Passengers in Bristol will benefit from easier access to jobs and businesses as Transport Secretary Mark Harper officially opens a new railway station near Avonmouth today (31 July 2023).

The multi-million-pound Portway Park and Ride station, backed by both government and local authority funding, will be the first station to open in Bristol in almost a century.

As of tomorrow, regular services will run from the accessible, single-platform station 7 days a week along the Severn Beach railway line, taking passengers into the city centre of Bristol in just 24 minutes.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

Today’s opening of Portway Park and Ride Station is the latest example of this government’s plan to invest in infrastructure and grow the economy.

It will provide a boost to Bristol and its surrounding area by improving local transport links while connecting passengers to business hubs and thousands of high-skilled job opportunities.

Managed by Great Western Railway (GWR), the new station will ease congestion on local roads and provide an additional transport option for the 9,000 people who work in the surrounding area.

It will also support local growth by improving access to the Avonmouth and Temple Quarter Enterprise Zones, which are expected to create 31,000 new jobs by 2050.

Marvin Rees Mayor of Bristol said:

I am incredibly proud and delighted to open Bristol’s first railway station in 96 years. Portway Park and Ride station will offer local people and commuters an efficient and sustainable travel option. Having boosted the number of free parking spaces at our park and ride site, it offers commuters more options to park up and catch a train or the bus.

Completion of the railway station highlights our commitment to developing modern and accessible travel solutions. As we look toward a future of improved connectivity through a mass transit system, Portway Park and Ride is a key step on our journey towards a better connected Bristol and South West.

We are grateful for the support and collaboration of our project partners and eagerly anticipate the positive impact this station will have on our city.

Portway Park and Ride Station marks Britain’s 2,577th railway station and follows closely on the heels of the opening of Marsh Barton station in the South West earlier this month, also opened by the Transport Secretary. The opening forms the latest in the government’s drive to invest in infrastructure to grow the economy and boost connectivity across the UK.

Marcus Jones, Network Rail Western Route Director, said:

This announcement marks an important milestone in our efforts to transform rail travel for our passengers in and around Bristol and the wider West of England area.

I’d like to thank our partners in the project – Bristol City Council, the West of England Combined Authority and GWR – for their hard work and dedication in bringing this new station to the city. We hope that passengers from Bristol and beyond will experience the benefits that this new station will bring for years to come.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris said:

Passengers are pleased that the new Portway Park and Ride Railway Station is opening – the first new station built in this incredible city since the Roaring 20s.

Delivering for local people is what our multi-million-pound Reverse Beeching programme is all about.

This is undoubtedly a good day for Bristolians and the West of England region, and I’m proud it’s been made possible by a substantial £3 million-plus investment from my West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.

But this is just the beginning. We need to press ahead with work to give even more residents access to new stations as we strive to meet our ambitious West of England net-zero-by-2030 targets.

Joe Graham, Business Assurance and Strategy Director at Great Western Railway, said:

We are delighted that services will be operating from the new Portway Park and Ride station. It will offer customers regular trains to and from Bristol Temple Meads twice an hour with a journey time of 25 minutes.

Situated alongside the M5, this new station will provide a great alternative for those travelling into Bristol city centre or wanting to connect with the wider rail network. Photo by mattbuck (category), Wikimedia commons.