A PROPOSAL to shelve any re-opening of the Okehampton to Tavistock rail link, by the county council's environment director, was strongly criticised by councillors at a meeting in Okehampton last week.
Edward Chorlton's report to West Devon partnership committee stated that the cost of re-instating the route was likely to be 'very high' and diverting funds to this link would reduce resources away from developing and maintaining the present Exeter to Plymouth route.
'Investment into new or reinstatement of former rail routes need to demonstrate significant positive cost benefits. With the size of population on the suggested second route, this is unlikely to be achieved,' the report stated.
Mr Chorlton's recommendation was that the rail network in the county was best served by supporting the existing line between Plymouth and Exeter.
His report was made after the partnership committee expressed the view that the Okehampton to Tavistock link should be considered as a 'serious proposal' as an alternative to the South coast route.
Cllr Dick Eberlie, ward member for Tavistock, said the report made him 'angry'.
He said: 'This committee made a firm recommendation and the county environment director asks us to abandon what we have said. We are here to make recommendations on behalf of the people — or we might as well go home.'
Cllr Eberlie said the line, if it was re-opened, would be an 'enormous relief' for roads in West Devon and Dartmoor in 20 years' time.
North Tawton Cllr Nick Morgan said European funds were coming into the area and a decent transport infrastructure was vital to support new projects.
'Let's look at it — it's not only passenger, it's freight as well, you have to get rid of products, you can't keep putting them on the road,' he said.
And Cllr Peter Hill, ward member for Chagford, was concerned the report was 'very negative'.
West Devon mayor Cllr Robin Pike said the priority should be the full time opening of the Okehampton to Exeter rail link for passengers and freight, and the re-opening of the Tavistock to Bere Alston line.
The Okehampton-Tavistock link should be left 'on the burner' as a possible long-term option for the future, said Cllr Pike.
But county councillor Bill Cann was concerned about the cost of re-instating the Okehampton to Tavistock line.
'The county council already has enough money to find for everything else. If we are going to talk about pie-in-the-sky ideas, I would like to know where the money's coming from,' he said.
David Incoll, chief executive of West Devon Borough Council, revealed the South West Regional Assembly, at which West Devon is represented, has asked for a 'desk-top study' to be carried out into the feasibility of reinstating the Bere Alston to Meldon rail track.
It could be carried out as part of the South West and South Wales Multi-modal study into transport routes into the South West.
Mr Incoll added: 'The interesting thing is that the route over Dartmoor from Exeter to Plymouth wasn't ever actually recommended for closure by Beeching.'
The committee noted the report of the county's environment director and welcomed 'with pleasure' the request by the Regional Assembly for a feasibility study into rail track reinstatement between Okehampton and Bere Alston.