Chard Parkway Station plans progress after study agreed

Mr Payne made a mock up of what the new Chard Parkway sign could look like

Plans for a new railway station have taken a step forward after officials agreed to do a timetable study.

Chard Junction railway station served people for more than 100 years before it was closed in March 1966.

Network Rail has now agreed to do research in to how workable it would be for services to call at the station.

Somerset councillor Connor Payne, who spearheaded the call for a new station, said the move showed it was being taken "very seriously".

"This gives us an opportunity to provide a convincing case to reopen the station," he said.

"Chard Parkway would enable local residents to find better job and learning opportunities, and in conjunction with additional active travel projects, residents of Chard and the surrounding villages would see a significant improvement to everyday life in the area.

Mr Payne said he remains "optimistic" about the possibility of a new station in Chard

"I remain incredibly optimistic."

Local Democracy Reporting Service said, the line served by South Western Railway (SWR), runs hourly services between London Waterloo and Exeter St. David's, stopping at the nearby stations of Crewkerne and Axminster.

Much of the track between Exeter and Salisbury is single-track, with trains having to wait in passing loops to let other services through in the opposite direction.

In a meeting with Mr Payne and SWR, Network Rail said a hypothetical timetable analysis of Chard Parkway would gauge how feasible it would be for existing services to stop at the new station without causing either delays or disruption further down the line.

Councillor Diogo Rodrigues and Yeovil MP Marcus Fysh, have also thrown their support behind the campaign.

"The potential benefits to the local community, including improved connectivity and economic growth, are significant," Mr Rodrigues said.

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