By Gerard Duddridge

January 2009

Passenger numbers on the 11¼ mile Exmouth to Exeter railway continues to grow, with a mix of commuters, shoppers, tourists, and those making main line connections at Exeter. The proximity of Exeter's Central station to the High street is a factor which favours this local rail service, as does the frequent half-hourly service. The opening of Digby & Sowton station in 1995 has also helped the line, as it serves Exeter's Sowton industrial estate and a new housing development nearby.

This leads to the idea of an EXETER & TORBAY METRO TRAIN SERVICE. This would market all existing train services running via Exeter Central station, increase the frequency where and when justified, reopen stations, and restore selected feeder lines. The Metro proposal was first published in March 2000 in a report under our Railway Development Society name entitled: “SOUTH WEST RAIL STRATEGY: A DISCUSSION DOCUMENT.”

Since then the Devon Local Transport Plan 2006-2011 has made a reference to the Metro idea, "Local train services are becoming increasingly important and make a significant contribution to the congestion strategy. The 'Devon Metro' initiative to link the Exmouth, Paignton and Barnstaple services into Exeter with a clock-face timetable has improved cross-Exeter services, increasing employment opportunities and significantly enhanced accessibility to the Sowton Industrial Estate."

As part of the new, and as yet to be adopted Regional Spatial Strategy, Pt 5 of the REGIONAL APPROACH TO TRANSPORT refers to " Development of the heavy rail network in Exeter, Greater Bristol, Bournemouth/Poole and Plymouth to provide for local and commuter journeys, and to deliver spatial growth and congestion targets." (paragraph 5.2.6)

The population contours of density, based on parish and ward data, show that it is possible to broadly identify the built up zones where the settlements are close together. The contours have the advantage of linking equal areas of population and so tend to indicate local transport corridors. The results should always be interpreted with care, and alongside the appropriate Ordnance Survey map, since the contours sometimes appear to show non-existent 'urban areas'.

The map shows that the Exmouth to Torbay route links some of the most populated parts of Devon. If it was enhanced with new stations such as Kingskerswell and a feeder bus link to Brixham, it would serve 340,000 people. This represents about 31% of Devon's I million population (total including Plymouth and Torbay).

The other stations within the map area such as Honiton and Crediton (excluding the private railways) serve a further 29,500 Devon residents. New stations such as Cullompton and Willand and a reopened rail link to Tiverton would add another 33,000 Devon residents to the local railway network. A reopened station at Wellington, Somerset would benefit a further 12,800 people and is supported by Taunton Deane District Council.

Eight numbered routes each giving an hourly service are shown on the full Metro map below.

Service 1 Torbay to Plymouth. This would stop at all existing stations between Torbay and Plymouth, and proposed new ones at Torbay Hospital, Kingskerswell, South Brent and Plympton. From Plymouth some trains would continue to Devonport and Cornwall. Goodrington could be developed as a park and ride station for Brixham, using a separate platform from the private Paignton & Dartmouth Railway. A bus link from Goodrington to Brixham has been suggested because there are problems in extending a frequent train service any further south.

Service 2 and 3 Torbay to Exmouth via Exeter. Together with service 1, this could provide trains every 20 minutes between Goodrington and Newton Abbot. New stations would be opened at Bishopsteignton and Exminster. Exeter St. Thomas station would be upgraded as an interchange point, with country bus routes and City bus routes A, E, F and P. Staffing and disabled access would be provided. From Exeter the trains would run every half hour to Exmouth, and all would call at Polsloe.

Service 4 and 5 Crediton to Exeter and Honiton. A half hourly service from Exeter to Crediton and Honiton. Service 4 would continue west of Exeter to Okehampton and on to Plymouth via Tavistock (following re-opening). Service 5 would continue to Barnstaple and over restored track to Bideford.

A new passing loop would be needed around Whimple. Some additional track to extend the existing double line west of Yeovil Junction would enable the trains to run up to half hourly from Exeter to Yeovil Junction. Then half hourly to Waterloo at busy times, and perhaps also Bournemouth via Dorchester.

To retain the current level of through-trains from Waterloo to Paignton, some trains could be split at Exeter St. David's to serve both Torbay and North Devon. Alternatively, all hourly Waterloo to Exeter trains could run to Torbay in place of one of the Exmouth line 2 or 3 trains.

Service 6 and 7 Exeter to Taunton. This would start from Digby & Sowton station on the edge of Exeter and continue to Taunton. Together with service 2 and 3, the new trains could provide 4 journeys per hour from Digby & Sowton to Exeter. About one mile of track would need to be re-doubled near Polsloe. Digby station would be staffed and upgraded for good disabled access.

North of Exeter, the trains would serve a new Park and Ride station at Cullompton (population 7,700), convenient for the nearby M5 motorway junction. A station at Cullompton is mentioned in the County Structure Plan. New stations would be opened at Willand (population 2,600) which is the closed Tiverton Junction station, and at Wellington in Somerset (population 12,800). The railway would be rebuilt into Tiverton (population 18,300), giving the town an hourly service to Taunton, Exeter and Digby & Sowton. Additional connections to Exeter would be possible via Willand. The direct journey time from Tiverton to Exeter Central would take less than 25 minutes.

A further option would be to stop some trains at re-opened stations at Stoke Canon or Bradninch, but not both as it would slow the service too much. Stoke Canon would be the more useful of the two for times when the line is flooded at Stafford Bridge near Exeter, because a bus shuttle service would take about 8 minutes between Stoke Canon and Exeter St. Davids, compared to a minimum 35 minutes from Tiverton Parkway.

Service 8 East Devon. Services could be developed at a later date to serve Ottery St. Mary and the proposed new town east of Exeter. It would run from a new short bay platform at Exeter St. Davids. A further development would be the extension of the line to Sidmouth, but unfortunately the trackbed is becoming more obstructed by recent housing developments.

Elsewhere in Devon there is potential for new rail services on reopened lines to Okehampton, Tavistock and Bideford, and some use of private lines. A reopened station at Plympton and good bus links within Plymouth are needed to improve access to the railway there. If all the developments mentioned here took place, then two thirds of Devon residents (737,000 people) would be just a short walk or bus ride away from a frequent local rail service.

Produced by Railfuture Devon and Cornwall

Email:d&c@railfuture-sw.co.uk

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