New £15m Devon business park station moves forward

Plans to construct a new £15m railway station at a business park in Devon have moved forward at a cabinet meeting. Opening year demand of 164,000 passengers is anticipated.Devon County Council’s cabinet has approved the construction of a new railway station with walking, cycling and public transport improvements and a station car park at Okehampton Business Park. It has been backed within the Levelling Up Funding cost envelope of £14.95m, subject to securing the necessary planning consent and resolution of recommendations.The station would have step-free access, improved cycle links, bus stop infrastructure and a car park with EV charging points and disabled parking bays.The project will be funded through the Government’s Levelling Up Fund programme, with match funding from Devon County Council and West Devon Borough Council.Cabinet also approved the appropriation of land at the business park, with it also backing delegated powers to be given to the director of climate change, environment and transport to negotiate and authorise any compensation payments, which may be required.Members also resolved that the director be given delegated authority, in consultation with the relevant cabinet and local member, to make minor amendments to the scheme design.The new station seeks to build upon the success of the Dartmoor Line reopening in November 2021. This runs hourly frequency trains daily between Okehampton, Crediton and Exeter.It has seen patronage far exceed business case predictions in its business case with more than 250,000 passengers using the line in its first year.According to a report considered by cbainet, the Levelling Up Fund Business Case submission anticipates opening year demand of approximately 164,000 passengers using the new Interchange station.The scheme itself would provide a single, 100m long, 3.3m wide platform offering an hourly frequency service to Crediton and Exeter in one direction and an hourly frequency to Okehampton Town Station in the other.The proposed station works will be submitted by Network Rail to West Devon Borough Council under a prior approval application.