THE stakeholder group working on proposals to open a railway station in Wellington in conjunction with one at Cullompton met on Friday.

Following the meeting, Taunton Deane MP Rebecca Pow, together with Tiverton and Honiton MP Neil Parish, who jointly chair the group, will be meeting the Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris MP to inform him that the metro group intend to submit an application to the Department for Transport’s Ideas Fund.

The application will state the case for opening stations at Wellington and Cullompton and provides the opportunity to secure funding to develop a more detailed case.

This fund is part of the Government’s £500 million commitment to drive forward the reversal of the Beeching cuts and restore local railways and stations to level-up regional economies by enhancing access to education and jobs.

This funding will accelerate the delivery of restoration schemes currently under consideration and help develop new proposals.

Wellington station was closed in 1964 after the Beeching Report. There is a strong case now for re-opening it says the Taunton Deane, who has been working on the project with GWR, Network Rail, Somerset County Council and Somerset West and Taunton Council.

Rebecca Pow said: “I’ve recently met with the Secretary of State for Transport to keep him informed and will be meeting the new Rail Minister this week to ensure that the proposed bid from the stakeholder group will be in the first round of assessments.

“I have also asked the Chancellor for funding in the upcoming Budget to be allocated to Somerset West and Taunton Council to support them in undertaking the next stage of this process.” McDonald’s Drive Thru for Chelston?