Bristol MP leads bid to reopen St Anne's Park railway station

Re-opening a suburban railway station in Bristol could help reduce gridlock on busy commuter routes, a city MP has said.

Kerry McCarthy has submitted a bid to reopen St Anne's Park station as part of the government's Restoring the Railway's plan.

The Labour MP for Bristol East, said the station had the potential "to transform travel in the area".

The station opened in 1898 and was closed in 1970.

Ms McCarthy said she had been campaigning for many years to get the station reopened and the idea is supported by local residents and Bristol City Council.

"It's high time the government listened to residents and got this project under way," she said.

"Reopening the station has the potential to transform travel in the area: reducing gridlock, improving air quality and opening up access to other areas of our city for residents."

The Department for Transport fund was set up earlier this year to assist in developing proposals to reopen closed railway lines and stations from the Beeching era of closures, in 1963.

It offers support to proposals to reinstate axed local services, which should be sponsored by MPs working with local authorities and community groups.

The plan is also supported by Bristol East councillor Tim Rippington.

"Local residents have led a longstanding campaign to reopen St Anne's, and I know just how important this project is to them," he said.

It's great to think that we could finally be making some progress to change things".