It was a special day in Okehampton this morning (Wednesday) as the turf was cut for work to start on building the Okehampton Interchange station.
The £15 million station is the newest addition to the Dartmoor Line and will connect West Devon, Torridge and North Cornwall with Exeter and beyond. The scheme is being funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) with contributions from Devon County Council and West Devon Borough Council.
With a car park for 200 cars and space for bikes too, it is scheduled for completion by the spring of next year.
The partners in the project – Devon County Council, West Devon Borough Council, GWR and Network Rail – dodged the showers to mark the occasion with a turf cutting ceremony on the site at Okehampton Business Park.
The station close to the A30 junction is what one railway representative called “the last piece of the jigsaw” in bringing the full benefits of the railway not just to Okehampton but the wider area as well.
And with demand for trains on the Dartmoor Line outpacing all expectations since it opened just over three years ago, the station is sure to be well used to connect people to jobs and opportunities and bring more tourists to the area.
Okehampton Interchange will complement the existing Okehampton station and will serve the growing east side of the town, hopefully diverting traffic away from the town centre.
The new station, which is being delivered by Network Rail and its contractor, Octavius, will have a single platform with step-free access via a footbridge, lift and ramps. A car park will offer EV charging points and disabled bays among its 200 spaces.
The station will have sheltered cycle parking and bus stops. Several local bus services will be integrated, with the aim of improving travel choices and connectivity between Okehampton, Bude, Holsworthy, Tavistock and Exeter.
Councillor Mandy Ewings, leader of West Devon Borough Council, said she hoped the station would bring new opportunities for young people in particular.
“As always it’s a culmination of lots of hard work getting any project ready to open and this is just the beginning, but we’re delighted that we’re underway. Okehampton is a great place to live and work and with rapid improvements, it just keeps getting better!”
Councillor Lois Samuel, county councillor for Okehampton Rural, said: “I was delighted to be at this event today, it's such an exciting project for the town and all the surrounding areas. It's going to be a vital hub for so many people.”
Devon County Council chairman John Hart, who was at the ceremony, said: “It is excellent news that work is starting on this new station. We’ve already seen the positive benefits the Dartmoor Line has had for this part of the county and the Okehampton Interchange will make it convenient for even more passengers across West Devon, North Devon and North Cornwall to enjoy rail travel to other parts of the country and further afield.”
As the representatives from contractor Octavius explained, the first stage of the work involves shutting the Dartmoor Line from Saturday, March 8 to Friday, March 14 to straighten and relay the track to the right position for the platform. During this time, buses will replace trains between Exeter and Okehampton, dovetailing with work on the track in the Crediton area at the same time.
For more information see dartmoorline.com
