Two new railway stations 'will be funded'

Wellington lost its station in the mid-1960s

The opening of two new railway stations has been given the go-ahead by the government.

Stations in Wellington, Somerset, and Cullompton in Devon will be funded by money allocated in the government's spending review.

While Chancellor Rachel Reeves did not specifically mention the stations in her speech on Wednesday, the Treasury has confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that funding would be given to the projects.

Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, said he was "absolutely delighted" with the announcement.

Wellington lost its station in the Beeching cuts of the mid-1960s.

A project to reopen it was among dozens of transport schemes shelved last year because of financial pressures.

But the council and developer West of England Developments (Taunton) Ltd. continued to prepare the site for the station's return.

Access to the new station, which will be built off Nynehead Road, will be provided via a new development of 200 homes, which secured outline planning permission from Somerset Council last year.

The approval of Cullompton's new station, which will be built near the existing M5 services, comes on the back of agreements being signed in March to build a new relief road for the town.

Mr Amos said the combined Wellington and Cullompton stations project had already received £6.15 million to complete the full business case and most of the design work.

It is estimated an investment of about £45m will be needed to fully construct and delivery both stations.

The government has not yet confirmed how much funding it will be providing for the project in the spending review.

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.

"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.

A group of residents from Wellington travelled to London to meet the railways minister in April

Campaigners who wanted to see a new railway station in Cullompton said it would be key to unlocking a nearby development in the Culm Garden Village.

Councillor Steve Keable, cabinet member for economic regeneration at Mid Devon District Council, said: "This is absolutely fantastic news. The station will be the rail gateway to 5,000 new homes."