The cost of Wellington's new railway station has risen to up to £20m – and it may not be completed until 2028.
Following the conclusion of its spending review, the government announced in mid-June that rail services would be returning to Wellington more than 60 years after its original station closed as part of the infamous Beeching cuts.
The delivery of the new railway station has been subsequently delayed by issues with the access road between the station site and Nynehead Road, with "remedial works" being carried out near the existing Lidl supermarket.
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The station was originally expected to cost around £15m, based upon calculations made when then-prime minister Rishi Sunak MP cancelled part of the High Speed 2 (HS2) project north of Birmingham in October 2023.
Network Rail has now confirmed that the cost of the new station has risen to around £20m – though the precise figure will not be confirmed for some time.
This comes following a "very positive" meeting held at the site between Taunton and Wellington MP Gideon Amos, Network Rail's industry programme director Bogdan Lupu and Marcus Jones, the Western route director.
Mr Amos said: "I was pleased to welcome Marcus and Bogdan to Wellington, who updated me on their work reassembling the project team and planning out the first phases of the project.
"The Conservative government left a litany of unfunded promises to build entirely new railways all around the country.
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"When chickens came home to roost after the election, a review was inevitable.
"I'm delighted that – working with my colleagues on Somerset Council and Wellington Town Councils, and with MPs across party lines – we succeeded in ensuring Wellington station will be one of the few around the country that will now be built."
The government took the best part of a year to give the new station the green light, between chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves MP instituting a review of major transport projects in late-July 2024 and the spending review concluding.
As a result, the new station is not expected to be open to passengers until some time in 2028.
Mr Amos said: "It's disappointing we had to lose so much time while the money was being found, but we're now in an exciting phase. If you'll excuse the pun, the wheels are finally in motion.
"Initial designs completed last year are now being reviewed and updated, with work under way on the final plans.
"Once they're completed, hopefully by the Spring, we'll get a full schedule for the construction phase.
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"The fact that the site is on the main London Paddington to Penzance line presents challenges, which mean construction activity will happen in phases, including at weekends.
"Contractors are still being re-engaged and therefore have not yet provided timings.
"However, Network Rail believe the opening of the station will be in two-and-a-half to three years' time.
"I've also made inquiries regarding access to the proposed spine road from the Lidl car park following recent coverage in the press.
"I have been told that contractors are on site, and the work is due to be completed in the next couple of months."
Wellington's new station was put forward as part of a joint bid with Mid Devon District Council, which would see rail services return to Cullompton near junction 28 of the M5.
A Network Rail spokesperson said: "The cited project cost of up to £40m is for both stations.
"We don't have sufficient detail at this stage to break it down in more detail for each project, as to date they have been worked on as a combined project.
"Clearly, consenting route and timescales will play parts in the programme and overall cost.
"Now that the projects have been confirmed as successfully securing funding from the recent government spending review, they are in the process of being restarted and updated costs, and programmes will be confirmed in due course."