A delegation of 30 individuals from the South West recently made a direct plea to Parliament, urging the government to allocate funding for the construction of new railway stations in Wellington and Cullompton.
Organized by Gideon Amos MP, the delegation met with Rail Minister Lord Hendy on the steps of Westminster Hall. They were joined by Richard Foord MP, whose Honiton and Sidmouth constituency includes Cullompton.
During the meeting, Mr. Amos and Mr. Foord presented two letters in support of the railway stations project – one from a cross-party group of South West MPs and another from Wellington Town Council. Notably, four members of the council were present among the delegation.
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While Lord Hendy expressed gratitude for their efforts, he cautioned that no decision could be made until the current spending review was concluded. However, he acknowledged the persistence of the local MP.
Addressing the group, Lord Hendy said, “I’ve been to the site for Wellington station myself, and you have a strong advocate for it in Gideon, who doesn’t let me forget about Wellington – I sometimes think I see him more than my wife!”
Gideon Amos highlighted the cross-party nature of the support for the station and emphasized the project’s potential to bring £150 million in economic growth to the area. He expressed satisfaction at the Minister’s acknowledgment of the strong local support for the project.
Richard Foord expressed delight at hosting the residents from the West Country and emphasized the importance of railway stations for Wellington and Cullompton. He noted Lord Hendy’s positive response to their cross-party demand.
Following the visit, Gideon expressed his commitment to continuing to advocate for the final funding for the station project, highlighting its significant economic benefits for the entire region. Richard also conveyed their relentless efforts to urge the government to expedite the recognition of the urgent need for these stations in the South West.