An historic railway station in Shropshire is on track for a host of improvements thanks to a community grant from train operator West Midlands Railway.
Community groups at Wellington station near Shrewsbury have been awarded £45,000 to install new signage, improve pedestrian links to the nearby bus station and added greenery.
The station has been serving local residents for more than 170 years and is one of the first schemes to benefit from WMR’s new Customer & Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF).
Work will be carried out by the Friends of Wellington Station, which has named the scheme “Wellington Ways”. The project will be managed by Telford & Wrekin Council and supported by Love Wellington.
Fay Easton, head of community and stakeholder for West Midlands Railway, said: “Putting the railway at the heart of our neighbourhoods is our top priority and we are delighted to be able to support this fantastic project which will make a real difference at Wellington station. It will make sure the railway is an inviting and welcoming place for locals and visitors alike.”
As part CCIF, which is funded by the Department for Transport, West Midlands Railway and sister company London Northwestern Railway will invest a total of £1.7million in dozens of community projects across the network in coming months.
Councillor David Wright, from Telford & Wrekin Council, said: “This is wonderful news for Wellington station and a fantastic investment for the town. We hope with the much-needed improvements to the station it will encourage our local residents to use sustainable transport more frequently, visit neighbouring towns and spend more in the local economy.
“The station changes will also provide a warm welcome to those who may not have visited the area before, providing a safe and secure gateway for their onward journey.”
Kath Howard, from the Friends of Wellington Station, said: “The station is a key entry point to the town and all that Wellington and the surrounding area has to offer, so this is great news for the town and for the station. The Friends of Wellington Station are thrilled by the news and this will make a huge difference to our work.”
Part of the ‘Wellington Ways’ project will see the creation of a ‘secret garden’ in an area of unused platform, creating a haven for wildlife and biodiversity as well as a quiet space for passengers to enjoy. Refillable water points will also be installed on both platforms at the station.
Photo credit: West Midlands Railway
