RIA Wales & Western welcomes the opening of Portway Park and Ride Station, Bristol

RIA Wales & Western welcomes Tuesday's opening of the new Portway Park and Ride Station in Bristol, the first railway station to open in Bristol for nearly a century and the first of seven new stations in the Bristol area as part of the MetroWest Programme. Transport Secretary Mark Harper MP opened the brand-new station this week, showcasing work delivered by a partnership of stakeholders including Network Rail and UK rail suppliers.
 
Robert Cook, RIA Wales & Western Lead, said: “The opening of the Portway Park and Ride Station marks the completion of the first stage of an ambitious set of proposals for new rail lines, new stations and enhanced services around Bristol and beyond. This shows what national, local and regional government can achieve when they work together on shared goals of better connectivity, job creation and offering motorists an attractive alternative to the car.

“RIA Wales & Western and rail businesses look forward to working with the UK Government, the West of England Combined Authority and other partners as the MetroWest programme continues to expand the rail network in the west of the country.”

Notes to editors

1. About RIA Wales and Western: RIA Wales & Western represents members across Wales and the South West of England. Rail in this part of the country supports some 74,500 jobs and £3.6bn GVA (22,800 jobs and £1bn GVA in Wales; and 51,700 jobs and £2.6bn GVA in the South West) – see the Oxford Economics report, Economic Contribution of UK Rail, here, pages 60-61.
2. About RIA: The Railway Industry Association (RIA) is the voice of the UK rail supply community. We help to grow a sustainable, high-performing, railway supply industry, and to export UK rail expertise and products. RIA has 300+ companies in membership in a sector that contributes £43 billion in economic growth and £14 billion in tax revenue each year, as well as employing 710,000 people. It is also a vital industry for the UK’s economic recovery, supporting green investment and jobs in towns and communities across the UK; for every £1 spent in rail, £2.50 is generated in the wider economy. RIA’s membership is active across the whole of railway supply, covering a diverse range of products and services and including both multi-national companies and SMEs (60% by number). www.riagb.org.uk