WEST Devon Borough Council has resolved to write to the Government to demand a date for the return of an Exeter to Okehampton rail service ‘as a matter of urgency’.

Councillors unanimously backed Okehampton borough councillor Julie Yelland’s motion to write to the secretary of state for transport Grant Shapps asking to him to ‘set and announce a date’.

Cllr Yelland, who is also an Okehampton town councillor and the town’s mayor, said: ‘I would like to highlight that the reason I’m asking for members’ support today is because of the tremendous amount of work that has been carried out over the years to get a regional commuter service to Exeter reinstated.

‘We have just been waiting for the date of implementation to be set and announced.

‘I believe things are happening to bring the service back. However, I believe it is important to keep that pressure up so that it actually happens.

‘I do believe that once we get the railway from Exeter to Okehampton up and running, other parts of the rail network will follow.’

Cllr Yelland said she ‘wanted to reassure’ fellow councillors that the fact that Dartmoor Railway, the heritage rail company based at Okehampton Station, had gone into administration in recent weeks would not affect the reinstatement of a mainline service ‘because they don’t own any of the assets in Okehampton’.

She added: ‘We have spoken to the Dartmoor Railway Supporters’ Association who provide the rolling stock and the staffing for the seasonal services and they have said they would welcome any reintroduction of the service to Exeter.’

She said it was important to make the case now to new Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Government.

Recent announcements from the Government of £500-million on reversing the Beeching cuts of the 1960s have made no mention of Okehampton, whose own passenger service was cut in 1972.

This is despite specific mention within Mr Johnson’s announcments of plans to reinstate several branchlines in the north of England, where some voters backed the Conservatives for the first time in the general election in December.

‘With a change of MPs in Westminster and pressure from various other parts of the country to reinstate their service, it is essential that we get a date for the Exeter to Okehampton line both for the social and environemental benefits the line will bring,’ said Cllr Yelland.

‘It is essential that West Devon’s voice is heard loud and clear by MPs and the Government.’

Her suggestion at WDBC’s meeting on Tuesday was backed by fellow Okehampton borough councillors.

Cllr Mike Davies, former chairman of campaign group OkeRail, said that in all the talk from the Government on money to reverse rail cuts, he was ‘a bit disappointed that no money was mentioned for Okehampton to Exeter, and that nothing has actually happened’.

‘I think we as a council have got to keep the pressure up. The more we can do to get cars off the road the better. It would be good to send a copy of this letter to our local MPs,’ he added.

‘I think the PM wants to keep his MPs happy in the north but needs to be reminded that a lot of his MPs are actually in the South West of England. We as a council need to keep pushing for a return of the railway so we are linked to the rest of the country.’

Cllr Ric Cheadle, who represents the Buckland Monachorum ward, said he supported the motion although he wanted to see councillors keep alive the long-term hope of reinstating the line between Tavistock and Bere Alston.

‘I know this isn’t the time to be petitioning the PM for the Tavistock link but let’s not forget this is an important part of the agenda as well and when the time is right the council needs to push that agenda,’ he said.

Cllr Terry Pearce, who represents the Mary Tavy ward, said ‘I think it is a very important motion because anyone who has ever gone into Exeter by car first thing in the morning will know you start queuing on the A30 to get into Marsh Barton and Exeter city centre because of the traffic congestion.

‘Cllr Kevin Ball, who is a county and borough councillor for Okehampton and is part of campaign group OkeRail, said the railway would boost the economy of the whole area.

‘This isn’t just about West Devon, it is also about the whole of north Cornwall and south Torridge, the commuter area for people who would use Okehampton as a railhead into Exeter is quite a large area.’ he said.