Diverted HS2 cash to go towards Devon rail upgrades

MPs, council leaders and rail campaigners across Devon have welcomed government investment in the county's rail services.

The £6.5 billion for transport and road improvements across the South West will see the Tavistock to Bere Alston line reopened, new stations at Cullompton and Wellington, plus a raft of other measures.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cancelled the planned construction of the northern section of the high-speed railway from Birmingham to Manchester. The government says funds will be redirected to focus on "greater frequency and quality of transport infrastructure across the whole country".

This is a significant boon for West Devon after a long-running campaign to get a line reinstated from Tavistock to Plymouth, via Bere Alston, for the first time in nearly 60 years.

It follows millions of pounds of investment in the borough to reinstate services from Okehampton to Exeter two years ago and a proposed second station on the edge of Okehampton to cater for commuters from across West Devon and North Cornwall.

At a cost of £40 million, this 'Dartmoor Line' saw a quarter of a million passenger journeys in the first 12 months since its reopening at the end of 2021. 

Rail supporters have a further piece of the infrastructure jigsaw to campaign for – a rail link from Tavistock to Okehampton. This would create the full northern route from Plymouth to Exeter and an alternative to the southern coast line through Dawlish which is volatile in heavy storms.

Some of the £6.5 billion for the South West will be spent on making the rail route between Exeter and Plymouth via Dawlish more resilient, new road schemes and road surfacing to combat potholes. A £2 bus fare will also be extended to December 2024.