Bristol Airport Rail Link
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| Bristol Airport Rail Link | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Status | Proposed |
| Termini | |
| Service | |
| Type | Rapid transit, light rail, airport rail link |
| Technical | |
| Line length | approx. 15 km (9.3 mi)[1] |
| Character | Urban |
The Bristol airport rail link is a proposed light or heavy rail line to serve Bristol Airport in southwest England. The project is currently under consideration by the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership as a means to address "poor connectivity between North Somerset, Bristol Airport and Bristol".[2]
In November 2006 the airport's Master Plan stated that "the provision of a direct rail service is not a realistic prospect".[3]
The first mention of a potential airport rail link was in November 2015 in the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership's Joint Transport Study Key Principles Report as a future transport concept.[4] Then in July 2016 the airport's chief executive officer Robert Sinclair discussed the possibility of a light rail link to the airport.[5] The West of England LEP subsequently announced their application to the Department for Transport’s Large Local Major Transport Schemes fund for the "South West Bristol Economic Link" – a strategy designed to address "poor connectivity between North Somerset, Bristol Airport and Bristol".[2] It was also reported in the Bristol Evening Post in September 2016 that North Somerset Council had applied to the government for "nearly £2 million in funding to draw up proposals to improve links on the A38 between the city and the expanding Bristol Airport",[6] which included new road options as well as a light or heavy rail line. In October 2016 the local authorities proposed £7.5 billion in public transport investments for the West of England,[7] including the airport rail link.
In early 2017 a light rail link to the airport was listed as an election promise in the upcoming West of England mayoral election, 2017 by Liberal Democrat candidate Stephen Williams[8] and independent candidate Dr John Savage.[9] In late 2017 an updated airport Master Plan was completed, with a railway line part of the options being considered to cater to increasing airport passenger numbers.[10] From 2017 onward, Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees has proposed an underground line which would link Bristol Temple Meads with Bristol Airport and has commissioned a study into the proposals.[11] As of 2020, the proposed implementation of a four-line mass transit network with underground sections was under review.
