CONSTRUCTION work is set to get under way this spring on Ashley Down rail station.
Funding was due to be approved by the West of England Combined Authority in late January and the intention is for the station to open to passengers next year, 60 years after Ashley Hill station closed.
The entrance to the station will be off the Concorde Way walking and cycling route, where it meets Station Road.
Work will include temporarily closing part of Concorde Way and putting a diversion in place along Boiling Wells Lane. This will allow construction of the new station to take place, along with creating pedestrian and cycle access, new covered cycle parking, enhanced planting, and the installation of two accessible parking bays.
When complete, Ashley Down Station will initially be served by trains operating between Bristol Temple Meads and Filton Abbey Wood. Other new stations planned for north Bristol include Henbury and North Filton.
Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: “It’s fantastic that work is set to get under way on our second new railway station for Bristol – with our city’s first new station in almost a century now almost finished at Portway Park and Ride.
“This will be the first time in almost 60 years that residents in the Ashley Down area will be able to catch trains locally, helping to better connect people to employment, education and leisure opportunities, while tackling congestion and pollution, and reducing social and economic isolation.
“Our investment into improving the rail network, and working with partners to achieve this, is an important part of our long-term strategy to boost sustainable transport and increase connectivity across Bristol and the wider region – as we work towards the mass transit system which Bristolians need and deserve.”
Ashley Down Station is part of the second phase of MetroWest, the West of England Combined Authority’s plans to significantly increase travel by rail and improve air quality in the region.
The new station is being built by contractors BAM Nutall for Bristol City Council, the West of England Combined Authority, Network Rail, and Great Western Railway.
It is being funded by the West of England Combined Authority, working with Bristol City Council, South Gloucestershire Council, and Bath & North-East Somerset Council, as part of a wider programme of railway improvements.