Construction work has commenced on the new entrance of Bristol's newest railway station at Ashley Down.

This will be the second new station to be built in Bristol in as many years, after, in August 2023, Portway Park & Ride becoming the first new railway station to open in the city in almost 100 years.

Building work is continuing on Ashley Down station, which will improve connectivity in the area, giving local people more travel choices as well as helping de-carbonise the city’s transport network.

Bristol City Council is preparing for construction work to start on the gateway to the station as well as a section of Concorde Way that runs alongside one of the platforms.

Councillor Don Alexander, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: "Ashley Down station has been years in the planning, so it is wonderful that it’s taking shape and will soon offer another convenient, safe and eco-friendly way to connect local residents to the rest of the city and beyond.

"It is another milestone in our work diversifying transport for Bristolians, creating resilient and reliable alternatives to driving. This includes our work to improve public transport as we work towards our ambition for a mass transit system that goes above and below ground, which is our only realistic option for a transport system that will meet the needs of our growing city. Increasing the number of people who travel by train will further bring down air pollution across the city, with nitrogen dioxide down ten percent across Bristol a year after the start of the Clean Air Zone."

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The work will involve connecting Station Road up to the new station entrance, making sure it offers Equality Act compliant access. It will include:

• an accessible route to the station entrance and a resting bench

• two disabled parking bays and a loading bay

• improvement to the levels of Concorde Way

• new steps from Station Road to the subway

• new measures to reduce conflict between cyclists and pedestrians, including painting 'SLOW' markings and improving visibility along Concorde Way near the subway

• a crossing point to the station entrance

• landscaping works, including flowering hedges, meadow grassland, spring flowering bulbs, planting trees and shrubs, and installing bird and bat boxes

• lighting leading up to the station entrance.

The new entrance to the station will be on Concorde Way where the path meets Station Road. The route to the station, from Muller Road and Station Lane, will be through the existing subway.

The council's contractor, ETM, will work alongside Network Rail’s contractor, BAM, who are continuing work to build the new railway station.

ETM will set up their site compound at the bottom of the cul-de-sac on Station Road from Monday 22 January. They need to set this up on the road, which will mean around 10 to 12 car parking spaces will be needed to make way for this. Access to pavements and properties will be maintained at all times.