First images of new Portishead and Pill train stations

Portishead will get a new station as part of the reopening of the line

Images have been released of two new train stations that will operate once a long-closed line reopens.

On Monday, the government gave final approval for the project to bring the Portishead to Bristol line back into use.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris said reopening the line would be a "really important" step for people living in the area.

"The last time you could catch a train along this line was before a man walked on the moon," he added.

Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper has approved a development consent order for the line, which will run from Bristol Temple Meads to Portishead via Pill, to be built.

This comes after the West of England Combined Authority, which is led by Mr Norris, and North Somerset Council (NSC) agreed in July to earmark additional funding for the line.

Mr Norris said: "This is a really important project that will see communities in south Bristol and across our city reconnected to Portishead and help in our vital quest for net-zero."

A new station will be opened at Pill

NSC leader Steve Bridger said Monday's announcement came after three years of "hard work" by council officers and delivery partners, including Network Rail.

"The local population has quadrupled since the original Portishead rail line closed almost 60 years ago," he said.

"In reopening this route and stations at Portishead and Pill, we can better connect our communities and businesses to the opportunities offered by continued growth across our region, both now and in the future," he added.

More details about the frequency of services have also been released with the images.

The journey from Portishead into Temple Meads is expected to take 23 minutes, with the line offering an hourly service.

Trains will be running for up to 18 hours a day on Mondays to Saturdays and 12 hours on Sundays, also serving Pill, Parson Street and Bedminster.

The reopening of the line is part of the multi-million pound MetroWest project.