Fresh hope for £20m Wilton railway station
Wiltshire Council's submitted a bid for funding for new station
Last updated 11th Mar 2021
A bid for the Wilton Junction Railway project has been submitted to The Department for Transport.
Wilton Council is applying for funding from the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund.
The goal in Wilton is to build a four-platform station that would be situated adjacent to the park and ride site in the town.
The station would link the town to the National Rail network, providing a link to Salisbury.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE BID IS APPROVED?
It's expected that the Wilton project would cost around £20 million and would look to be delivered sometime in the period 2024-2029.
The bid has the support of a range of stakeholders, including John Glen MP, Network Rail, South Western Railway, Great Western Railway, TransWilts, Salisbury REDs, Nationwide Rail, Go South Coast and Wilton Town Council.
MORE RAIL ACCESS
There would also be access to train services on the West of England line from London Waterloo to Exeter.
Plus, other parts of Wiltshire on the TransWilts line, with two trains stopping at the station each hour.
It would also provide sustainable access to the Stonehenge World Heritage Site (potentially through improved bus links), Cranborne Chase AONB and National Cycle routes.
'IT'S BEEN IN THE MAKING FOR YEARS'
Wilton Town Councillor Pete Edge is enthusiastic for the station to be reopened:
"I certainly can remember when the stations were closed back in the early days, ever since there's been a campaign to try and get the stations back in Wilton.
"It can only benefit the town and help improve the visitor attraction to Wilton House and Wilton shopping villages, which is now called the City & Guilds, but it will be a great benefit to eh immediate community.
"As far as I am aware nobody has voiced an opinion against it so it has got the backing of all the residents that I am aware of.
"TransWilts have been fantastic, if it hadn't been driven by them initially then we certainly would not be at this stage. That being said I am definitely confident the bid will go ahead and I can't see any reason why it shouldn't go ahead, obviously funding is a bit of an issue but we do have the full support of everybody in the area."
Cllr Bridget Wayman, Cabinet Member for Highways said if the bid is approved, the local authority will be given the funding to take it to the next stage.
"The Wilton Junction bid would provide easy rail access to Salisbury and the rest of Wiltshire, plus onwards to London, and would also encourage tourists to visit the town, with potentially improved bus links from the station to Stonehenge and Cranborne Chase.
"It would also help to relieve traffic on the A36 and associated air quality issues in the area.
"Implementation of the station would be dependent on securing a suitable train service, which will involve work with the rail industry and key partners along the line."