Railway Week: All Available Options

Bit of a rail theme this week as I attempt to catch up on some of the railway news from the last few weeks

A plan to reopen the train line from Tavistock to Plymouth as an alternative to the vulnerable Dawlish line is still under discussion, the Transport Secretary said today. The Transport Secretary has said “all the available options” will be examined in an effort to avoid another disaster on the Great Western coastal route at Dawlish

A report by Network Rail, which manages the tracks, appeared to rule out building an alternative or additional mainline railway in Devon because it lacked value for money.

But minister Patrick McLoughlin signalled a cross-country link remained on the table after being pressed by West Devon MP Geoffrey Cox in the House of Commons.

During Transport Questions in the Commons, Mr Cox, Conservative MP for Torridge and West Devon, said the area wanted the line through Okehampton to Tavistock and Plymouth to be re-opened and preferably electrified.

He asked: “Will he examine closely the compelling case for the reopening of the line via Okehampton on the grounds of cost and resilience and of the economic benefits that it would bring to a wide swathe of economic areas?”

Mr McLoughlin replied: “As we all saw last winter, resilience for the South West is incredibly important, and I am determined to look at all the available options.”

THE EVENING HERALD 24 OCTOBER 2014

In all reality this is a bit of a non-story as the minister is not committing to anything or ruling anything out. Nothing has changed. Nothing is happening!

Tim Peters (cc) The old line through Tavistock January 2010

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