A CALL for the West Somerset Railway to be owned by a charity which would control the operating company as part of sweeping changes in the way the line was run has been ‘overwhelmingly’ endorsed by a survey of railway supporters.

The results of a study revealed this week showed that 94 per cent of West Somerset Railway Association members who took part backed a report by railway authority John Bailey that the WSR structure was not working and needed to be changed.

A total of 92 per cent said they supported the principle of a single controlling charity which would own the operating company and could offer a home to the railway’s current charities and special interest groups.

Mr Bailey had recommended that WSR assets should be transferred to a new controlling charity which would contract an operator to run the services. This would leave the railway far better placed to apply for grants and would bring money-saving benefits such as gift-aid on donations and exemptions from corporation tax and VAT.

Mr Bailey believed that day-to-day operation of the railway should be delegated by a services agreement but ultimate control would lie with the charity trustees.

The WSR has ‘warmly welcomed’ the Bailey report’s recommendations and said it intended to start consultations with shareholders and other charities through the recently re-formed Partnership Development Group.

Asked if they would agree to transferring their WSRA membership to a proposed new charity, 94 per cent of WSRA members said they would.

Commenting on the results of the survey, a WSRA spokesperson said: “Members are overwhelmingly in favour of an over-arching charity that becomes the WSR’s membership organisation.

“Running through the responses is a strong desire for peace and harmony within a professional organisation with appropriate checks and balances in place and the ability to set a strategy for the operating company.”