THE prospect of a daily rail service from Okehampton to Exeter could be permanently lost to the area, Dartmoor Railway has warned.
Dartmoor Railway says a new parkway station to the east of Okehampton would be necessary to support a daily train service, but this site could soon be lost and with it the hopes of a daily commuter service to Exeter.
John Love, marketing manager at Dartmoor Railway, said: ?Construction of a parkway station close to the A30 and new housing development east of Okehampton is essential for any future daily train service to be sustainable.
?Due to the potential site near the existing industrial estate not being zoned for use as a station, the site will shortly become available for development. If this site is lost for rail use, it is highly unlikely that any daily passenger service to Exeter will be achievable in the next 10-20 years.?
Mr Love said he felt there really was not another site in Okehampton which would be suitable for a parkway station.
The existing station site at Okehampton had neither a suitable location nor sufficient parking to support a daily train service to Exeter.
?The opportunities for us once we have the railway running to Exeter are of key importance not just to Okehampton but the whole area,? he said.
Mr Love said a daily link would allow commuters to travel to Exeter quickly without facing the traffic problems and would reduce pollution.
?For commuters, it has strong benefits,? he added.
Mr Love said a daily link to Exeter would also open up the possibility of London travel and attract people from a wide area to use Okehampton.
He said the current owner of the land in question was keen to cooperate in providing sufficient land for a parkway station. However, the owner required a financial commitment in order to set aside the land for public transport use.
Unless purchase of this land can be achieved soon, the idea of a station at Okehampton East and a daily commuter service to Exeter may have to be shelved, warned Mr Love.
The local plan which sets out West Devon Borough Council?s vision for development and use of land in the next ten years did not identify a specific site for a station in Okehampton, which led to Dartmoor Railway making written representations to the Local Plan Inquiry held earlier this year.
Dartmoor Railway has launched a campaign for the support of local residents who believe the option should be kept open for a station at Okehampton East.
Dartmoor Railway is suggesting supporters contact their town, parish, borough and county councillors to make their views known.
Mr Love has appealed to people to visit Dartmoor Railway?s stall at Okehampton Show next Thursday, (August 14) to see station plans, discuss the issues and register their support for a daily rail service to Exeter. People can also support the project by joining the Friends of Dartmoor Railway.
At present a Sunday service runs between Okehampton and Exeter, but Dartmoor Railway believe with the new housing planned for Okehampton, there would be enough demand for a daily service.