IT was a packed agenda at the Friends of Bridgwater Station meeting held at the GWRSA Club on Tuesday night (February 12).

Hot topics included the latest on improvements to the forecourt, extended opening hours for the ticket office, disabled access, improved train services and bus connectivity, and finally getting Dave's Diner into the station.

Guest speakers included Luke Farley, GWR assistant regional development manager, Sam Harper, principal development officer for infrastructure and Somerset County Council infrastructure strategy officer Andrew Wiles.

Hot topics included the latest on improvements to the forecourt, extended opening hours for the ticket office, disabled access, improved train services and bus connectivity, and finally getting Dave's Diner into the station.

Mr Farley confirmed that despite delays, he believed good progress had been made and was confident the forecourt improvements would be complete in the summer.

Dave Whillis of Dave's Diner, a burger van based currently based outside the station, has faced no end of frustrations trying to move his business into the station.

Mr Whillis said: "Please just give me some sort of date, I just want to get it sorted now."

Mr Farley responded that GWR were currently working on listed building consents and were keen for Mr Whillis' business to move into the station.

Friends of Bridgwater Station's Dave Chapple spoke passionately on Mr Whillis behalf.

"I want to voice my frustration on behalf of Dave and hundreds of Bridgwater residents," Mr Chapple said.

"Dave is too polite to say, but I am not. It is ridiculous that he has waiting eight years to carry out an obvious move that will benefit the town, the station, and the people of Bridgwater.

"Since the Friends of Bridgwater Station launched we have been coming to these meetings and hearing that someone will get back to Dave. It needs action, he is willing to pay to put in the electrics out of his own pocket, something he should not have to do. Someone needs to take charge of this and see it through."

Friends' chairman Glen Burrows added: "You have put this man under a lot of pressure and stress.

"The Friends of Bridgwater Station feel strongly that the station is a community asset and yet the treatment of Dave's Diner is symbolic of how it is neglected by those in charge."

Ms Burrows also raised concerns over the ticket offices opening hours.

"We have a miserable set of opening hours that do not serve the needs of the community," she said.

"Other problems include the fact there is no consistent Sunday opening - sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't, and no-one seems to know when it will be."

SDC's Sam Harper said Sedgemoor District Council had outlined a list of aims to improve the station.

He pointed out problems with the way GWR's data was collated and used to justify decisions.

"As far as I can tell it is based largely on ticket sales," Mr Harper said. "And if that is the case then Bridgwater is not going to score well."

But, Mr Harper said, if Bridgwater had better ticket office opening hours, better disabled access, more trains so that people didn't have to go to Taunton, and better bus connections, perhaps those figures would be a lot higher.

"Bridgwater is growing all the time and is becoming a destination but the train services do not reflect that," Mr Harper said.

"EDF actually brings in two buses of workers to Hinkley C from Bristol down the motorway rather than the train, and I know Bridgwater & Taunton College send buses full of apprentices to Bristol rather than sending them by train.

"We know there is a demand for these services and we think there is a strong case for enhanced services."

Ms Burrows said it was very welcome to here Sedgemoor District Council singing from the same hymn sheet, and thanked the speakers before closing the meeting.