Bude residents to be asked about new railway link

By Stephen_Blake | Wednesday, October 06, 2010, 16:23

Residents and businesses in Bude are to be asked their views in a survey to establish the demand for a new direct rail service from Okehampton to Exeter.

A new direct rail link from Okehampton to Exeter is now a real possibility.

Devon and Cornwall Railway Ltd, who own the private Dartmoor Line, are undertaking the feasibility study into the commercial viability of the project.

The plan would be to utilise the existing line, link it with main network, add a new station and car park near the A30 and gain a licence to enable the running of a direct service from Okehampton to Exeter.

This would enable passengers to go to work or shopping in Exeter without having to take their cars into the city centre, or connect with a fast train to Bristol or London. In addition, freight services could also utilise the new link.

Devon and Cornwall Railway Ltd has already applied to the Office or Rail Regulation for passenger and freight licences and is currently waiting to see if its application is successful.

According to the company, initial responses from across the area has been overwhelmingly positive in favour of the service.

If the application is successful the company is confident that the service could be running in the not too distant future.

It is planned to distribute the short survey to Bude within the next few weeks. If possible, BudePeople will also carry a copy that readers can download.

What do you think of these proposals, and would you use the service? Would you like to see the line extended to Holsworthy or even to Bude? You can post your thoughts in the 'Comments' box at the end of this story.

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Comments

Make it easier for everyone, keep our bit of cornwall as green as we can, any help with transport can surely only be a blessing for our community, our elderly can be more independent.our students may stay here when they have finished their education, it would bring more visitors - less cars. It would help the jobless and skint with more possibilities of work it would put Bude back on the Map. Hospital visits, travelling would be far more easier for the carless and the rest of the community wouldnt be as choked by fumes in the summer as they are now - a train link nearer than Okehampton is what is needed.

By mariayvonne at 18:40 on 29/12/10
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having just found this site and this page - Bude would certainly benefit by a better transport system, our youngsters would be able to get about more easily, our elderly residents wouldnt be so dependent if they had hospital appointments ect- visitors would have easier access and it may free our roads up a little in the summer - it would certainly make other forms of work available for the unemployed and skint in BUDE, and perhaps some of the young people we have educated here in Bude wouldnt be so eager to leave, perhaps Budes economy might even flourish. also - we live in a green and pleasant land - it aint so pleasant filled with vehicle fumes - how can we possibly be green when we have only cars to rely on ?

By mariayvonne at 18:32 on 29/12/10
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For work reasons I have to get the bus to Exeter and back about once a week, there is a real difference in the journey depending on whether you get the 599 or the x9, price being the major difference!

At an average of 2 hours per journey its not too bad and is probably just as fast as getting the bus to okehampton, waiting for the train then getting the train to exeter!

By Camelot Hotel - Hawkers Restaurant at 14:44 on 14/10/10
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Okehampton to Exeter is the easy part of the journey. The difficult part is Bude to Okehampton (bad roads) and I really do dread having to make this journey by public transport. About a year ago I travelled on a green bus to Exeter and I was almost sick. There was something wrong with the bus, faulty air springs perhaps causing it to ride on the bump stops. Every little divot in the road caused the vehicle to crash and bang. It was like being repeatedly kicked up the backside. More recently I travelled to Exeter on a double decker. Whilst the ride was "fair" I was still a bit queasy by the time I reached Okey. After Okey the ride was a doddle, the tough part is the first 28 miles. As to the train from Exeter it is usually excellent but beware if one has to change trains at Taunton as there are six platforms and misinformation can cost you an hour and a half (more actually as further waiting was required at Weston Super Mare) Bude to Okehampton s an awful grind even in a well sprung car. Tractors and trailers and dawdlers make the trip a real pain as compared to up-country the roads are fifty years out of date.

By Davey1000 at 01:39 on 14/10/10
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wish the transport links from/to Bude were better, espec considering low income families etc. v difficult trying to get out and about/in and out of Bude with no transport, not easy to get to Barnstaple/Bideford or possibly into Cornwall

By dizzygirlbude at 18:17 on 12/10/10
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