Council stops Bideford railway centre from running trains
DEVON County Council (DCC) has promised to reconsider a ‘shock' decision to stop Bideford Railway Heritage Centre running trains – placing it at the risk of closure.
No formal explanation has been given to museum officials as to the move, which the county council has agreed to reconsider at its first full cabinet meeting after the local elections.
Museum chairman Andrew Mills said: “The decision to revoke our rights to run over our track at Bideford was a great shock as we enjoy operational permissions to run from the Office of Rail and Road and permanent planning permission from Torridge District Council.
“Without the ability to run trains we cannot generate income as a working museum, nor can we move our stock around to continue our programme of restoration works and train volunteers: this is extremely serious and could put us into a ‘death spiral.' We have been treated shabbily and disdainfully by DCC for no reason, given we have been on site for over 30 years and have always operated safely and with no incidents.
Dismay
“DCC have still not formally told us the reason why, but did release a statement to the media citing noise and nuisance to new developments as the primary reason for their decision. This then provoked a dismayed response from the majority of owner residents of the alluded to development, who were furious to be used as an excuse without consultation by DCC. In a letter to DCC they've stated: ‘Please do not waste all the potential this site has to offer to visitors, cyclists, railway enthusiasts, walkers etc by making an ill judged decision which is not based on fact'.”
The Heritage Railway Association has written to DCC in support of the museum, slamming the decision as ‘perverse.'
Regarding the offer to rethink the decision, Andrew said: “Even this seemingly positive breakthrough leaves us extremely worried. Despite a promise of finally receiving a written report of the reasons why running has been refused, it has become apparent that report has not yet been written.”
A DCC spokesman said that the authority has had “constructive discussions with the centre. “These discussions are ongoing,” he said. “The policy will be reviewed in the near future.”