ON Sunday, I joined two full coaches of people travelling to Exeter and beyond by train.

Before getting aboard we had to wait while many people alighted with rucksacks and bicycles to explore our town and its many footpaths and cycle tracks — maybe to eat in the cafes and restaurants and visit the shops too!

How wonderful it would be to access this service on a daily basis — after all the track and station exist. 

We travelled onwards to Teignmouth and had a lovely day on the coast.

We could not have driven there and parked for four hours for the cost of the railfare!

It is such a validation of this service to see it so well used on a Sunday both incoming and outgoing. After all, most of us have been to Meldon!

We need to access proper train services to other places in the UK and beyond.  

This line should form part of the Devon Metro for 2017, we need local people to contact Mel Stride to help persuade DCC and First Great Western that this service is greatly appreciated by locals and visitors and more trains on a daily basis to enable commuting would be even better!

Jan Goffey

Okehampton