Calls to reopen rail link grow louder

THE railway from Tavistock to Plymouth can be built in five months but it will take five years because of the paperwork, a public meeting has heard.

Campaigners are pushing for the work, which involves laying five miles of rail track, to be speeded up so the service can begin before 2029.

The government has confirmed £150 million for the project, subject to an updated business plan being approved.

Funds were announced in last year’s autumn statement, following the decision to scrap the extension of the high speed rail HS2 from the West Midlands to Manchester and divert cash to transport improvements across the country.

Network Rail is writing a business case for Tavistock, and will submit it this summer with a decision expected in the autumn.

It was standing-room only at Tavistock Town Hall for a public meeting organised by Britain Remade, a group lobbying for better infrastructure, more investment and new industry throughout the UK.

The group has chosen the rail project in Tavistock as one of its top priority campaigns.

The rail link is phase two of a bigger plan to get the whole of the northern route reinstated from Plymouth to Exeter, creating a second railway to the south west.

Phase one was the Dartmoor Line from Okehampton to Exeter, restored in November 2021, and hailed as a success.

Phase three and the final piece in the jigsaw is Tavistock to Okehampton, which is more complicated as it could involve building a new viaduct at Meldon or major repairs to the current one.

In February 2014 the region’s only rail line to the region along the South Devon coast was cut off for eight weeks when storms battered Dawlish.

Chairman of local campaign group Tavi-Rail Richard Searight said the South West economy lost £1 billion, roughly what it would cost to restore the entire northern line.

He said the inland route would be “more resilient” than the coastal one.

In the first two years of the Dartmoor Line, there were more than 550,000 passenger journeys, far exceeding expectations.

Mr Searight said it had been “magic” and he expected Tavistock to be every bit as popular and provide an economic boost to the town.

“We know there is tremendous support for this. We need our train back and we deserve it. When Beeching slashed 50 per cent of the railway network in the 1960s Tavistock was considered one of the worst 10 to be affected because of the damage it caused to our economy.

“It’s going to take five months to put in the track, but five years to do the paperwork. That time can be reduced, it’s ridiculous.”

He urged people to email their MPs, stick posters in their window and join the campaign to push it forward.

Land has been set aside at The Tors development on Callington

Road for the station and car park and planning permission granted by West Devon Borough Council.

Trains will run hourly to Plymouth, taking just over half an hour to do the trip, and no changes will be required. The service will not affect the Gunnislake to Plymouth ‘Tamar Valley Line’ which will remain a twohourly service. Signalling will be updated at Bere Alston.

Concerns were raised by members of the public that station car parking would be inadequate, as this was the case at Okehampton where passengers now park in residential streets.

A second station is being built on the edge of Okehampton to cater for the number of visitors and commuters.

A good shuttle bus service would be needed to take people to the station in Tavistock, as it is some distance from the town centre, said residents.

Some questioned why trains could not come into the former station near West Devon Borough Council’s offices at Kilworthy Park which is closer and has potential for more parking. They were told that the current option is “much less expensive”.

One resident said the money for the railway was political “scraps” and the project uneconomical, saying he would rather see the money spent on the NHS.

Most of the 220 people at the meeting raised their hand in support of the line.

Chairman of the chamber of commerce Tim Randell said the A386 from Tavistock to Plymouth is already under pressure from traffic and that 2,500 homes being built between the two locations at Woolwell is a good enough reason alone to build the railway.

Leader of West Devon Borough Council Mandy Ewings (Ind, Tavistock South West) said the Tavistock to Plymouth route is important to the town, but added: “My personal opinion is that the third phase of the line is the most important part in all of this as we need to get up north and going into Plymouth just to come out again adds more time to the journey.”

Sam Richards from Britain Remade said: “Tavistock is lucky that it has a brilliant campaign group in Tavi-Rail so we will be working closely with them to make sure voices are heard and the political heat remains in Westminster to get this done.”

It’s going to take five months to put in the track, but five years to do the paperwork. It’s ridiculous RICHARD SEARIGHT

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