a new station constructed in a new location, lasting only a decade before the line stopped carrying passengers. The original line towards Portishead is severed just north of Pill, where the line to the Royal Portbury Dock leads off to the north, crossing the adjoining cycle path on a low concrete bridge. No points have been installed to create a junction with the former line onwards to Portishead, although the derelict track remains in situ from here towards Portishead, passing under the M5 motorway via a bridge that was constructed with sufficient clearance to allow for electrification. The railway alignment has been safeguarded by local planning policies, and when the site of Portishead station was redeveloped as a Waitrose supermarket, a nearby site was safeguarded for a potential new station. The alignment is breached on the southern approach to Portishead by Quays Avenue, constructed to serve housing development around the former dockside. Reopening of the line Partial reopening to freight During 2000 and 2001 the railway was rebuilt as far as Pill, and a short spur constructed to the Royal Portbury Dock to carry freight. The total cost of this work was £21 million. The guests for the official opening ceremony were taken from Parson Street station to Portbury on a train hauled by Bristol Industrial Museum's Portbury locomotive on 21 December. 2006–11: first proposals Some local politicians and organisations campaigned to have the remaining repaired and a new station constructed at Portishead. A campaign group advocated reopening the station and the short stretch of unopened line. The coastal town largely serves as a dormitory town for Bristol workers, and the main route into the city – the single carriageway A369 – carries much commuter traffic. The 2006–2011 Joint Local Transport Plan reserved £1 million for the project. In January 2009, it was announced that Network Rail was to carry out a feasibility study on re-opening the line. During the Rail Priority Conference organised by the West of England Partnership in November 2011, delegates travelled on the line, using sections of track not open for passenger traffic. From 2012: Metrowest programme The project to reopen the Portishead line to passenger rail services is part of the MetroWest programme to improve local rail services in the West of England combined authority area (which covers most of greater Bristol, but excludes Portishead). This will use both existing and disused rail lines in