PLANS of bringing a railway station to Wellington are progressing as it is revealed the project will cost around £15million to complete.

Somerset West and Taunton Council has been tasked with raising £1.5million to ensure progress can continue.

The idea was floated in 2017 as the government announced intentions to reopen stations which were closed in the Beeching cuts in the 1960s, which includes the Wellington station that first opened in 1843.

The Devon and Somerset Metro Group was formed to bring plans forward, as the Wellington project run alongside a similar hope of bringing a station to Cullompton.

A feasibility project into the two new stages has recently been carried out, using money pledged from an array of councils.

Details from the latest meeting, held in September, have revealed the current station would not be reopened to fulfil the town’s needs but a new metro-style halt would be built on land west of the existing platforms.

Industry experts have confirmed the necessary engineering and timetable changes to include Wellington are all possible.

It is thought the new station could generate up to 500 extra journeys a day.

Somerset County Gazette:

NOT NEEDED: The former railway station in Wellington, which would not be reopened in the project

Network Rail senior strategy executive, David Northey, said: “We’ve got a much more positive and warm feeling about this project after a long period of technical research. In railway engineering terms, re-opening the station is possible with a slight move of the platforms.

“Now we’ve got a nice tick in the Worthwhile to Proceed box we need to move on to the next phase, which is to secure the funding.”

An executive from Great Western Railway told the Metro Group meeting the most viable option to serve the new station was to extend the current Taunton-Cardiff service down to Exeter and have the trains stop at Wellington.

He added, given that a new route is set to run from existing services from December 19, the future plans would align with available services.

James Hassett, CEO of Somerset West and Taunton Council has agreed to work with Stephen Walford, CEO from Mid Devon District Council, to create a plan of action, as £1.5million in funding is needed for each station.

It is not currently known where the money will be coming from to fund the project, but options will be explored in due course before they are brought before the full council for approval.

Cllr Mike Rigby, executive member for Planning and Transport, said: “There has been a great deal of progress developing feasibility studies and engaging with Network Rail, GWR and others.

“Work so far has identified that it might require investment in the region of £1.5m each for Wellington and Cullompton stations to get the project onto the Department for Transport’s pipeline and subsequently onto delivery.

“Exact requirements and their precise costs are still being determined, and it is not yet known how much of the potential £1.5m for Wellington station might need to be funded by SWT.

“Once the requirements are better understood, a report will be brought to the executive committee detailing progress so far, what is required by way of further evidence, and requesting a relevant level of funding if necessary. Any funding would need to be agreed and prioritised in the annual budget setting cycle.”