ASSURANCES are being sought that the Tamar Valley train line service from Gunnislake to Plymouth will not deteriorate should the Tavistock to Bere Alston link be re-opened in the future.

Calstock Parish Council is to call for a public meeting so that the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership can talk to local residents about how the changes would impact on the line.

Parish councillor Ian Kirk, who is a member of the Tamar Valley Line Forum, said there were several logistical issues to iron out but it was of vital importance that if Tavistock did become a popular service to Plymouth it should not be to the detriment of Gunnislake and Calstock stations.

If the new link goes ahead, passengers from Gunnislake and Calstock will change trains at Bere Alston to connect with the service from Tavistock to Plymouth. There will be a two-hourly shuttle train service from Gunnislake.

Cllr Kirk said he was concerned that with the lack of rolling stock nationally the number of carriages earmarked for these services would not be enough.

'Currently there is an acute shortage of rolling stock. Tavistock is expected to have a double carriage and Gunnislake a double or single carriage. The Gunnislake to Plymouth train does get busy in the mornings with people going to work and school and if Tavistock becomes a popular service people could be fighting to get on.

'There are times now when the train is dangerously overcrowded when there is only a single carriage. It's fine on six of the nine trains but it is the busy times I am concerned about.'

Cllr Kirk said there was talk of running an hourly service from Tavistock to Plymouth but that was not feasible as the train took more than half an hour to get to Plymouth from Gunnislake and it was only a single track line.

'My main concern is that if Tavistock really takes off and gets a commuter service, it would be really tempting to say do we really need the Calstock and Gunnislake branch? There would be a small minority of passengers coming from Gunnislake compared to Tavistock and they would save a lot of money by closing it down.

'I know it is a long way off but I think it is important that we fight to retain a good service here. I am the only representative from Cornwall on the Tamar Valley Line forum and I would like to see more people representing the Cornish side of the line.'

He said that this line was one of very few branch lines not axed in the Beeching era because the bus links to Plymouth were poor, unlike Tavistock which had something like three buses an hour. It was within the ten most improved branch lines in the country in terms of usage.

Manager of the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership Richard Burningham said everyone in the partnership had fought for a long time to make sure the Tamar Valley line was the best possible service it could be.

'That's not just Bere Alston to Plymouth but Calstock and Gunnislake as well,' he said. 'Gunnislake is the best station on the line in passenger terms so we are aiming for the best solution for the existing line should there be a Tavistock extension.

'All these issues are being looked at at the moment, including how enough space will be provided during peak times.'