Access improvements and secret garden plan for station

Access improvements and secret garden plan for station

Wellington station has been given a major boost with the news that it has been awarded a £45,000 grant from a newly set up West Midlands Railway customer and communities’ investment fund.

The grant, applied for by Telford & Wrekin Council’s Investment and Business Support Team back in 2020 on behalf of the Friends of Wellington Station, will see significant improvements being made to the station as part of a project named by the Friends ‘Wellington Ways’

Wellington Ways is a practical and visionary project which includes some much needed improvements to the station including new signage, improvements to the steps linking the rail and bus stations, a ‘secret garden’ and refillable water points installed on both platforms.

The secret garden will be created along an area of unused platform – creating a haven for wildlife and biodiversity and a quiet space for passengers and town centre visitors to enjoy.

Telford & Wrekin Council will continue to support the Friends by project managing the scheme on their behalf and Sally Themans of Love Wellington will also continue to support the group.

Cllr David Wright, Telford & Wrekin Council Cabinet Member for Economy, Housing, Transport and Infrastructure said, “This is wonderful news for Wellington Station and a fantastic investment for the town. We hope that 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”.

Cllr Lee Carter, Telford & Wrekin Council College Ward member, said: “Thanks to the dedicated volunteers from Friends of Wellington Station and West Midlands Rail we will deliver some really practical, tangible improvements for visitors to the station, some of which have been on the ‘to do’ list for a long time”.

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 that the railway is an inviting and welcoming place for locals and visitors alike”.

The project was selected by West Midlands Railway as part of its inaugural customer and communities improvement fund, with finance provide 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.

Kath Howard of the Friends of Wellington Station, a voluntary group which helps to maintain the 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”.