LAWS SLAM COUNTY COUNCIL AFTER CHARD JUNCTION U-TURN

Somerset County Council has recently publicly claimed that it is pursuing the option of purchasing land near the station, which is currently owned by the British Rail Residuary Board.

 

David Laws MP stopped this land from being sold off by BRB last year, to give the County Council a chance to buy the land at a much lower price than it had first been offered at.

 

But an e-mail to Chard County Councillor Jill Shortland from the officer in charge of transport at the County Council (see attached below) makes clear that the Conservative Councillor in charge of Transport has vetoed the plan to look at buying this land.

 David Laws MP:

 

"I am very angry about this decision by the Conservative Group on Somerset County Council. This risks scuppering plans to re-open Chard Junction station.

 

"The County Council have been claiming publicly that they are interested in buying this land but the e-mail to Jill Shortland makes clear that what the County Council is telling the media is untrue. It is clear that the Tory leadership of Somerset County Council isn't interested in re-opening Chard Junction, however low the price of the land.

 

"I will be raising this with Somerset County Council and asking them to think again. This u-turn risks losing a unique opportunity to re-open this station, and help people to have a real alternative to expensive and environmentally unfriendly car trips.

 

 

 

 "The County Council is failing in its responsibility to deliver an improved local transport system".