AN ambitious project to restore the five-and-a-half mile railway branch line from Bere Alston to Tavistock could be completed within the next six years, it was claimed at a lecture last week.

Matt Barnes, a transport planning officer for Devon County Council, was invited by the Devon and Cornwall branch of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, to talk on the proposals at a meeting at Plymouth University.

Devon County Council, West Devon Borough Council, the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership are backing plans for the £18-million plus project. Originally they worked with transport facilitator Kilbride, but latterly with housebuilder Bovis Homes. Bovis are seeking permission to build 750 homes off Callington Road, in exchange for providing funds to cover the cost of the railway line restoration.

Mr Barnes said that Devon County Council had acquired more than 50% of the land needed and negotiations were taking place with landowners for the rest. For those who did not wish to sell a development consent order (DCO) could be made, to include rights to compulsorily purchase land if required.

Environment Impact Assessments had been made to study the effects on the ecology and the landscape, noise and wildlife as well mine investigation works.

The plans are for a single track from Bere Alston to Tavistock with a new station at Monksmead. He described the proposed line as a 'rollercoaster of a track' with some sharp inclines.

Mr Barnes said the new service would mean alterations to Bere Alston station and a regular service between Tavistock and Plymouth, hopefully hourly. It would initially be a one class, 150 person unit, consising of two coaches.

Engineering inspections and assessments had been made along 23 bridges and culverts, 14 embankments and cuttings, the Shilla Mill Tunnel viaducts.

He said: 'The viaducts will be able to carry the trains. If they didn't the project would be dead!'

He said the tunnel was 'in pretty good condition' but one iron bridge needed to be replaced.

The county council had cmpleted costings for a cycle way along the cuttings, but falling rocks would demand a huge amount of netting to ensure safety for cyclists.

He said the Bere Alston embankment needed replacing but apart from that the rail route was 'basically there'.

The timetable for the works will see continued assessment and design work of the railway in 2014; by early 2015 Devon County Council will seek powers for a DCO, if necessary, and that 'procurement and delivery' would be in place between 2016 and 2020.

Mr Barnes said that capital funding for the project would come from Government in terms of subsidies, but negotiations with Bovis over funding had not yet been concluded. Maintenance of the line itself would be the responsibility of Network Rail.

Mr Barnes said the initial estimate for the project was £17-million, but it could be as much as £26-million.

Mr Barnes said under the approved Local Transport Plan and Local Development Framework, the Bere Alston to Tavistock railway line would be a high level scheme and part of the critical infrastructure needed by the town to help support the extra housing. The railway initiative is part of the plan to help stimulate economic growth in the area.

After the presentation, Richard Burningham, the manager of the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, told the Times: 'If anyone was in any doubt, this presentation showed just how determined Devon County Council are and the sheer level of detail involved in making the aspiration a reality.

'I am sure it is a question of not if, but when trains return to Tavistock. I am also sure that when this happens, it will be a great success not just for Tavistock but also for passengers on today's Tamar Valley Line, the survival of which in the 1960s is the only reason we are now in a position to anticipate Tavistock's rail reopening.'

Audience member John Skinner from Bere Alston backed the proposals for the rejuvenation of the line and said although a car owner he would use the train service to go into Plymouth.

He told the Times: 'I would love to see it and think it would be brilliant for Tavistock. In the long term I think will be value for money.'