Arup has secured a contract from UK infrastructure manager Network Rail (NR) to undertake the outline design for Phase I of the MetroWest project in Bristol.
Phase I marks the start of a £100m investment in the area’s rail infrastructure.
The MetroWest project will see construction of a new station at Portishead, as well as the re opening of Pill station and 5km of previously disused railway line by May 2019.
“This project will greatly enhance the area’s transport links and play a key role in the continued economic growth of the area.”
The line will restore the rail link between Portishead and Bristol city centre and the improvement works at Bathampton and Avonmouth will complete the project.
Scope of work for Arup under the contract will be to provide multi-disciplinary railway design services, including track, drainage, civils, structures, telecoms, signalling power, points heating, OLE, M&E and geotechnical engineering, plus environmental consulting.
The project will be subject to the development consent order (DCO) process, with design input to be provided by Arup.
Arup project director Phil Harrison said: “This project will greatly enhance the area’s transport links and play a key role in the continued economic growth of the area.
“It is a real privilege to be involved at a key stage of the project and to be undertaking the multidisciplinary design for Network Rail.”
Phase I of the MetroWest project is overseen by the West of England Joint Transport Board, and is aimed at reopening the Portishead line to passenger train services, deliver half-hour services on the Severn Beach Line and improve services to local stations to Bath Spa by May 2019.
