branch line between Portishead and Pill rebuilt with passenger services reintroduced to Bristol The project will further see five more stations scheduled to open in the next few years Work on North Filton is being accelerated and aims to open in 2026 Pill and Portishead stations are due to open in 2027/28 Portishead Branch Line Restoration location plan from DCO application Plans to reopen the abandoned line were given the go ahead by transport secretary Mark Harper in November 2022. The reopening has most recently been costed at £152M Weca has invested £25M into the project to date, including the reopening of Portway Park and Ride and Ashley Down stations. As revealed by a NCE data investigation in November last year, the DfT has invested £16.2M in the project so far. Norris is leading work to explore more new stations including at Ashton Gate which sits on the Bristol & Portishead Line A key driver for the re-opening of the Portishead Line is to transform rail access and connectivity for Portishead and the surrounding area whilst resolving the current highway congestion on the A369 highway The A369 is the only transport corridor between Portishead and Bristol and has major bottlenecks at both ends of the corridor because of the one of the busiest sections of the M5 dissecting the corridor at the Junction 19 Benefits expected from the reopening of the line include cutting travel times in half reducing car commuting by 5.5% and unlocking an estimated £43M in economic growth each year This includes removing nearly 13M car km from the road network by 2044 The scheme has overcome many planning hurdles to satisfy National Trust National Highways and the Environment Agency The Full Business Case for the long-awaited reopening of the rail line was submitted to the DtT in December last year inflation and rising costs across the construction industry With that now in the past and the scheme now on track Norris said: “This is a massive moment for the West of England: one that generations have eagerly waited to see and our environment - and a truly red-letter day for our fantastic region “The Bristol & Portishead Line was a victim of historic rail cuts with a Labour government and a Labour mayor we’re delivering the latest stage of my ‘reverse Beeching’ plan I’m delighted to confirm that this project is now finally steaming ahead.” North Somerset Council leader and executive member for major projects Mike Bell said: “The Portishead to Bristol rail line stands to be transformative for North Somerset and the wider area connecting 50,000 people back into the rail network through regular and sustainable transport whilst offering access to the opportunities of growth across the southwest “Working in partnership with West of England Mayoral Combined Authority we have put in the hard work and were the country’s first passenger rail scheme to secure a Development Consent Order to re-open a branch line understanding the value that these train services will offer to our communities I’d like to thank everyone involved for their effort to date and look forward continuing our work to get the first trains up and running.” Like what you've read? To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here. High Speed 2 (HS2) Ltd and the Department for Transport (DfT) remain… The South Yorkshire mayor has unveiled a £30M investment aimed at reopening… Network Rail’s Access for All programme for delivering step-free access at stations… The Banwell Bypass in North Somerset can move into main construction after… North Somerset Council have donated sections of the disused Portishead to Bristol rail line to the Avon Valley Railway must be removed to clear the way for eventual construction of the reopened Portishead rail line Avon Valley Railway operate a steam and diesel heritage railway and the tracks will be reused so that vintage locomotives can continue to depart from Bitton station travelling the old Midland line between Bristol and Bath The volunteer railway began in the 1970s and has returned the sounds of steam engines to the Avon Valley for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike The original Portishead to Bristol passenger line was closed in the 1960s would see 50,000 residents connected back into the rail network with stops at Portishead and Pill.  North Somerset Council continues to make the case for reopening the line which will be subject to a government review following a recent announcement by the Treasury.  said: “I’d like to thank the volunteers from the Avon Valley Railway who have helped us with the track removal and I’m glad the old rails will find a good use on their heritage line “The railways were vital in shaping modern Britain creating growth and opportunity by connecting communities Avon Valley Railway is a reminder of this important heritage but also the ways that investment in infrastructure can create possibilities “Reopening the Portishead to Bristol rail line stands to be transformative for North Somerset providing a regular and sustainable transport link with access to regional growth It is a scheme that is hugely important to us and one that will make a significant difference to people’s lives now and in years to come.  “By working with Avon Valley Railway to clear the old tracks we’re demonstrating our continued commitment to reopening the Portishead to Bristol rail line We are still having conversations with our partners and with government and await further details of the scheme’s review.  “We’ve made so much progress on the Portishead to Bristol rail line in recent years and we’re doing everything in our power to ensure things remain full steam ahead.” Chair of the Avon Valley Railway said: “This generous donation in repurposing the old track will be used to improve our railway infrastructure This in turn will make sure our heritage locos and carriages will be able to take local people on a heritage experience for many years to come Once the track is lifted by the Avon Valley Railway and its contractors it will be moved to our base at Bitton Station.” The reopened Portishead to Bristol rail line forms part of MetroWest North Somerset Council continues to work in partnership with the West of England Combined Authority and Network Rail in preparation of submitting a Full Business Case to the Department for Transport.  People living in Portishead will soon be able to enjoy free weekly community events as North Somerset Council gets ready to launch a new ParkPlay session in the town ParkPlay will take place from 10am to 11.30am every Saturday at Merlin Park in Portishead thanks to the council’s Better Health North Somerset team ParkPlay happens in parks and public spaces up and down the country every Saturday Sessions are free and open to people of all ages The aim is to bring communities together and encourage more people to be active by enjoying free games and activities in a safe North Somerset Council executive member for public health “ParkPlay is all about local people of all ages coming together to meet if you’re local to Merlin Park please come along and give it a go “It’s totally free to take part and a great way to keep families entertained All you need to do is register on the ParkPlay website beforehand so you can quickly sign in when you arrive each Saturday morning and get playing straight away!” who represent Portishead West ward where Merlin Park is located added: “ParkPlay is run by the local community We’re really looking forward to seeing everyone join together People can register and find out more about ParkPlay at https://park-play.com/register. There is also a ParkPlay Portishead Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PortisheadParkPlay ParkPlay already runs every Saturday from 9.30am to 11am at Castle Batch in Weston. The Better Health North Somerset team is also looking for potential Play Leaders to run ParkPlay in Clevedon, at Cherry Avenue playground. To find out more about the Play Leader role email getactive@n-somerset.gov.uk or call 01275 882 731. after first being proposed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1839 Credit: ITV NewsWork to reopen a disused railway line between Bristol and Portishead can begin this summer following a £27 million cash boost from the West of England Combined Authority Metro Mayor Dan Norris announced last month that passengers could be using a railway line for the first time in 60 years by the end of 2027 after an agreement was reached with the government over funding It follows concerns in July that the project could be scrapped after the new Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced there was a £22 billion hole in the country's finances As a result, she said on Monday 29 July that she would scrap the Restoring Your Railway scheme - which includes the Portishead to Pill train service The Bristol and Portishead Line first opened in 1867 with freight services stopped in 1981 before resuming in 2002 thanks to funding from WECA and the local council work to restore the line is set to begin this summer A further £27 million has been approved from the region’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) said: “Thanks to the deal I struck with the Rail Minister residents can look forward to work getting back on track this summer to reopen the Bristol and Portishead Line “With another £27 million of funding approved by my Mayoral Combined Authority and creating opportunities for new homes for local people along the line that was dreamed up by Isambard Kingdom Brunel almost 200 years ago “Once trains are running again between Temple Meads and Portishead journey times will have been halved and my reverse Beeching programme will have unlocked an extra £43 million a year for our regional economy 30 APR 2025BookmarkBenjamin Hopkins (Image: Avon and Somerset Police)A man with a spider web tattoo is wanted by police is wanted for 'breaching his post-custodial supervision requirements' around 5ft 10ins tall and of a large build Hopkins has a tattoo of a spider web on his left elbow and a neck tattoo Avon and Somerset Police said: "If you see Hopkins North Somerset Council remains committed to reopening the Portishead to Bristol rail line despite news that the government have cancelled the Restoring Your Railway programme This follows announcements from the Treasury that numerous infrastructure projects across the country will be paused or cancelled as a means of tackling financial challenges in the national budget The Portishead to Bristol rail line is one of the Department for Transport’s Restoring Your Railway projects and is part of the MetroWest programme.  By connecting 50,000 residents back into the rail network with stops at Portishead and Pill the line stands to be transformative for North Somerset and the wider area sustainable transport and greater access to regional growth.  said: “The Portishead to Bristol rail line is a hugely important scheme for us and one that will make a significant difference to the lives of local people “We remain absolutely committed to reopening the line and Network Rail were shortly due to submit our Full Business Case to the Department for Transport Full Business Case approval is the final step needed before we can get spades in the ground for construction whilst pledging of a further £10m of our own.  “Though we understand the difficult decisions facing national government we believe there continues to be a strong case for the investment into the Portishead to Bristol rail line This is a shovel-ready scheme that we can deliver – and for which on-the-ground preparatory work has already begun We just need government support to make it happen “Alongside the West of England Combined Authority and Network Rail we will continue to make the case for this project and  work with the new MP for North Somerset constituency to do everything we can to secure support from the Department for Transport.” Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times has received a top award from England’s governing body for his significant personal contribution to the administration of the sport at a national level.The Ivor Montagu Award was presented to Steve by Table Tennis England Board Director at the National Table Tennis Championship in Nottingham yesterday (Sunday March 23rd) Steve was appointed to the Table Tennis England Members’ Advisory Group (MAG) MAG offered strategic advice to the board and provided a communication channel for the wider table tennis community The body’s members – appointed following an exhaustive round of national interviews – represented all areas of the sport including coaching Steve was invited to be a non-voting member on the recruitment panel for various director appointments as well as a previous chief executive appointment.A veteran of the sport Steve first started playing competitively in the Kettering and District League in the early 60s when he joined Rothborough Table Tennis Club Northampton and Chesterfield leagues before moving to Portishead He currently plays for the Portishead Krakens team in the Bristol League Division 4 I have thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the roles I have fulfilled at club and national level It has been a delight to see the growth at Portishead Table Tennis Club from a one table venue to a Premier Club with 10 teams a 16-table practise venue at a local school and a well-developed coaching set up made easier by the dedication of the club’s excellent coaching team It has been an immense privilege to see the development of many youngsters at the club Burnham & Dist: Ballard D’Or Champion Crowned Doubles bronze for Bishop in Montenegro UCLan North of England Cadet & Junior 2 Star Website by Jask Creative The West of England Combined Authority has put forward £27m to bring back the Portishead Railway line with work on the long-awaited project set to start in the summer The line closed in the 1960s and the news of the project getting the go-ahead comes after a period of uncertainty last year when government funding for the scheme was withdrawn The Bristol & Portishead Line will cut travel times between Temple Meads and the North Somerset town in half and is anticipated to see an additional 1.2 million rail journeys within 15 years of opening Business case development work for potential new railway stations including Ashton Gate and St Anne’s has also been approved to begin as part of a new regional rail strategy to support the region’s Local Growth Plan residents can look forward to work getting back on track this summer to reopen the Bristol & Portishead Line “With another £27m of funding approved by my Mayoral Combined Authority journey times will have been halved and my reverse Beeching programme will have unlocked an extra £43m a year for our regional economy.” A new B&M shop is coming to Bristol this year(Image: jax10289 via Getty Images)Despite a tough start to 2025 for UK retailers budget retailer B&M has confirmed its intention to open 45 new stores across the UK this year The retailer offers a wide range of products from food and toys to homeware and beauty items One of the new stores will be opening at the Wyndham Way Retail Park in Portishead the chain operates around 772 shops throughout the UK but it's aiming to increase this number to 1,200 Last week's trading update revealed a 3.1% decrease in UK sales to £4.5bn for the year ending March 29 and a 2.4% drop in the final 12 weeks of the year However, the launch of new stores in France has helped offset the weaker performance in the UK, reports Leicestershire Live The wider B&M group reported a 3.7% increase in sales to £5.6bn for the year Several new stores are set to open across the UK in the coming weeks, including locations in Leicestershire, Tunbridge Wells, Portishead and Doncaster Join Bristol Live's FREE Whatsapp news service Retailers across the UK have faced a challenging start to the year due to escalating costs. In addition to rising energy and rent expenses, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has increased employer national insurance contributions and the national minimum wage. Several major brands, including WHSmith, Sainsbury's, Iceland and Homesense, have already closed stores this year. Meanwhile, Sports Direct, FarmFoods and Aldi are planning to close sites this month. B&M is expanding(Image: Wirestock via Getty Images)The latest BandM stores to open their doors in 2025 are located in Sudbury, Rushden and Southend-On-Sea. The company has yet to reveal the opening dates for the rest of its new UK locations. Emerging from the ashes of the Wild Bunch sound system that operated within the neighbourhoods of St Paul’s and Bishopston during the 1980s the loose and ‘trippy’ variant on US hip-hop music was primarily pioneered by the group Massive Attack and their friend and collaborator another Bristol-based trio consisting of vocalist Beth Gibbons and multi-instrumentalists Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley Portishead’s approach was just as novel as that of Massive Attack before them but created a far more introspective version of trip-hop than the club-oriented concepts their counterparts had conceived With tracks like ‘Sour Times’ and ‘Glory Box’ utilising chopped-up orchestral samples and placing Gibbons’ haunting vocal lines over the top of taut yet disarming beats the album was considered a masterpiece ahead of its time Adorning the front cover is an image of Gibbons restrained in a chair and lit entirely in blue which looks as though it may have been taken from a film still but not necessarily one that would’ve seen a wide-scale cinematic release The film in question that the image has been snatched from is To Kill a Dead Man All members took acting roles in the short and composed the soundtrack The 11-minute picture follows themes of espionage The soundtrack that the band created for it is fitting of this although the slower tempo of the music made for Dummy isn’t totally reflective of the energetic themes that were made for the film which is decidedly more inspired by 1970s Italian crime dramas it was on the strength of this soundtrack that Go Discs handed Portishead a record deal in the first place with the cinematic qualities of their music being the central appeal that drew their attention Within the album’s booklet are further stills from the film and the artwork for the singles taken from the record also follows suit The band had put a huge amount of effort into both this small slice of art-house cinema and their debut album but with the record being more likely to gain traction they wanted a way to draw attention to the existence of the other and pay tribute to the fruits of their labour The version of the film that appears on the DVD extras of their 2002 Roseland NYC Live release begins with a title card that has a message from the band We realised very quickly afterwards that we had grossly underestimated just how tough it is to write Portishead continued to make music inspired by their mutual love of cinema and would often mix their electronic experimentation unique production methods and lush arrangements together to create music that was often labelled as having the same neo-noir qualities as their short did While it isn’t the most polished or professional product its importance to the history of the band can’t be argued This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The wheels are finally in motion on the plan to reopen the railway between Bristol and Portishead Restoring the railway only requires just over three miles of new track The line as far as Pill has already been restored — although work would need to be carried out on this stretch of the line to make the track suitable for passenger trains and not just freight Work is set to begin in the summer and trains could be running along the route by 2027 Now work is also set to begin on building new stations on the route: In Portishead the line will terminate at a new station built a little way outside of the town centre Portishead’s old railway station is where the town’s Waitrose now stands. In fact, it was when planner Alan Matthews was working on the scheme to build the supermarket that he noticed the old tracks and wondered why they were not in use he is chairman of the Portishead Railway Group which has been campaigning to reopen the railway since 2000 Although the route of the tracks runs undeveloped all the way to the edge of the Waitrose car park Quays Avenue cuts off the last 400 meters of the route the new station will be built just east of it Pill plays host to the most visible reminder of the former railway line — the viaduct across its village green Now — with trains set to run across the viaduct once again — the village is also set to get a new station Pill’s station will be rebuilt in the same place that the village’s old station was below where Station Road bridges the railway At Pill, the railway would also be double tracked. Like Bristol’s Severn Beach Line the Portishead Line is mostly single track This severely limits the amount of trains which can run along the route Double tracking at some locations will allow trains to pass each other increasing the number which can run along the railway at any one time A new station to serve Ashton Gate is not currently included in the plans — although one could be built in the future There was a station at Ashton Gate on the original Portishead Railway and a new station could help alleviate the notorious traffic on Bristol City match days Ashley Down station opened in September 2024 providing Rovers fans with a station near to the Memorial Stadium A station at Ashton Gate was not included in Metrowest Phase 1 the major transport project for the West of England which includes the reopening of the Portishead Line When Bristol City Council built its Ashton Vale housing development an area next to the railway line was “future proofed” to leave space for a yard that could be needed if a railway station was to be built there in future the Portishead Line joins the Bristol-Exeter Line also served by trains to Weston-super-Mare Services are planned to stop at the existing stations at Parson Street and Bedminster before arriving at Bristol Temple Meads Trains will run hourly from Bristol to Pill and Portishead, although Parson Street and Bedminster are also served by services running between Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare and our environment — and a truly red-letter day for our fantastic region.” North Somerset Council leader Mike Bell said: “The reopening of the Portishead to Bristol rail line is set to be a transformative project for our area connecting 50,000 people back into the rail network so that they can use a regular and sustainable transport service to reach a wealth of opportunities across the South West.” He added: “He added: “This makes the Portishead to Bristol rail line a scheme of significant long-term benefit and something we’re proud to be pushing forward in partnership with the West of England Combined Authority the Department for Transport and Network Rail.” Since being elected to Westminster last July this project has been my top priority with my first act in Parliament being the presentation of a public petition signed by thousands of North Somerset residents saving the project from cancellation “I am immensely proud of the hard work of all campaign leaders ministers and mayors involved and I look forward to seeing the first spades put in the ground this summer.” Join Somerset Live’s WhatsApp community for top stories and breaking news sent directly to your phone Somerset Live is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community exclusives and much more straight to your phone To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select ‘Join Community’. 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Credit: BPM MediaPassengers could be using a railway line for the first time in 60 years by the end of 2027 after an agreement was reached with the government over funding Construction on the Bristol to Portishead line is set to begin in the summer The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) has invested £25m into the project to date The authority said the final £30m of funding including a contribution from North Somerset Council will be ratified at a WECA meeting in March Metro Mayor Dan Norris said the reopening of the railway which was axed back in 1964 as part of the Beeching Cuts and "unlock an estimated £43million in economic growth each year" It follows concern in July that the project could be scrapped after the new Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced there was a £22 billion hole in the country's finances North Somerset MP Sadik Al-Hassan said: "The long-promised Portishead Railway Line was a vital and historic link connecting North Somerset to Bristol and the wider country "I am relieved that after 25 years of relentless campaigning we have finally managed to achieve what many thought impossible "Since elected to Westminster last July this project has been my top priority with my first act in Parliament being the presentation of a Public Petition signed by thousands of North Somerset Residents saving the project from cancellation "I am immensely proud of the hard work of all campaign leaders ministers and mayors involved and I look forward to seeing the first spades put in the ground this summer." Plans to reopen the railway to Portishead near Bristol are going ahead The scheme had been included in the Restoring Your Railway programme but this was scrapped by the government in July 2024 on economic grounds West of England Combined Authority Mayor Dan Norris held new talks with rail minister Lord Hendy before the weekend and the minister has now confirmed that the scheme has been revived.  It is hoped that construction can begin this summer and passengers could be travelling on the line again by the end of 2027 The service was recommended for withdrawal in the 1963 Beeching report and the last passenger trains ran to Portishead in September 1964 although the line continued to be used for freight until 1981 A spur to Royal Portbury Dock was built for freight in 2002 while the abandoned line to Portishead town still exists although it has been blocked by at least one new road The council said bringing back the Portishead trains will mean that the travelling time into Bristol when compared with road will be cut by half It has also estimated that car commuting will be reduced by 5.5 per cent and that the line will help to achieve an estimated £43 million in economic growth each year Mayor Dan Norris said: ‘This is a massive moment for the West of England: one that generations have eagerly waited to see and a truly red-letter day for our fantastic region The Bristol and Portishead line was a victim of historic rail cuts we’re delivering the latest stage of my “reverse Beeching” plan I’m delighted to confirm that this project is now finally steaming ahead.’ Please click here  to send an email to Platform at Railnews Moderated comments will be published on this site and may also be used in the next print edition Back to News Use Full Site contact@railnews.co.uk