I WAS pleased to read in the Times that the public would be given the chance to comment on the proposed extended railway line and the building of 750 new houses on the outskirts of our town.

The small stall in the Pannier Market was disappointing — lots of pretty pictures of cycle tracks and views from the train into Plymouth, but where was the information about the houses? Nothing at all on the display boards and just three lines in a two-page brochure about Tavistock to Bere Alston railway. I understand that the railway depends on the houses.

This is a unique unspoiled town, loved by its locals and visited from miles around, and I do not mean just holiday makers.

A thousand new people living here would need schools, surgeries, shops, car parks, entertainment and jobs. I am sure the occupiers of the houses will not all jump on the train to Plymouth.

I like bicycles and trains but this cost is too high.

Doreen Atkinson

Milton Abbot

CAN I express my complete agreement with the opinion of Norma Woodcock, expressed in last week's Times. I am an enormous supporter of rail travel in principle, but a railway link whose termini are located significant distances from where people live or work will always be a white elephant.

Will people walk to the new Tavistock railway station? No, and there seems insufficient parking for commuters, and even this will no doubt be charged at exorbitant daily rates.

Plymouth Station itself is nowhere near Derriford Hospital or many places of employment in Plymouth. Shoppers would far rather use the park and ride service than walk with heavily laden bags a mile or so from Drake's Circus. The service is almost certain to be considerably less frequent than the current 85 bus service. £18.5-million could be so much more usefully spent.

I wholeheartedly agree with the idea to put a deck on Meadowlands car park. This would double car parking near the town centre without the necessity to increase charges to pay for it; indeed increased capacity should allow the council to reduce car parking charges, encouraging more people to use public car parks, reducing congestion in residential streets and increasing footfall in town centre shops.

There is an opportunity here to bring a real dividend to Tavistock, but unrealistic and fanciful projects are not the way forward.

Hugh Walkington

Glanville Road

Tavistock