Portishead railway reopening consultation begins

Reopening the Portishead line is part of the MetroWest Phase 1 project

A public consultation into plans to reopen a Bristol railway line has begun.

The Portishead branch line shut in 1964 but is now part of the MetroWest Phase 1 project which aims to reopen the line to passenger services by 2019.

Work will involve opening a new station in Portishead, reopening Pill station, building new footbridges and doubling part of the track.

A six week consultation will run until 3 August.

When complete the line will link Portishead with Bristol Temple Meads and the Severn Beach Line.

Nigel Ashton, leader of North Somerset Council, said it was a "fantastic opportunity".

"I've been hearing about [the plans] for 25 years... but now I really do think that we're there, and we've got the plans for the station so it's getting quite exciting.

"It'll make a huge difference to businesses and work travel, and to social life in Portishead."

The reopening the Portishead branch line is part of a wider £100m scheme investing in local rail projects by West of England councils.

It is not yet known which company will run trains on the line. First Great Western's current franchise is due to end in 2019.