A RALLYING call was made to a public meeting last night (Wednesday) to ensure the promised five-mile £150m rail link from Tavistock to Bere Alston will go ahead.
More than 200 people packed into Tavistock Town Hall to hear speakers promote the long-awaited reopened link which is promised funding by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, despite widespread scepticism by the audience who have heard similar promises for years.
The meeting was told the new track could be laid by 2029 at the latest (ultimately linking Tavistock with Plymouth as an hourly service) using funding from the HS2 line, kicked off by a bid by Network Rail and Devon County Council which will be submitted to the Treasury for signing off.
The issue has now become more political and its profile heightened by the meeting being called by new cross-party lobby group Britain Remade, headed by Sam Richards.
He said: “We’re campaigning for crucial infrastructure across the country to be built speedily, including housing and transport, to kickstart our economy. Improving the rail links for the South West is one of the most important transport challenges and the Tavistock link to Plymouth via Bere Alston is the start. It’s all good for the environment and reduces congestion on the A386.”
On the meeting panel were Isabel Saxby (Labour Parliamentary candidate for Torridge and Tavistock), Richard Searight (TavyRail campaigner), Tim Randell (Chair of Tavistock and District Chamber of Commerce) and Cllr Mandy Ewings (West Devon Borough Council leader).
The meeting was told the Tavistock link, promoted as an easy route to Plymouth was likely to involve a change of trains at St Budeaux in west Plymouth. However, Richard Burningham, manager of the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership (a non-profit organisation between the the rail industry, Plymouth University and local authorities to promote local railways), later said this was not true: “The reopening plans include hourly direct trains between Plymouth and Tavistock which would take just over half an hour to do the trip. Plymouth - Gunnislake trains would remain much as now - running every two hours and direct, no change required.”
Richard Searight told the meeting said: “Reinstating the Tavistock rail link is very important as phase two of our campaign to connect West Devon by railway. Phase three is relaying the line from Tavistock to Okehampton and the hugely successful new from Okehampton to London.
“It’s full steam ahead now for this. It will go ahead, but needs your support to show how much you need it and care. So, join the Tavy Rail and send emails to your MP and lobby Network Rail and Great Western. People power is going to make sure those in power take notice and make sure this happens.”