One of Somerset’s MPs has made a last-ditch effort to secure approval for a new £15 million railway station in Wellington as the government prepares to announce the outcome of its spending review. The project has been uncertain for nearly a year following Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP’s announcement of a comprehensive review of major transport schemes in July 2024.
The government’s decision on whether to proceed with the Wellington station and its nearby counterpart in Cullompton, Devon, will be revealed on June 11. Taunton and Wellington MP Gideon Amos intensified his campaign by urging the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to recognise the project’s exceptional value for money and its significant potential to boost economic growth in the South West.
Mr Amos, alongside Honiton and Sidmouth MP Richard Foord, has advocated tirelessly for these railway improvements, engaging in meetings with transport ministers, participating in Westminster Hall debates, and organising a parliamentary delegation in April. On June 4, shortly after Chancellor Reeves announced over £15 billion in funding for UK transport projects, Mr Amos raised the issue in the House of Commons, noting the lack of reassurance regarding the new stations.
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He stated: “The Chief Secretary knows the Cullompton and Wellington stations would bring tens of thousands of new passengers to the city, the metro region, and the Cardiff-Bristol-Exeter corridor. With a cost-benefit ratio nearing 4:1, will he acknowledge the strength of this case, as supported by letters from MPs including Dan Aldridge (Weston-super-Mare), Sadik Al-Hassan (North Somerset), Steve Race (Exeter), myself, and Richard Foord?”
Somerset Council has been a strong supporter, granting planning permission in May 2024 for a 200-home development on Nynehead Road that will improve access to the station site. Additionally, plans for the detailed design of the spine road—including pedestrian and cycle paths—and the new ‘station square’ were approved in March 2025.
West of England Developments (Taunton) Ltd., responsible for the new homes and road, has assured protection of the station site from alternative development should government funding be withheld. Chief Secretary Darren Jones, representing Bristol North West, praised Mr Amos’s persistent advocacy and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to investing in rail services.
Mr Jones commented: “I thank the honourable member for his campaigning and for welcoming today’s announcement of historic transport investment levels in the West of England. We aim to deliver infrastructure within combined authorities while unlocking broader spending on intercity transport, heavy rail, road upgrades, new housing, and industrial policy.”
He also noted that further details from the Green Book review would be published soon and expressed confidence that investment opportunities will extend beyond combined authorities. The government is expected to release its infrastructure strategy shortly after the spending review, outlining plans to tackle supply chain challenges and other barriers in major transport project delivery.