A campaign to reopen Chard Junction railway station is gaining momentum.
The Chard Active Travel and Transport Group, launched last year aims to have Chard Junction station which was closed in 1966 brought back into use, providing hourly services to Exeter and London. The new station would be called Chard Parkway.
Chard councillor Connor Payne is spearheading the campaign. He’s announced that £23,000 has been secured to fund a business case to reopen Chard Junction. The money has been raised from local businesses.
The line through Chard is currently operated by South Western Railway with trains stopping at Crewkerne and Axminster.
Councillor Payne estimates the new station would serve around 30,000 people and create around 5,000 new jobs by attracting new businesses to the area. He says Chard will undergo significant development over the next 10 years, bringing new families into the town. The new station would allow them to travel, live and work more accessibly.
Councillor Payne says the business case will make a compelling case to the government to fund the reopening of Chard Junction station.
The business case is expected to be completed and submitted to the Department of Transport by the autumn.
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