North Somerset Council has said everyone is welcome to attend the events anytime between 3.30pm and 7.30pm on March 26 in Somerset Hall, Portishead, and March 31 at the Community Centre in Pill, where members of the project team will be on hand to answer questions.
Invitations will be posted to residents near the railway in Portishead and Pill.
The restoration of the Portishead Line, which was closed in 1964, is funded by the Department for Transport, the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, and North Somerset Council. It will be delivered by Network Rail with trains operated by GWR.
With new stations at Portishead and Pill, the line will connect more than 50,000 people back to the railway and provide a greener and quicker alternative route to Bristol.
It’s set to unlock £43 million of growth for the local economy every year by connecting communities to jobs, skills, and leisure across the region.
Eight million car journeys could be removed from the roads by 2044, with an additional two million seats per year added to the rail network.
The restored railway will provide an hourly direct train from Portishead to Bristol Temple Meads in around 25 minutes.
The route runs along one of the ‘most scenic stretches of railway in the country’, under the Clifton Suspension Bridge and through the Avon Gorge.
The Portishead Line is planned to connect directly onto the Henbury Line via Bristol Temple Meads, connecting to two more new stations being built: North Filton, serving Brabazon and the arena, and Henbury.
Main construction is scheduled to begin in April when work compounds will be set up near Harbour Road in Portishead, Monmouth Road in Pill, and off the A369 Portbury Hundred near Sheepway.
Preparatory work began last autumn to remove trees to create the space for site compounds, car parks, the two new stations at Portishead and Pill, and the railway line itself. Utility diversions are currently underway in Portishead, with some temporary traffic lights in use.
‘Extensive’ ecology work has taken place to ensure species living near the railway are protected, such as toads, reptiles, badgers, and bats. Rare whitebeam trees have also been planted in the Avon Gorge.
“The reopened Portishead to Bristol Temple Meads line will provide connections into the national rail network, which will enable significant investment into the area, helping local communities to thrive.
“This is a project that stands to be transformative for the region, so it’s full steam ahead with our partners at the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, Department for Transport, Network Rai,l and Great Western Railway.”
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said the return of the railway has been ‘long promised’ and that it marks a ‘new chapter for the west’ that they are delivering.
According to her, this will ‘cut travel times in half for many’, helping to ‘unlock sites for new homes’, and ‘boost the economy’.
She said: “Our new Transport Vision has rail at its heart, including new stations at Pill and Portishead, with wider ambitions for more frequent services and low-emission trains as part of a transport network you can trust.
“Trains on the Portishead Line will directly travel onto the Henbury Line at Temple Meads, helping connect communities across the West to the new Aviva Arena at Brabazon, Bristol, and North Somerset.”
Lord Hendy, rail minister, said reopening the line has been talked about for decades, and now they are ‘finally getting it done’, meaning that previously cut-off passengers will have a rail service for the first time in over 60 years.
According to him, this will ‘open up new opportunities’ and support jobs, economic growth, and communities in Portishead, Pill, and the surrounding areas.
Marcus Jones, Network Rail Western Route Director, added: “After years of hard work by so many people, we’re almost ready to begin bringing the railway back to life. The railway will transform travel in the region, and we’re looking forward to welcoming everyone to come and learn about our plans.”
Sadik Al-Hassan, MP for North Somerset, also expressed his excitement and said that updates will be posted throughout the works.
He said: “I’m incredibly excited about the work Network Rail, the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, North Somerset Council, and I have done to organise these events for residents in Pill and Portishead.
“We’ll be sharing details of the new railway and the progress we’re making to deliver them. My special thanks to Mayor Helen Godwin and Councillor Mike Bell for their support in getting this project off the ground.”