Plans to improve the Severn Beach line have been given the go-ahead with the launch of the Severn Beach Line Development Plan. In a report that sets out the aims for the line, the plan underlines the importance of the service as a vital and growing part of the local community.

The aim is to identify and fund practical and quickly achievable ways of upgrading the quality of service on the line from Bristol Temple Meads to Severn Beach. The immediate focus is on the effects for the community that can be achieved from Bristol City Council's substantial investment for the line, together with the benefits from the £200 million that First Great Western is investing in its rail operations. The line is also due to have 'Community Rail' status from the Department for Transport, which makes it
easier for local communities to have a say in their branch line.

The overall objective is to deliver a faster, more reliable service and safer, more attractive stations that will encourage more commuter and leisure use.

Prospective improvements at stations include CCTV, Help Points, public address systems, enhancements to station buildings, disabled ramps, new shelters, and better lighting. The fares structure will be simplified into zones this May and the next stage will be self-service ticket machines at all stations.

Train services will be more frequent and options for introducing a Sunday service to Clifton Down are being considered.

The line will be better integrated into the local transport infrastructure with linked bus connections, improved parking and inclusion in the proposed Greater Bristol travel card scheme. Community involvement, including station adoption and links with local schools will also be high on the list of themes.

Keith Walton, Chairman, Severnside Community Rail Partnership says: "The Severn Beach line has seen relatively little investment, but things are about to change. Over the next three years we will be making improvements that are quick to achieve and which will make the line much more user-friendly. This report is very much the basis for a new start for the Severn Beach line."

Andrew Griffiths, Regional Manager for First Great Western says: "We are excited by this project and all the benefits to the community it will bring. It is great to see such enthusiasm for the Development Plan from inside the rail industry, local authorities and community groups. Working in partnership, we will transform this line into a transport route that Bristolians can be proud of."

First Great Western and the Severnside Community Rail Partnership are working with members of the Severn Beach Line Working group whose members include: Bristol City Council, Bristol East Side Traders, Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways, Network Rail, South Gloucestershire Council, Sustrans and the West of England Partnership.