A new railway route in the UK with £45 million train stations is planned for two idyllic towns. Two countryside towns, Cullompton in Devon and Wellington in Somerset, may soon see their stations reopened early next year.
The two towns reportedly built their stations in the 1880s, but both were closed in 1964 due to the nationalisation of the railway. However, the stations are likely to be given a new lease of life, and services are expected to start running as early as 2026.
According to the council, the reopening of Cullompton station plays a vital role in supporting the Culm Garden Village project, which will provide around 5,000 new homes. The station is set to be built near the motorway services at Junction 28 of the M5.
Councillor Steve Keable, Mid Devon District Council Cabinet Member for Planning & Economic Regeneration, said: “I am delighted to see this significant progress. This builds on the positive momentum of the relief road project and shows real progress towards delivering infrastructure that supports Cullompton’s future.
“I am hopeful that funding for major improvements to Junction 28 will be re-confirmed by the Government later this year, as that is a critical piece of infrastructure that is essential to planned Culm Garden Village, and further support the growth and sustainability of the town centre.”
Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, said he was “absolutely delighted” with the announcement.
A Treasury spokesman said: “The spending review provides funding to support the reopening of stations at Wellington and Cullompton. Further details will be set out shortly.”
Janet Lloyd, mayor of Wellington, said the news would “mean so much” to the town and its residents, reports BBC. It will bring people into the town. Now we’ve got the go ahead we just need to know the detail – how much and when,” she said.
The estimated cost of opening the stations is around £45 million, reports The Sun.
The stations will link to Exeter, an important transportation center that offers direct train routes to London Paddington, Plymouth, Bristol, and also serves the main railway line through Cornwall.
While more details of the plan are yet to be chalked out, but it is believed that, once reopened, the stations will join the Great Western Main Line that runs from London Paddington to Penzance.