Hi - thanks for the positive comments on last night's film.

For what it's worth, my personal view is that its incredible that 6 years after ^15m of Government subsidy (ie taxpayers' money) was put towards the reopening of the freight rail service at Portbury, that the people of Portishead are STILL waiting for their passenger rail service to reopen. Why the continued delay? Perhaps the local authority is too busy having behind-closed-doors meetings with Network Rail, when it could be lobbying the Dft to stump up the extra cash, so this branch line can finally reopen....

But then, as transport consultant David Henshaw said in the programme, that would require real political will - and perhaps that isn't quite yet forthcoming.

Incidentially, you may well be interested to know that 6 of last night's films are due to be repeated on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) 4 next month. Dates and times to be confirmed.

Ray Tostevin
director - GRACE Productions

We've had lots of interest in our Beeching film going out on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) One (West) this Sunday, as Simon Calder takes to the road - by car, bike and train - to see for himself branch lines axed by Beeching which Calder says should be re-opened as a priority. Simon Calder's Beeching journey is part of  BBC4's continuing season of programmes celebrating the Golden Age of Steam.

Ray Tostevin
director - GRACE Productions
http://www.agraceproduction.com/projects.php?pid=39&type=p