The re-opening of Portishead rail line has been secured, after Government transport chiefs confirmed millions in funding for the project.
The final £31.9 million needed to plug a funding gap in the £116 million project, known as MetroWest, to re-open the line has been agreed by the Department of Transport meaning all the funding for the scheme is now in place.
The funding boost was announced by Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling in a meeting held last week with North Somerset leader, Councillor Nigel Ashton, and West of England Mayor Tim Bowles.
It is hoped that the line will re-open within the next three to four years, although a final timescale has yet to be agreed.
Confidence growing that ambitious MetroWest railway will expand
Councillor Ashton said: "After many years campaigning for this moment I am delighted to announce that the Secretary of State said that the £31.9 million from the Department of Transport that is needed to fill the financial gap in the multi-million-pound project, together with the money already allocated by North Somerset and the West of England Combined Authority, has been agreed.
"Securing this funding is brilliant news.
"The Portishead line is vital for the town, North Somerset and the region.
"The return of the rail link is essential to help reduce congestion on the A369 especially J19 on the M5, will help the town continue to thrive and will bring great benefit to North Somerset and Bristol.
"I look forward to now making this project a reality, being able to progress all the infrastructure work needed and working with the Secretary of State and West of England mayor to build the railway that residents deserve and have waited for."
How MetroWest Portishead line could get one step closer to becoming a reality
Officially called MetroWest phase one, the Portishead to Bristol line is viewed as a vital to solving the congestion gridlock faced by thousands of motorists who battle to get in and out of the growing town each day.
The town - which has seen its population grow massively over the last decade due to major development - has often been described as the UK's biggest car park.
The MetroWest project has rumbled on for almost a decade with seemingly little progress made.
The scheme was taken up by Bristol and North Somerset councils in 2008 with the aim of reopening the line to provide half-hourly services between Portishead and Bristol Temple Meads.
The route needs major investment to re-lay sections of track which have been ripped up, and for a viable shared timetable to be created with the freight companies which use part of the line.
Plan unveiled for three transport hubs to ease north Bristol congestion
A major blow to the project came last spring when it was revealed costs for the first phase had spiraled from £58million to between £145 and £175million.
Officers went back to the drawing board and decided to scale back plans and only offer one service an hour between Bristol and Portishead to bring costs down to £116million.
The line was originally supposed to reopen in 2019.
Portishead is one of the fastest growing towns in the South West. Its population has risen by more than 3,000 since 2001 and is expected to increase by a further 8,000 in the coming decade.
New rail line MetroWest between Portishead and Bristol moves step closer
The A369 and M5 roads - the main commuter routes in to Bristol - are regularly congested during peak times, and when one or both are blocked it makes it almost impossible for people to drive to and from the city.
TravelWest - the umbrella organisation for Bristol City Council, South Gloucestershire Council, North Somerset Council and B&NES - estimate that the reopened line will provide a £264million boost to the local economy over the next decade.
Two new stations at Portishead and Pill are proposed under MetroWest phase one plans, and train services will also serve Parson Street, Bedminster, and Bristol Temple Meads stations.
Alongside the Portishead line, phase one of the project includes running half-hourly trains on the Severn Beach Line and to Keynsham and Bath Spa.
West of England Mayor Tim Bowles said: "This is excellent news for the region as we continue to work on our ambitious Metrowest rail plan which will help build a transport network that works for everyone."
