Cullompton's new railway station 'still on track'

By Ollie Heptinstall, local democracy reporter

The proposed new Cullompton railway station is still thought to be on track for a 2025 opening.

At a full meeting on Wednesday [26 October],  Mid Devon District Council leader Bob Deed told councillors that Network Rail is leading projects to reopen stations at Cullompton and Wellington “with a view to opening both stations in 2025.”

They closed in the 1960s as part of the now-infamous Beeching axe that slashed the rail network in Britain.

Cllr Deed (Independent Group, Cadbury) added that unlike Wellington, which is part of a large scale greenfield housing development at a new location, Cullompton station will be mainly on its previous site. Network Rail therefore doesn’t think it will need planning permission.

Talks have been ongoing for years about restoring the stations that closed at a time when cars were becoming more affordable. However, people are now being encouraged to use more public transport to reduce emissions and congestion.

Business cases for the two stations were submitted to the government last year, following which £5 million of development funding was awarded in the chancellor’s budget.

This year Mid Devon and Somerset West and Taunton councils handed over the lead role for the project to Network Rail because of their greater knowledge.

Cllr Richard Chesterton (Conservative, Lower Culm) Mid Devon’s cabinet member for planning and economic regeneration, said in March: “We are looking at an approximate figure of the first passengers getting on a train at Cullompton somewhere towards the end of May 2025.

“So, although it might still feel a long way to some, by rail projects [standards] that’s actually pretty quick and it’s happening and they’re moving forward.”

Cullompton station forms part of the Devon Metro plan by the county council, launched in 2011, to develop the existing railway network based around Exeter into a countywide ‘turn-up-and-go’ service.

The town’s former station initially opened in 1844 and was rebuilt in 1931, before closing in 1964 along with Tiverton Junction, Hele, Bradninch and Silverton. It is now the location of a motorway service station.

The plans come as construction continues on a new station at Marsh Barton in Exeter, expected to open this winter, while daily services successfully restarted between Okehampton and Exeter last year.

Further discussions between Mid Devon and Network Rail’s planning officers will take place next month.