Taunton metro rail
| Taunton Metro Rail (Proposed) | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Type | Light rail, Rapid transit |
| Locale | Taunton, Somerset |
| Stations | 8 |
| Services | Wellington - Bridgwater |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 30.6 km (19.0 mi) |
Taunton Metro Rail (TMR) is a proposed light rail network using a combination of existing rail infrastructure and the construction of new infrastructure in the area of Taunton, Somerset.
Current Plans
In 2009, Project Taunton,[1] the authority responsible for Taunton's major regeneration project, revealed plans for TMR, as part of their transport sustainability plan. A feasibility proposal is currently being drawn for Somerset County Council.
It is anticipated that TMR will be modelled against driverless systems such as London's Docklands Light Railway, providing an anticipated peak frequency of 5 trains per hour and an off-peak frequency of 3 trains per hour.
If implemented, the avoiding line in Taunton's Station Road will be used as a station, rather than integrating it to Taunton's National Rail Station. Also, this will mean that Wellington's rail station will be reopened, which has been already proposed by the Conservative Party.[2][3]
The move to re-open Wellington's former rail station has gained widespread support from local businesses and residents.[4]
The proposal was due to be submitted in Autumn 2009, however due to the current economic climate and a lack of funding, this has been delayed until further notice.
History
Somerset once had a much more extensive rail network than today, however the many routes were closed following the Reshaping of British Railways report of 1963.[5] A tram system opened in 1901 serving Taunton, but it closed in 1921 due to a dispute about electricity costs.[6]
References
Proposed route
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- ^ "Project Taunton".
- ^ "Call to re-open Wellington train station". Somerset County Gazette. April 1, 2009.
- ^ "Group tour former railway station". BBC News. January 12, 2010.
- ^ "Backing for Wellington train campaign". Somerset County Gazette. December 23, 2009.
- ^ Oakley, Mike (2006). Somerset Railway Stations. Bristol: Redcliffe Press. ISBN 1-904537-54-5.
- ^ Oppitz, Leslie (1990). Tramways Remembered: West and South West England. Countryside Books. ISBN 1-85306-095-X.
