There are many challenges to overcome
“Hoops, hurdles and elephant traps” must be overcome to see the Bideford to Barnstaple rail link restored and that could be at least 13 years, Torridge councilors heard this week.
A meeting of the county council’s external audit and review committee was told that three multi-million pound business cases must be completed for the government to consider returning the phone and any time would raise a red flag for failure.
But campaign group Railfuture has been recommended by Network Rail that Bideford is the second of 23 stations in the west to meet the initial criteria for redundancies and is one of five studies being reviewed further.
Roger Blake, director of infrastructure and networks at Railfuture, said undoubtedly the first question raised by people was what would happen to the popular Tarka Trail walking and cycling route, used by around 600,000 people every year, which runs alongside the London and South Western Railway near the River Taw and Torridge.
He told the meeting there was “absolutely no interest” in destroying the Tarka Trail as a viable walking route, and the two could run in tandem so people could walk, cycle or train “uninterruptedly” between Bideford and Barnstaple. However, it can mean that another path has been diverted.
He said they were left with two business issues to make a clear plan and there are big challenges that need to be fixed apart from the fact that there is a sewage network that was built under the road since it was cut off.
The building itself would take three years but the preparatory work, research and studies would take at least ten, he said.
“There are engineering problems, some simple, some difficult and more if this thing is to continue to see the light of day and at any time it can get a red flag and everything will stop.
He said that the first business case will cost six figures, the second will cost another seven figures and the third will cost eight figures.
“We need to make this a ticket to an improved network pipeline. The playing field is full of hoops, hurdles and elephant traps everywhere.”
The meeting heard there is growing interest in rail travel and the Tarka Line between Barnstaple and Exeter has recorded its best ridership in any month of the past year.
Infrastructure improvements to improve capacity and increase train frequency and carriage numbers remain the focus of Railfuture’s work in North Devon.
Cllr Claire Hodson (Ind, Westward Ho!) said she was concerned about the “astronomical” cost of restoring the Bideford link as it would mean diverting the pipeline.
He highlighted the challenges of dealing with South-West Water, which already “had to keep the books in order” on all sewage and water quality issues, and the Environment Agency on flood protection.
“These are two important groups that can influence your project,” he said. “Personally, the idea of traveling by train is great but there are a lot of buts at the moment”.
He said he had a film of his grandfather arriving in Bideford on a steam train… but the romantic scene was part of the town’s history: “I don’t know if it’s part of our future,” he added.
Cllr Huw Thomas (Green, Bideford East) said the beauty of the Tarka Trail was that it was a traffic-free route and having a train next to it would spoil that.
He added that he did not see how it would work in the Instow area as it would mean closing roads and trying to get permission from the MOD.
Other councilors have praised Mr Blake and Devon and Cornwall Railfuture branch chairman Tim Steer for their work in getting the rail link project through to the first business case. Torridge District Council is the only group that has invested in research into the economic impact of the telephone so far.
Mr Blake said he did not know who had the “deep pockets” to support the project at this stage but added that the Okehampton to Exeter (Dartmoor) line proved that rail travel was viable.
Passenger services resumed there in 2021 after a 50-year hiatus and did not require public assistance after only two years of operation as it covered its own operating costs.
“The population of Okehampton is a third of the population of the greater Bideford area,” he said.
“If this wasn’t hope we would have told you to keep your money in your pocket, there is a real sense of relief among more and more people that these problems can be overcome.”
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