The campaign to improve Pilning station and its current skeleton service received a major boost on 13th February, when MP Jack Lopresti highlighted the issue in a speech about developing Severnside.
… there are some issues that need addressing. First, a regular service must be restored to Pilning railway station. We are lucky enough in my constituency to have the Wave, the first inland surfing lake of its kind in England, on the edge of Pilning and Easter Compton. That amazing facility opened recently and will attract thousands of tourists. If we do not want people to drive there, which would put pressure on rural road networks with limited capacity, it would be sensible to ensure that they have a reliable rail service, especially because there is a railway station already on the door step”
Full text can be viewed here
The quote is also available to view on YouTube
How many stations get their case for improvement flagged up in the House of Commons? This just goes to show the important part that Pilning station has to play in improving access to the area that it serves and in developing leisure and employment opportunities – both for local people and for a wide area of South Gloucestershire and beyond. But to do this it needs its footbridge to be replaced, its westbound platform to be reopened and a proper train service to be restored – not just two trains a week in one direction only!