Improvement project starts at Taunton Railway Station

Initial construction began at the site on Monday, May 20, which has seen the closure of the main car park.

Great Western Railway is working with Somerset West and Taunton Council and the Heart of South West Local Enterprise Partnership to deliver the scheme, designed to help support the town’s economic development plans.

Planned improvements to the station include a new multi-storey car park; a new ticket office and entrance include improved bus and taxi interchange and easier access to the town centre and Firepool development.

With the site compound starting to take shape, actual construction work is due to begin later this Summer and is set to be completed in spring 2020.

A temporary replacement car park is being provided on the opposite side of the station, as part of the phased construction process.

GWR head of commercial development Clare Kingswood, said: “Taunton station is a key gateway to the town and with the overall investment in the rail network – including brand new Intercity Express Trains that have already increased capacity by almost 25 per cent than the trains they have replaced - we are expecting passenger numbers to increase significantly over the next decade.

“We are pleased to be working with Somerset West and Taunton Council and the Heart of South West LEP to deliver the additional car park and bike spaces that Taunton has needed for some time, and it fantastic to see another phase of the project begin – with the site compound going in.”

MP for Taunton Deane, Rebecca Pow, said: "Having got government support and funding for this much needed project agreed in 2015 I have been working with stakeholders to ensure this projects gets underway.

"With passenger numbers due to double through Taunton station in the next decade this is an essential project. Work begins with a multi storey car park and ideas from my roundtables and my local survey have been fed with some being adopted to fit in with the garden town ethos."