Wellington station will have no ticket office or waiting room, ex-rail planner says

SOMERSET'S newest railway station will not have a ticket office or waiting room, a retired Network Rail planner has stated.

Somerset Council approved plans in early-May for 200 homes on Nynehead road in Wellington, which will deliver the access road to the new Wellington railway station site.

Network Rail is expected to put forward its plans for the actual station and the surrounding land by the end of the summer, with the first trains expected to call into the new station by June 2026.

But David Northey, a retired strategic planner with Network Rail, had said the £15m being provided by the Department for Transport (DfT) would only deliver very basic facilities at the new station, with any additional elements (such as a waiting room or a café) having to be delivered by the local community.

Mr Northey said: “The basics of the station will be there – the platform, the footbridge, the lighting, the fencing, the seats and basic shelters. That’s what the DfT are paying for, that basic infrastructure.

“We need to find other funders or other ways of making a statement for Wellington for when people arrive – whether it’s a grand piece of artwork or station buildings.

“Network Rail did a piece of work with architects from around the globe, and there were a couple of designs that came up which included simple modular buildings to make a statement.”

The new station will be served solely by Great Western Railway (GWR) services, with CrossCountry indicating in late-March that its trains would not be calling there.

Network Rail officer Karen Williams indicated in early-May that the station would enjoy hourly trains in each direction from the outset, as part of GWR’s service between Cardiff Central and Exeter St David’s.

Mr Northey said: “This will be an unstaffed station with a ticket machine on the platform and bus-type shelters, exactly like Cranbrook and Marsh Barton (near Exeter). It’s then down to the community if they want something more.

“The community will need to find ways of working with others funders. house-builders, other government departments who might have funding for various elements.

“When the Victorians built stations, they had a much grander purpose. But that doesn’t mean that the people of Wellington shouldn’t have something more than just a basic facility.

“We talk a lot in the rail industry about customer experience – is there a place to buy a cup of coffee? Is there somewhere to sit out of the rain? Does it feel safe? These are all things to think about.

“Money can be found, but it’s down to the council to put forward their vision for that bit of Wellington.”

An artist's impression of the planned railway station. (Image: Network Rail)

The Wellington Place Plan, which was officially adopted in late-March 2023, commits to the new station site serving as a “transport hub”, where people can easily make onward connection with local buses and bicycles.

As part of the Nynehead Road planning permission, Cherwyn Developments will provide up to £305,000 will be provided to create a ‘station square’ area of public open space near the southern platform, which could include a bus interchange and cycle storage.

Wellington Town Council will end up being responsible for this space, which will include a unique piece of public art – the reclaimed top of the Wellington Monument, following the recent restoration of the iconic obelisk by the National Trust.

Town clerk Dave Farrow said: “We have been in discussions with Somerset Council’s planning team and Cherwyn Developments about how we can enhance facilities around the station, and that resulted in the concept of a station square being included in the planning application which was approved.

“The developer has commissioned architects to design the space, which will include a secure cycle hub and hopefully, in buildings on the edge of the space, a café and toilets.

“The area will be landscaped with planted areas and water features and include the original pyramidion (the top section) of the Wellington Monument as a focal point, which has been in storage since the work on the monument was completed. There will also be digital information boards.

“The infrastructure for the space and the rebuilding of the pyramidion will be funded by the developer, which the cycle hub and any other additions will be funded by the town council. Once completed, the ownership and responsibility for managing it will transfer to the town council.”

Access to the new station from the south will be relatively easy for pedestrians and cyclists, with new paths being provided both along the length of the access road (linking up with the existing paths along the B3187 Taunton Road) and through green space to the west of the housing development.

Access from the north is less straightforward, though there may be scope for upgrading the existing footpaths as part of the planned £20m regeneration of Tonedale Mill – and re-purposing a service road that Network Rail will need for the construction of the station.

Mr Farrow said: “At the moment there is no access to the station from the north but that is being worked on.

“We are hopeful that a service track that will need to be put in place along the north of the railway line to build the station will stay in place.

“We can then look at converting to a cyclist and pedestrian route which will link in with the Grand Western Greenway project, which at present in planned to start from the north of the railway station and will then facilitate access to the station from the northern edge of the track.”

The Grand Western Greenway is eventually intended to run from the Longforth Farm housing development in Wellington all the way to Taunton railway station – some seven-and-a-half miles.

The Grand Western Greenways Association intends to lay different sections of all-weather path at either end of the route, following construction methods used elsewhere on the Strawberry Line and being delivered as part of the Glastonbury town deal.

Chairman Charles Biscoe said: “It has been communicated to us that Network Rail has decided not to dismantle the road, which is the standard procedure.

“A development firm interested in the land on the northern side has committed to improving the road and integrating it into the area to establish a direct travel connection between the housing and the town.

“We plan to commission a feasibility study to provide more certainty to the route and identify obstacles.

“Somerset Council has received a £400,000 grant from Active Travel England for route development, and we will apply to them for funding, but there is no guarantee of success.”

Network Rail’s application for the station is expected to be submitted to Somerset Council by the end of the summer, with a view to a decision being taken by its planning committee west (which handles major applications in the former Somerset West and Taunton area) before Christmas.