The Liberal Democrats have been accused of 'attempting to claim credit' for Wellington's new railway station.

Slated for completion by 2025, the building of the new station was one of MP Rebecca Pow's campaign promises when she first stood for Parliament in 2015.

The junior Minister said: “I pledged to work to bring a rail station to Wellington when I was first elected to Parliament in 2015 and this is genuinely exciting progress.

“I am proud to be part of the team that is bringing this forward and I shall continue to play my role, in particular as the link between activity on the ground in the constituency and the Department of Transport in Westminster.”

In February, Ms Pow met with representatives of the town council and Network Rail on the Longforth Farm estate, where the station will be built. The MP pledged to press the Government's transport department to hasten its work in making the transport hub a reality.

However, a leaflet distributed by local Liberal Democrats has been slammed by Conservatives as an attempt to take credit for the work.

The leaflet, which was sent to some Wellington homes on Friday, invites residents to a public consultation to discuss the plans. The panel is set to feature a number of Liberal Democrat MPs, councillors, and candidates.

The bottom of the leaflet quotes former Liberal Democrat MP for the area, Jeremy Browne as saying in 2014: "We have a vision for Wellington station."

Wellington Conservative branch chairman Marcus Barr said: "It is shameless of the Liberal Democrats to be trying to create the perception that they have brought about a new railway station for the town.

"In truth, the campaign to reopen a station was started by one of my Conservative colleagues back in 2009. The only thing that the Liberal Democrats did was to poo poo the idea for years, until they realised it was something which could and would be delivered.

"I hope the ordinary person in the street is not misled into believing that these plans were developed by the Liberal Democrats."

Responding to the Tory claims, a spokesperson for Wellington Liberal Democrats said: “We’re focusing on working across all parties to get Wellington its new station and refute any allegations that we are seeking to take credit for the project.

"It is, however, a fact that the last LibDem MP put the issue on the Government’s agenda after winning here in 2010, and, when the Conservative-led county council refused funding for the station project, the LibDem-controlled district council put up funding in 2019, without which the project wouldn’t be where it is today.

"After a successful visit by Sir Vince Cable last year, we’re delighted with the interest so far in our next public meeting which features, among others, a rail expert who has been working on the project with Network Rail.

"All members of the community are encouraged to reserve their free place at tdld.org.uk for the event, being held at 6.30pm on Thursday, 18th May, at the Baptist Church Hall in South Street. Light refreshments will be available.  

"Meanwhile, we’ll continue to support the station proposal and welcome the continued work on the project by MPs, councillors and others."