fbpx

How BAM rail deal will rid ‘60 years of economic isolation’

editor

Construction of a new railway station in Bristol will begin soon – sparking development of thousands of new homes.  

'Mind the gap' warning alongside a rail line.
by Rory ButlerJanuary 3, 2023

Get industry news in 5 minutes!

Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, we’ll deliver impactful industry
news straight to your inbox.

Ashley Down Station will be at the former Ashley Hill Station site, between Temple Meads and Filton Abbey Wood and is part of the wider MetroWest Phase 2 Project.  

BAM Nuttall will lead construction. 

Ashley Hill closed in 1964 as part of the Beeching cuts, a report published by the British Railways Board which saw 2,363 stations and 5,000 miles of railway line axed in the 1960s, mainly in rural areas. 

Social value 

Bristol mayor, Marvin Rees championed the new Station Road build, saying it will be the first time in nearly 60 years that residents in the area will be able to catch trains locally, potentially boosting employment, education and leisure opportunities, while reducing social and economic isolation. 

New stations at North Filton and Henbury will also be built as part of the MetroWest Phase 2 Project. 

Benefits 

  • More than 8,500 new homes 
  • 3 million km removed from the road network by 2030 – 500 tonnes of C02 a year 
  • 1.3 million people on the new services each year 
  • 7 million minutes of travel time saved each year 

On the job 

  • Network Rail   
  • West of England Combined Authority   
  • Bristol City Council 
  • Great Western Railways   

Works will complete in 2024. 

If you enjoyed this article, we also recommend WATCH: How HS2 built the ‘world’s longest bridge slide’