Y OUR correspondent, Dave Wood, is correct with his calls for investment in rail. The railways play an important part in reducing congestion and improving the economic future of the area, which is why they are a priority for the four West of England councils.

The councils have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Network Rail, First Great Western, CrossCountry and South West Trains in order to ensure that we work ever closer, and we have close relationships with rail groups such as the Severnside Community Rail Partnership.

Our Greater Bristol Metro major transport proposal aims to enhance the local rail network with half-hourly cross-Bristol train services. It is a key element of our programme of transport schemes.

Changes at Bath and Keynsham stations have been made as a result of our lobbying; Bristol City Council, as a single example, supports the Severn Beach Line with a subsidy of £400,000 a year. Rail patronage locally has increased by 8 per cent over 2008/09 levels, with significant increases at Filton Abbey Wood and on the Severn Beach line.

We have been successful in getting improvements to local services and infrastructure included in Network Rail's Great Western Route Utilisation Strategy, March 2010 setting out long-term plans for the rail network. A great deal of work has been done investigating the costs and work involved in reopening the rail link to Portishead, allowing us to plan ahead in partnership with Network Rail. We have actively supported the electrification of the Great Western mainline to Bristol with the potential for electrified suburban services.

A new railway station costs in the order of £5 million; a kilometre of track can cost in the order of £11m to lay; a single railway carriage costs about £1m. This sort of spending has to be balanced against councils' duty to support and maintain schools, provide elderly care, protect vulnerable children, provide housing for those who need it, collect and recycle rubbish, be ready to manage emergency situations such as floods or other extreme weather, repair and maintain roads, catch rogue traders, benefit cheats and fly-tippers, run libraries and leisure centres – to list but a few of their tasks.

The Department for Transport oversees the franchise process and the allocation of rolling stock. We would welcome any support Mr Wood could give us lobbying them on our behalf for an increase in local spending as soon as possible.

The councils in the West of England Partnership are working together and investing in transport improvements, it is being progressed in stages. The changes that can be made relatively easily, quickly and at affordable budgets are being done first. But be certain, rail improvements are on our agenda.

The four Executive Members of the West of England Partnership Joint Transport Executive, Councillor Charles Gerrish, Bath & North East Somerset, Councillor Gary Hopkins, Bristol City Council, Councillor Elfan Ap Rees, North Somerset, Councillor Brian Allinson, South Gloucestershire.