CONGRATULATIONS to Ann Keelan on bringing more common sense to the question of reopening the Tavistock-Bere Alston rail link than has been shown in the many acres of print on the matter.
She makes the fundamental case absolutely clear – there is no business case for spending the capital sum indicated – at present £18-million – and incurring the substantially greater running costs of an adequately improved timetable.
These costs would including the absorption of the present unsustainable subsidy on the Gunnislake-Plymouth line, and the meeting of increased maintenance and operating charges which would require something approaching three or four times the current passenger load at full undiscounted fares.
It is significant that she made no mention of Kirkbride's offer of funding the reopening. I have previously pointed out that the offer of such in return for planning consent on 750 unwanted and unnecessary houses (probably at present unsaleable) is simply ludicrous.
If the planning authority were to give such consent, it would be a gross breach of duty to the community. The debate on the rail line must take place purely on the viability of a realistic business plan. Such a plan has hitherto been absent from the debate.
Geoffrey M Stowell
The Down
Bere Alston