Campaign for Portishead and Henbury rail links

Rail campaigners have called for more spending on local trains in greater Bristol, including Portishead and Henbury.

The Friends Of Suburban Bristol Railways (FOSBR), which successfully pushed for improvements to the Severn Beach line in 2006, is due to launch a campaign on Thursday.

It wants to see Government investment in other railway lines around the city, including the reopening of the Portishead line to Bristol and the 'Henbury Loop'.

North Somerset Council has already announced plans to buy three miles of track into the middle of Portishead for £75,000, with a view to running trains to the city centre by 2014.

It would cost £15 million for new stations on the line – at Portishead, Ashton Gate and Pill – and operating costs could hit £2.4m per year, of which up to £900,000 could come from the council.

The 'Henbury Loop' is a freight line which runs between Avonmouth and Bristol Parkway but campaigners want to see it opening to passenger trains too.

Conversion of this stretch of the line would require a new station at Henbury and widening of the track to allow passenger trains to run alongside freight trains operated by Bristol Port Company.

Again, millions of pounds would be needed from the Government, First Great Western and Network Rail to get such a link up and running.

It would also need subsidies from local authorities – Bristol City Council spends £400,000 a year to let frequent, regular trains run from Severn Beach to the city centre.

The money would have to be bid for by the South West Regional Assembly (SWRA), after recommendations from the West of England Partnership (WEP) of all four councils in the greater Bristol area.

WEP is backing the Portishead to Bristol scheme but believes the Henbury Loop proposal is not feasible yet.

Instead it is suggesting an improved, regular cross-Bristol service from Yate to Weston-super-Mare would be more realistic and better used.

This could act as the first step towards a 'Metro' system of cross city services.

These two schemes will be proposed when SWRA bids for money under the regional funding allocation to the Government later this year.

FOSBR will launch the Portishead and Northern Bristol Rail Campaign on Platform 1 of Temple Meads Station tomorrow.

Supporters will be holding maps of the rail network and a large postcard addressed to West of England Partnership.

Rob Dixon, a Bristol transport campaigner, said: "We want our councillors to show they really want to do something about congestion and pollution and they understand buses aren't the only method of public transport.

"In other areas of the country, councils have successfully invested in railways to the benefit of local people who use them in great and increasing numbers.

"We would like our councils to show the same support for rail that they have in Leeds or Birmingham, rather than just think about cars and buses."

Nigel Bray of the Railfuture Severnside group said: "The regional funding allocation could transform the rail system in the Bristol area, raising it to the standard of those in other major cities in the UK.

"Portishead has grown massively since its station closed in 1964, when the roads were less congested and there was little concern about the effects of traffic growth on the environment.

"There is every reason to believe the Portishead and Henbury lines would be well supported.

"We would welcome any improvements to local rail services because they are very badly needed."

Julia Dean, spokeswoman for the WEP, said: "In the medium term, the Portishead line and the improved Yate to Weston-super-Mare services are our priority because we believe passenger numbers are likely to be greater.

"Running passenger trains from Avonmouth to Bristol Parkway is part of our long-term plan but it will need substantial investment from the other interested parties – not only to set it up but also to keep it running."