THE drive for a new metro-style railway station in Wellington has stepped up with local MP Rebecca Pow MP presenting a petition to Parliament urging the Government to back the idea.

Many local residents supported the petition and it will now be given to the Department of Transport for answer.

The petition was launched at a meeting in Wellington attended by more than 200 people, where a large majority supported the idea of a new station. Many thought the town could benefit from new rail links to Taunton, Tiverton Parkway, Cullompton and Exeter.

Wellington is thought to be the second largest town of its kind on a mainline railway without a station, so Ms Pow feels the business case for the station is strong. She also believes congestion around town could be alleviated by a new station, allowing an improvement in air quality.

The wording of the petition also calls upon the Government to support the feasibility study now needed to push ahead with the proposals. Taunton Deane Borough Council has committed £40,000 to the study and Ms Pow is pressing the other local authorities involved – Somerset County Council, Devon County Council, Exeter Council and Mid Devon Council – to allow for this next stage of development to commence.

Ms Pow said: “I am delighted that this petition was so well supported by the local community. I fully believe that the Government has an appetite for building viable new stations as illustrated by the highly successful New Stations Fund that has so far released two rounds of £20million to help develop transport links in hard to reach areas.

“Wellington is a thriving local hub and increased connectivity would only help move the town forward, as well as being part of a wider push to get people out of their cars and onto public transport.”