500-SIGNATURE PETITION IS ‘MISCHIEF’, SAYS WEST SOMERSET

The West Somerset Railway has dismissed a petition, signed by over 500 people, calling for changes at the line, as “mischief”.

Launched on change.org on June 4, the petition calls for the WSR plc, WSR Association and West Somerset Steam Railway Trust to:

1. Retract the notice to quit issued to the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust (SR503).

2. Establish an independent review of the structure of the WSR in order to create an organisation which is fit for the future. This should include:

A. A review in the context of other premier league heritage railways. B. Ensure that any resulting structure is accountable to volunteers and stakeholders.

3. Recall the Partnership Development Group (PDG) to establish a true ‘One Railway’ business plan which is supported by the whole WSR family.

In response, the WSR plc’s press spokesman said: “We don’t believe that the initiators of the petition are current volunteers, but are known to be vocal critics of the railway. Sadly, their attempts to damage the WSR’s reputation are counter-productive to the good of the railway and just don’t help it by creating dissent.

“The WSR is fighting for its survival right now and is without any income, so it needs money and support, not brickbats. But one leading petition name in particular, George White, is not known to anyone at the railway which seems very odd indeed, so it must be a nom de plume, but why use a false name? It’s mischief.

“All three of the main issues raised by the petitioners are in hand. The leasehold issue between the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust and the WSR plc has not been resolved, but an independent review has been completed by the Heritage Railway Association, which we hope will lead to a conclusion.

“We have also agreed that the Partnership Development Group will restart soon, and which had been under discussion internally for some time. Since the Covid-19 challenge began, the plc, WSRA and WSSRT have been meeting together regularly via a number of forums to deal with the crisis and, as a result, some significant progress has been made in making the ‘family’ work better as a unit.

“So, those WSR supporters who have signed the petition are effectively pushing against an open door here, but perhaps they were not aware of the actual situation and what was being done, so we hope they can see that considerable progress has been, and is being, made.”