Plan for ‘step free’ access at a Shropshire railway station outlined

Network Rail has applied to Telford & Wrekin Council for planners to make sure that the proposals are in the right place and it would not ‘injure’ the amenity of the area.

Hadley & Leegomery Parish Councillor Stuart Parr has told the planning department that it is a ‘long overdue upgrade’ but has urged use of materials sympathetic to the Victorian design of Wellington Railway Station.

Councillor Parr, a Conservative wrote on the council’s planning portal: “This is a long overdue upgrade to Wellington station and I welcome it.

“The council is not able to dictate conditions to Network Rail because of legislation permitting the development but I would ask Network Rail to ensure that materials used are sympathetic to the Victorian design of the station and that we are not left with a metal/glass bridge that looks entirely out of place.”

Manchester-based Network Rail has told the council planners that the application is for prior approval and that it is a permitted development.

There is currently no step-free route between platforms one, towards Telford, and two, to Shrewsbury.

Planners have been told that Network Rail has investigated replacing the current stepped footbridge but it is “not feasible” to add lifts within the existing Victorian station.

The existing footbridge is set to remain and a new access for all footbridge with a lift on each platform would be added,.

Network Rail has told the council that “prior approval should not be refused unless the local planning authority are satisfied that that the development ought to be and could reasonably be carried out elsewhere on the land, or the design or external appearance would injure the amenity of the neighbourhood and is reasonably capable of modification to avoid such injury.”

Plans can be viewed on the Telford and Wrekin Council planning portal with the reference TWC/2026/0081