On Thursday evening Rebecca Pow MP organised and chaired an open meeting to discuss with the Wellington community the potential for a new railway station in the town. The meeting was exceptionally well attended with almost 200 people turning up to have their say. Despite years of discussion about a possible station this was the first meeting of its kind to be staged in the town. Rebecca, who chaired the event was joined on the panel by Deputy Leader of Taunton Deane Council Mark Edwards, Somerset County Councillor Andrew Govier who lives in Wellington as well as the Mayor of Wellington, Janet Lloyd. Rebecca is part of a working group investigating the feasibility of opening a metro style rail station in the town together with a similar station opening at Cullompton in Devon. This will open up connectivity between Taunton, Wellington, Cullompton, Tiverton Parkway and Exeter. Initial studies indicate that there is a business case for the station. In fact Wellington is believed to be the largest town of its kind on a main rail line without a station. (The old station closed in 1964.) At the meeting Rebecca explained that all the local authorities involved (Somerset County Council, Devon County Council, Exeter Council, Taunton Deane Borough Council and Mid Devon Council) are now being encouraged to follow the example of TDBC, who have already committed £40,000, to fund their share of the next important stage of the project. This is the GRIP 2 (Governance for Railway Investment Projects) feasibility study that will look at engineering possibilities and timetabling. Armed with this information a bid can then be made to the Governments £20million New Station Fund thereby unlocking funding for the next stage of the process. At the meeting Rebecca asked for a symbolic show of hands to gage support for the project. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Rebecca said: ‘I was absolutely over the moon at the turnout for the meeting and was delighted to see how passionate the local community are about the potential for a station. The clear show of support suggests that we must move forward to the next phase if at all possible. This however, depends on encouraging the local stakeholders to commit funding in order to carry out the feasibility study. I urge all the local authorities involved to think very carefully about this as the economic benefits and environmental paybacks that will flow from a new station are obvious. There will be benefits for business, commuters as well as the general public but a station could also help to ease the town’s congestion problems and reduce air pollution.’ Rebecca launched a petition at the meeting to further demonstrate support for the project and she will be giving Rail Minister, Claire Perry a full progress report.