I am so pleased to hear today that plans for a new train station to serve Devizes are a step closer. The proposals for a train station at Lydeway have been supported by a Department for Transport panel. Success in this first stage of the Restoring Your Railways fund means funding will be made available to investigate the realities of opening the station and create a detailed business plan.
Devizes is the largest town in Wiltshire that does not have access to the rail network, after its branch line closed in the 1960s. There has been huge local support for a new station, which would allow residents to travel more easily to London, Bristol and around the county, and to help promote Devizes as a great destination for visitors and businesses.
My thanks go to the Devizes Development Partnership and Wiltshire Council for helping to create a comprehensive and well thought-out application for the funds, which will have been a key factor in today’s success. My congratulations also to Claire Perry O'Neill, my predecessor who supported the initial stages of the campaign for the station. The Government will now work with Wiltshire Council to work out how much funding will be allocated, and I look forward to hearing in more detail exactly how we can move forward with these plans.
