BRITISH infrastructure manager Network Rail has awarded three contracts worth a total of £200m for the long-anticipated project to reopen the line between Portishead and Bristol in western England for commuter services.

Passenger trains last operated to Portishead in 1964. Work to reopen the line involves building two new stations at Portishead and Pill and relaying 4.8km of track to connect with the existing line to Bristol at Pill, which is used by freight services to Royal Portbury Dock on the Severn Estuary. The existing line will also be upgraded under the project while a passing loop will be installed at Pill.

The contracts were signed on May 1 during a ceremony at Bristol Temple Meads station. Morgan Sindall Infrastructure will lead construction of the line and highways improvements at Portishead, Colas Rail will design and install a new signalling system and AmcoGiffen has been appointed to deliver bridge works and associated highways work in Bristol.

The line is scheduled to reopen in winter 2028-29, offering an hourly service from Portishead to Temple Meads with a journey time of 25 minutes, around half the current journey time by car. It will serve around 50,000 people.

The project is funded by the Department for Transport (DfT), the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and North Somerset Council.

The contract signing ceremony included, back row from left to right: Mark Hopwood, GWR, Ian Shuffleton, Morgan Sindall, Simon Ball, Colas Rail, and front row from left to right: Mike Bell, North Somerset Council, Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England, and Marcus Jones, Network Rail.

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