Where's the decision on a new station for the Somerset Levels?
The Somerton and Frome MP has been asking questions in the Commons
Last updated 14th Mar 2024
There's calls for a decision on whether to reopen either the Langport or Somerton train stations - which both closed in the 60s - after a business case was submitted in 2022.
Somerset MP Sarah Dyke has taken to the commons to call for a review to see whether the levels could get a new railway station
Speaking after Prime Minister’s Questions, Lib Dem Sarah Dyke, said: “People living in the Somerton and Langport area deserve better. They deserve access to the rail network, which passes through the heart of their community, a boost to the local economy and support in reducing their reliance on cars.
“Langport Transport Group and Somerset Council submitted a very cogent business case to the Department for Transport and it’s unacceptable that they’ve been waiting for an update since July 2022. It’s time to get this vital project off the ground, which is why I’m launching a petition giving residents the opportunity to express their support for the proposed station and putting pressure on the Government to give it the green light.
"In January 2020, the Government announced £500m for the Restoring Your Railway (RYR) fund and asked MPs, local councils and community groups to propose how they could use funding to reinstate axed local services and restore closed stations. The funding was split into three categories: the Ideas Fund, Advanced Proposals and the New Station Fund.
"In June 2020, the Langport Transport Group (LTG) submitted a proposal under the Ideas Fund and were successful, receiving £50k to develop a Strategic Outline Case (SOC).
"The SOC explained that the closure of the Langport and Somerton stations in the 1960s had left a gap of more than 28 miles between Taunton and Castle Cary – the longest section without a station between London and Penzance.
"Langport and Somerton lie at the heart of a large area of central Somerset, comprising significant clusters of population totalling more than 50,000. With the nearest stations at Taunton, Castle Cary, Bridgwater and Yeovil Junction, all 12 to 15 miles away, residents are denied easy access to the rail network.
"The SOC was submitted by LTG and the then Somerset County Council in February 2022, but there has been no decision to date and no update from the Department for Transport since July 2022."
A petition about the station can be found here