Plans to reconnect the historic West Somerset Railway to the national rail network have gained momentum after Tiverton and Minehead MP Rachel Gilmour secured a vital meeting with senior Department for Transport officials. This meeting, scheduled after the summer recess, will focus on proposals to link the West Somerset Railway between Bishops Lydeard and Taunton, alongside other pressing local transport issues.
Currently, the West Somerset Railway operates heritage services between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead. In December 2024, Somerset Council and West Somerset Railway PLC submitted a Strategic Outline Business Case to the government, requesting £137,000 to advance the project to the full business case stage.
Mrs. Gilmour recently raised the issue directly with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander in Parliament and followed up with a letter committing to collaborate closely with Somerset Council. She also highlighted additional infrastructure priorities within her constituency, including ongoing roadworks on the A396, calls for A39 upgrades, and the closure of the B3191.
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The Department for Transport’s South West Area Lead, Ben Kempner, responded by expressing interest in visiting Somerset to concentrate on the Bishops Lydeard–Taunton rail link and discuss broader transport challenges faced by the region.
Mrs. Gilmour emphasized the importance of improving transport infrastructure, particularly in rural communities. “Reliable transport connections are essential for our local residents,” she said. “With bus services like the Number 28 becoming increasingly unreliable and traffic congestion worsening on the A358 to Taunton, a new rail link would be transformative for our area.”
She also intends to use the upcoming visit to highlight the full range of transport issues affecting her constituents to government ministers.
Further updates on the outcome of this meeting will be shared later this year.