Railway project is steaming ahead
COUNCILLORS are being recommended to continue to explore funding opportunities for the next stages of the £16 million Cullompton railway station project.
The station, which was initially opened in 1844 and was rebuilt in 1931, was one of the many that were closed as part of the Beeching Axe.
Tiverton Junction, Cullompton, Hele and Bradninch and Silverton were closed to passengers on October 5, 1964, and the Cullompton station site has been turned into the motorway service station.
Now there is a hope that a new Cullompton station can be built. As part of the “Devon Metro” plans by Devon County Council, a new station near the location of the old station is a ‘possible’ long-term proposal.
A site for a new railway station, north of Station Road in Cullompton, is allocated within the Local
Plan, and the Department for Transport in May announced that the reopening of Wellington and Cullompton stations had been successful as part of the Ideas Fund for projects to restore lost rail connections to communities.
Future funding to develop projects would be subject to agreement of the business case, and Mid Devon District Council’s cabinet, when they meet next Thursday, are being recommended continue to explore funding opportunities for the next stages of the project.
The report of Jenny Clifford, Head of Planning, Economy and Regeneration, says: “For the Cullompton Station element it is estimated to cost approximately £200,000 to prepare the bid material and complete other rail industry requirements. Officers are currently investigating external funding opportunities to finance this work as part of an integrated transport approach to facilitate the delivery of the Culm Garden Village.
“The detailed capital costs of delivering a new station at Cullompton is currently unknown; however initial estimates would suggest that it would be in the order of £16 million. If the station reinstatement was supported by DfT through the New Stations Fund process the typical level of government contribution would be 75% of the delivery costs. This would leave a shortfall of approximately £4 million.
Officers are working closely with the DfT in anticipation of a fourth round to the “New Stations Fund” in 2021 so that the project might be well-placed to make a strong application for further funding, the report says. The next steps to advance the project are to meet with the partners.