We are delighted that an article authored by Simon Taylor has appeared in the October 2023 edition of the Railwatch Magazine. Railwatch is a magazine published by Railfuture that campaigns for a bigger and better railway.
The text of the article…..
‘Railfuture-affiliated Langport Transport Group has been working hard with partners, including Somerset county council and the new unitary authority, to make the case for a reopened station on the London Paddington to Penzance main line. The group, whose secretary is Railfuture life member Simon Taylor, was awarded £50,000 by the Department for Transport under the Restoring Your Railway fund. Along with support from other local councils, this allowed specialist transport consultancy WSP to be commissioned to undertake a study and produce an outline strategic business case. This business case was submitted in March 2022, along with all other national bids, and is awaiting a decision. Enquiries about progress to the DfT are met with news of further delays. More about the business case which has been described as compelling, can be found at LTG’s website. The study anticipates around 230,000 rail journeys a year being made from a new station. About two thirds of those would be by “new to rail” passengers. The economic, social, financial, management and environmental cases stack up strongly for this catchment area in southern Somerset. It has a population of 50,000 and straddles the longest stretch of operational railway in southern England of over 27 miles with no station’.
Langport Transport Group 