Council to sell WSR land and buildings

摘要

Somerset County Council (SCC) decided on February 7 to sell the freehold of Britain's longest standard-gauge heritage railway. The line's legal operator, the West Somerset Railway plc, and its associated member-led supporting charity, the West Somerset Railway Association, have both made competing bids for the freehold, which is widely regarded as an attempted 'coup' by the Association to gain control of the line. However, SCC has reaffirmed its commitment to avoid jeopardising the local economy that relies heavily on the WSR, which means it could be very difficult for the WSRA bid to succeed for a number of reasons. In a statement, WSR plc explains: "The SCC officer's report confirms that SCC must go through a full due diligence review of which of the two interested parties to sell to, before any decision can be taken.