RAIL passengers could hop on a train at a new station in Wellington within two years, according to Taunton Deane MP Rebecca Pow.

She has updated local people on the project's progress around 60 years after the town lost its station under the Beeching cuts.

In a letter, Ms Pow, who chairs the Somerset and Devon Rail Group, says: "Connectivity is important for our constituency ensuring we have the right infrastructure in place to make Taunton Deane as accessible as possible for those living and working here.

"Realising a rail station in Wellington is an important part of our infrastructure planning and, in this respect, I am pleased that we are edging closer to this becoming a reality."

Ms Pow said she started working on the push for a station in Wellington after first being elected in 2015 and it is now one of 10 projects nationally selected for the next phase of development through the Restoring Railways Fund.

She added: "Since then, officials from the Department for Transport have been working closely with the team to work up the detail.

"Along the way a number of stakeholders, for example Wellington Town Council, have contributed important funds.

"As a next step, in March 2020 I was pleased to announce that a further £5million was awarded by Government to work up a more detailed business case that would set us on a pathway for a potential opening of the rail station in spring 2025.

"I met with the developer last summer to view the proposed site and discuss the plans on site.

"I followed this up early this year by calling a site meeting to include representatives from the town council, the local district Council, GWR and Network Rail, together with the architects."

Proposals for the site, which include homes, parking and commercial opportunities, will be submitted imminently.

"Importantly, this will be a very green development with landscaping included and integrated cycling and walking links," said Ms Pow.

"I am working hard with others to ensure the cycling provision links in with the Wellington Cycle Plan and the Wellington Place Strategy."

Recently she met Transport Secretary Mark Harper to explain how the station would enable young people to access education facilities outside Wellington and told Rail Minister Huw Merriman of "genuine support for this station".

Ms Pow said: "I will not relent in making the case directly to relevant Ministers. I know how crucial the station is to the town of Wellington."