DEVON County Council, along with its partners West Devon Borough Council, Kilbride Community Rail and Bovis Homes, is planning to re-open the five-and-a-half mile railway line between Tavistock and Bere Alston.

Although no definite decision has yet been made, it could mean a railway service could be in place as early as 2016.

With the initial costs being estimated at £18.5-million, the monies for this scheme depend on whether house builder Bovis is permitted to build 750 homes on fields at Monksmead.

The re-opening of this section of line, says the county council, would provide a new, sustainable link between Tavistock and Plymouth for commuter journeys, help to minimise traffic on the A386, link Tavistock to the national rail network and also provide an alternative travel option for leisure, education and retail journeys.

Detractors say that although they welcome the railway, 750 houses built on the edge of town would be a high price to pay, and it could cause congestion on the town's roads.

Devon County Council last week ran a series of transport 'consultations' at Tavistock Pannier Market, Tavistock Town Hall, Bere Alston Station and Bere Alston Village Hall.

The Times went to Tavistock Pannier Market to ask people visiting the consultation their views on the plan.

Norma Woodcock, a former mayor of Tavistock and who lives in the town, said: 'Since the railway was closed in 1968 so many jobs have moved out of Plymouth city centre into industrial estates. Where before, many were catching a train to go to work at Devonport Dockyard, there are just not the numbers working there as before.

'Economically I just cannot see the railway working. Neither will the rail link be any good for people working or using Derriford Hospital.

'We have an excellent bus service from Tavistock to Plymouth and there is also a very efficient park and ride scheme from the George into the city centre.

'With these proposals the station is in the wrong place and most people in Tavistock would have difficulty walking or getting to and from the station.

'If people are going to come into Tavistock they need to be assured and confident of finding a car parking place. The developers should spent this money not on the railway but in more creative ways such as building a decent multi-story car park for the town.'

Rachel Hurley from Bere Alston said: 'I've lived in Bere Alston since 1974 and it's been talked about for years. I don't understand why they just don't get on with it.

'I can see it would be used greatly by people working in Plymouth or going to school and any train service, I think, will complement the buses.

'It just depends on how much the train costs compared to the buses. It's cheap going from Bere Alston to Plymouth on the train, which is cheaper than catching the bus from Bere Alston to Tavistock.'

Robert Barrett from Gunnislake said: 'They should bring it back and I think it will come back but I don't know about the number of houses which have to be built at Monksmead. It depends on the number of affordable homes.

'It is something that is needed in Tavistock and it will bring more people in but where's the money going to come from?'

Mr Barrett, who remembers the old raliway service, added: 'I use the Gunninslake to Plymouth train and I think it's important to have rail links with Plymouth from Tavistock, providing in doing so it does not downgrade or put at risk the train services to the Tamar Valley line.

Lee Hacking from Monksmead said: 'Why don't they just get on with it?

'I love railways and think having the rail line is a good thing. The fields in Monksmead are not being used anyway so why not have housing there?'

Meg Parker, who lives with her husband George in Abbotsfield Crescent, Tavistock, said: 'I think having a rail station off the Callington Road is not the place for it unless they make sure there is cheap parking.

'The streets in Abbotsfield, Uplands and Monksmead will be filled with cars and I can't see them providing free parking at the new station. Also the roads are just too narrow for that traffic.'

Sarah Berry from Greenlands, Tavistock, said: 'I am totally in favour of an environmentally friendly transport but we have to be realistic. You have to be practical and at the very least have a good service be integrated with the trains coming and going.

'It also has to be easy to get tothe station and if you live in Tavistock journey times to Plymouth must be more attractive than quicker than going by road.'

David Crofton from Tavistock said: 'Nobody can object to building housing in this day and age but I don't want the developer to build the houses and fail to provide the railway line, primary school, shops and car parking, which I think should come first before the housing.'

Graham Kirkpatrick, who lives in Parkwood Road, Tavistock, said: 'It's a very good idea to have the railway and a station, provided it has adequate infrastructure and road connections.'