NORTH Somerset Council's decision to reopen Portishead Railway has been questioned by members of the Portishead Busway Campaign.

In an interview with Radio Bristol on February 14, Steve Bridger, the leader of North Somerset Council, confirmed that plans to reopen Portishead Railway will be going ahead. 

Barry Cash, a member of the Portishead Busway Campaign, is questioning this decision. He says: "Mayor Norris and North Somerset Council plan to spend £152 million re-opening the Portishead railway line.

"Yet a dedicated bus route would provide a better service. This would cost about £20m. That leaves about £130m to spend on the missing buses. Forty-Two bus services, subsidised by local Councils, will cease in April.

"The planning has cost £21m and taken 21 years, without moving a single passenger. A train may have been a good idea 21 years ago. Times change."

There are also concerns regarding the impact that this could have on our fragile climate. Barry continues: "The major issue is that rather than helping with the climate crisis, year on year the reopened railway would significantly increase net greenhouse gas emissions.

"Reinstating the trains will increase greenhouse gases by 1000 tonnes per annum. What is the point of running nearly empty trains doing 2 mpg, especially in a climate emergency? A bus doing 11mpg makes more sense.

"A busway would offer a much better service to the public. Buses can start at the far end of Portishead (Redcliffe Bay), avoiding the need for commuters to get to the station (probably by car).

"After Temple Meads they can continue into Bristol, stopping at Cabot Circus, the Bus station, the BRI, and Bristol University. Since a Portishead bus can run on the Metrobus routes, services could be provided to wherever there was sufficient demand."

In response, a spokesperson from the North Somerset Council has said: "In making a decision on the Development Consent Order (DCO) for the Portishead to Bristol rail line, the Department for Transport (DfT) formally considered a busway as an alternative.

"The DfT did not deem this a viable option and instead granted a DCO for Portishead rail in November 2022.

The DCO includes planning consent, environmental consent and the compulsory acquisition of land and is required before all nationally significant infrastructure projects can be built."