Thousands of responses have rolled in over plans for a new station on the outskirts of Devizes.

Funding from the Government's Restore your Railway scheme has made the long-awaited dream for many locals a soon-to-be reality.

Currently, the Devizes Development Partnership (DDP) team behind the proposals have chosen land near Lydeway as a potential location for the Devizes Gateway station.

A survey is currently underway to garner the views of Devizes people and those in the surrounding area.

Tamara Reay, of the DDP, said: “More than 2,000 people have already responded. We need do more detailed analysis but it does seem to be people mostly from the SN10 area.

"The response from Devizes has been amazing, but there will be far more consultation to come, and we hope, depending on covid, that those can be in-person town hall type events so we can meaningfully discuss and show the plans."

The DDP are also in conversation with the Great Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group and Pewsey Vale Rail User Group, who represent the opinions of rail users in the wider area.

Not only are they canvassing views on if local passengers would use Devizes Gateway, discussions are also underway of improving existing connections and lines Westward, to stations such as Westbury.

A point raised during the DDP's on-going survey is the location of the proposed station, 3.4 miles outside the Market Place and town centre.

Tamara said: “The distance will have an impact on how attractive the station is as a proposition, and be ameliorated for with appropriate public transport. But it's relatively small in the grand scheme of things.

"In the responses so far, it seems that most people are happy that Devizes will be connected at."

Other ideas suggested for the station - such as a neighbouring nursery - might be shaped by the post-covid future of travel and commuting.

In around two months, the DDP will hope to complete discussions with Wiltshire Council and develop a more finalised business plan for the Devizes Gateway station.

The survey over views for the station is available at www.devizes.org.uk/index.php/devizes-gateway/ until the end of January.