A SCHEME designed to transform train services in the West of England was a winner at last night’s Rail Business Awards, the industry’s most recognised awards scheme.
MetroWest, spearheaded by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority in partnership with Great Western Railway (GWR) and Network Rail, won the Regional Initiative of the Year category.
In the past 18 months the project has seen the opening of two new stations – Portway Park & Ride and Ashley Down – increased frequency of services for Bath, Bristol, Gloucester and Westbury, delivered enhancements to existing stations and worked on plans for more stations and new lines.
GWR Managing Director Mark Hopwood, who was presented with the award at the ceremony at Hilton Manchester Deansgate, said: “MetroWest is transforming travel in the West of England and is a great example of working to deliver for customers and communities. We’re delighted to receive this award alongside our partners.
“But this is just the start. With plans progressing for the new Henbury and Portishead lines, as well as wider station improvements, there’s still much more to come. We look forward to continuing our partnership to bring these vital projects to life.”
Dan Norris, Mayor of the West of England, who leads the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, said: “The West of England deserves better rail services, and that’s exactly what my Mayoral Combined Authority has been investing in.
“We’ve opened two new railway stations in less than two years, including the first new station in Bristol for almost a century, as part of my ‘reverse Beeching’ plan which should see five more stations opened in the next two or three years.
“This award is the latest good news coming down the track for the West of England. It comes just weeks after a landmark agreement with the Government paved the way for work to start this summer to reopen the Bristol & Portishead Line.”
Marcus Jones, Network Rail’s Western route director, said: “We’re pleased that the MetroWest scheme has been recognised at this year’s Rail Business Awards.
“Working with our partners at GWR and the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, we’re bringing better connections to Bristol and the west through the programme of railway upgrades, aimed at improving capacity, generating over a million new rail journeys, and giving 80,000 more people access to train services.
“MetroWest is a great example of what we can do when we work in partnership and will deliver meaningful benefits to passengers for years to come.”
GWR, Network Rail and the Emily Estate were highly commended in the Infrastructure Project & Station Excellence category for a project to transform Castle Cary station.
The partnership has delivered better access, additional car parking, a new visitor attraction and an enhanced forecourt and station environment. This has seen more customers, increased revenue and a better year-round experience for regular rail users and visitors to Somerset and Glastonbury.
Shortlisted for the Richard Hope Award for outstanding personal contribution to the rail sector was David Bailey, GWR Customer Service Manager (South Wales), who leads from the front on supporting GWR and Transport for Wales customers and rail staff.
And Project Unity, a GWR and Hitachi Rail Europe initiative to improve fleet availability and reduce cancellations, was shortlisted in the Network Resilience & Maintenance Excellence category.
