Wellington’s MP Gideon Amos has held a “very positive” site meeting with Network Rail officials to discuss plans for the town’s new station.
Mr Amos, one of the leading campaigners for the station, held talks with Bogdan Lupu (Industry Programme Director) and Marcus Jones (Route Director, Western).
The project – expected to cost up to £40 million – was finally given the go-ahead by the government in July, along with a station for Cullompton.
Both had been thrown into doubt when the ‘Restoring Your Railway’ programme was scrapped in the summer of last year.
Mr Amos said: “I was pleased to welcome Marcus, a senior director of Network Rail, and Bogdan to Wellington who updated me on their work reassembling the project team and planning out the first phases of the project.
“The Conservative government left a litany of unfunded promises to build entirely new railways all around the country.
“When chickens came home to roost after the election, a review was inevitable.
“I'm delighted that – working with my colleagues on Somerset and Wellington town councils and with MPs across party – we succeeded in ensuring Wellington station will be one of the few around the country that will now be built.
“It's disappointing we had to lose so much time while the money was being found, but we're now in an exciting phase. If you'll excuse the pun, the wheels are finally in motion.
“Initial designs completed last year are now being reviewed and updated with work under way on the final plans.
“Once they're completed, hopefully by the Spring, we'll get a full schedule for the construction phase.
He added: "The fact that the site is on the main London-Penzance line presents challenges which mean construction activity will happen in phases, including at weekends.
“Contractors are still being re-engaged and therefore have not yet provided timings.
However, Network Rail believe the opening of the station will be in two-and-a-half to three years' time.
“I’ve also made inquiries regarding access to the proposed spine road from the Lidl car park following recent coverage in the press.
“I have been told that contractors are on site, and the work is due to be completed in the next couple of months.”
Mr Amos and his fellow Liberal Democrat MP, Richard Foord – whose constituency covers Cullompton – headed up calls for the two stations to be approved.
Their campaign included taking local residents to Parliament, to confront the Rail Minister, and forging a cross-party group of MPs to support the joint project.
