STAFF turnover has been blamed for delays in a scheme to revamp one of Somerset’s busiest railway stations.

Bridgwater railway station handles more than 346,000 passengers per year, according to the Office for Rail and Road – making it the second busiest station in the county, second only to Taunton.

The Bridgwater Major Transport Infrastructure Board, which was created by Somerset County Council, announced details in August of a £1.2 million scheme to improve the station, funded by money from the Hinkley Point C programme.

The scheme is being led by Great Western Railway, which runs the station, and was expected to get underway in January 2019.

But this has now been pushed back to late-spring 2019 following staff changes at both GWR and Network Rail.

An update on the scheme came before Sedgemoor District Council’s full council meeting in Bridgwater on Wednesday afternoon (December 12).

Councillor Mike Caswell said: “There always seem to be staff changes at Network Rail and GWR, and this does cause delays and frustration on our part. However, the project seems to be moving forward.

“Network Rail and GWR are working on detailed designs which officers and ward members will have sight of in the new year.

“The works are now scheduled for completion in late-spring or early-summer.”

The scheme will improve car parking provision at the western entrance of the station, enhance the current links to other public transport, and provide a pedestrian link to Bridgwater & Taunton College, in Bath Road.

The improvements are part of the promotion of Bridgwater’s ‘Celebration Mile’, which runs from the station to the docks via the town centre.

Mr Caswell added: “Planning applications have been made for disabled parking on the ‘down’ [western] side and Harrington humps on the platform to reduce the gap between the trains and the platform.

“An application has also been made to open up a footpath to the College.”

GWR currently provides all rail services to and from Bridgwater, with CrossCountry services passing through but not stopping.

The district council promised in July to lobby the Department for Transport for more services to stop at Bridgwater after December 2019, when the Cross Country franchise comes up for review.