MINEHEAD councillors have deferred a decision on whether to support a rail link to Taunton after the town’s mayor claimed the aims of the Minehead Rail Link group were not compatible with the best interests of the West Somerset Railway.

The town council, meeting on Tuesday evening, accepted a proposal that the matter should be deferred because it was listed on the agenda as a discussion and not a recommendation.

Urging the council to support the rail link, Cllr Oliver Harvey said: “I asked for this to be put down as a recommendation. I see no use whatsoever in deferring a decision.

“What is now needed is more energy to move things forward. I give my full support to this and to the Minehead Rail Link Group, which is doing its best to work with the West Somerset Railway.”

He urged councillors to ratify two previous decisions made by the council to support a rail link, and said some local stations were keen for the link, as was Great Western Railway.

Cllr Helena Rose said the council should support the proposal: “This is a green issue. It could help people going to work.”

Cllr Beresford Mandley said he had used the recent trial shuttle service: “The figures were outstanding and they had to put on an extra service.

“West Somerset Railway is struggling. More footfall is needed - opening that link will benefit the whole area.”

The mayor, Cllr Sandra Slade, expressed concern about claims made by the Minehead Rail Link Group that it had received letters of support from all the councils it had approached and was hugely encouraged by the reaction.

She described it as a pressure group and said the council should be clear what they were supporting.

Read the debate in today’s Free Press.