A railway line connecting the west of England city of Bristol with the fast growing community of Portishead has received approval from the UK government. The railway, currently open for freight traffic only, will see passenger services reinstated as the first phase of a grand plan for mass transit around Bristol, which includes neighbouring Bath, and other communities in the region. However, fears have been expressed that the remainder of the project may be postponed or even cancelled due to the economic situation in the UK.