Devizes railway station 'unlikely' to go ahead due to cost

The cost of providing a standalone station at Devizes would outweigh the benefits, a study said

A new railway station is "unlikely" to get the go ahead as it would not represent good value for money, Network Rail has concluded.

A feasibility study said a new station in Devizes could still be put forward as part of a "wider rail improvement programme" for Wiltshire.

Daniel Round from Network Rail said: "We found that the costs of providing a standalone station at Devizes would outweigh the benefits."

He added that this was "disappointing".

Mr Round, industry programme director for the west of England, said: "This is because stopping the existing train services that operate between London and the south-west at a new Devizes station would have a far-reaching knock-on effect on the smooth running of trains over a wider area.

"While this is disappointing in relation to a standalone station for Devizes, the study identified that there would be benefits to increasing train service connectivity across Wiltshire to local stations and on the high-speed network across the region."

Danny Kruger, MP for Devizes, said a station in Devizes had "long been an aspiration for many local people".

The study said there would be benefits to increasing train service connectivity across Wiltshire

The results of the feasibility study have been submitted to the Department for Transport, which will make a decision as to whether the project will progress to the next stage of development.

Iain Wallis, chair of Devizes Development Partnership, said: "Our goal is a new station for Devizes, as part of the wider investment in Wiltshire rail services, to encourage opportunities for economic growth, level up access to jobs and higher education and support a more sustainable transport future."