Railway station could be built at Portway park and ride

A railway station could be built next to Portway park and ride site in Shirehampton to ease traffic congestion on roads into Bristol.

Campaigners claim an extra stop on the Severn Beach line – allowing commuters to park and get a train to work – would help ease traffic congestion.

Last autumn the city council expanded the park and ride site to allow 830 cars to park there.

But with buses struggling to get down the busy Portway on time, campaigner David Wood believes a new station at the park and ride would be the ideal way to make sure it was better used.

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Mr Wood, a 57-year-old Bristol RMT rail branch union official from Knowle Park, says the city's local rail network needs developing.

Land is already earmarked and the idea has the "full support" of Councillor Mark Bradshaw, the city council's transport representative on the West of England Partnership.

But the scheme still requires funding and investment by Network Rail, with discussions ongoing between interested parties.

"It just struck me that it's an opportunity that's too good to miss," said Mr Wood.

"There's railway lines all over the city which could be used to ease congestion in the city centre and a platform at Portway would be one of them.

"If the council is providing more capacity at the park and ride then why not invest in a new railway platform there?

"The boundary fence of the park and ride runs alongside the Severn Beach railway line.

"If the council invested in a platform here it would go a long way to reducing traffic congestion and pollution."

Mr Bradshaw confirmed the council included the plan to build a station in the park and ride expansion.

"There is real scope for a new rail platform alongside the expanded Portway park and ride, which would offer better integration between different travel choices and it has my full support," he said.

"The city council has already reserved land for this purpose and the option was highlighted as part of the planning process to expand the park and ride facility.

"Network Rail need to approve any works affecting the railway so discussions are ongoing. It would also need to be funded.

"With the much-improved Severn Beach line services and the park and ride, plus bus lane, this would help to make better use of our existing transport infrastructure."

Mr Wood pointed to local rail networks in Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield as an example to follow.

"With the congestion we have in Bristol and if we want to become the green capital of Europe, let's start investing too," he said.