I READ Cllr Kevin Ball's response letter published last week with amusement, particularly the line 'for me the choice is obvious'.

For those who did not see my initial letter my opening point was in favour of keeping the granite way for walkers and cyclists and then went on to challenge the viability of this proposed rail route.

Having lived in Okehampton I have myself used the Sunday rail service in the summer to Exeter but by regular service I meant of course more than just that. A daily service there throughout the year is what has been discussed for several years. The 'up to £700-million' cost I quoted for the Okehampton line option was taken from various articles I have read including a BBC report following a Network Rail briefing, which also quoted a minimum of £500.

As I stated the extra 30 minutes travelling time was quoted on a BBC report but if its really is only a matter of ten minutes more then that obviously would be acceptable to most people I would agree.

Mr Ball referred to over 100,000 people being given access to this northern route. Not sure how this figure is arrived at but presumably by adding the approx. 55,000 population of West Devon to other areas like North East Cornwall etc. Assume he is aware that many people in North Devon already have access to Exeter by way of the existing Barnstaple line. I used the 150,000 population figure by simply adding people living  in railway station towns already served via the existing Exeter-Newton Abbot- Plymouth route plus Torbay branch. Most of this number would live within four miles reach of one of these stations. If you want to use population of South Devon area as potential users then simply just adding Teignbridge, Torbay and South Hams population as quoted on Devon County website gives in excess of 330,000 people!  

The one question I would ask is, if the Dawlish line was to fail again for many weeks or unfortunately deemed unsustainable to retain, would this higher percentage of rail travellers accept reverting back to bus connections again or be prepared to change at Plymouth and travel back eastward to reach the latter mentioned destinations?

Rail travel needs to be affordable to as many people as possible to make it fully viable. But consider also the following: For people who live in what Mr Ball termed isolated areas, most will first need a car just to reach Okehampton or Tavistock and it will be interesting to know how many car owners living relatively long distances away in the countryside would still find car plus rail (not to mention possible car parking issues at town stations) the most cost effective and practical combination to reach their final destination.

This is particularly questionable when two or more travellers are concerned.  Furthermore, what about all those potential rural users without access to a car and in some cases without a bus service anymore to get to these stations in the first place?

All these factors need to be taken into account by all concerned and that a full economic assessment will be undertaken by Network Rail  regarding the best solutions for their report due in June. Hopefully a way can be found to better protect the Dawlish section, get West Devon its North Dartmoor line and a cycling track can remain for those in Okehampton and the tourists that travel there to continue to enjoy it. That way hopefully everyone will be happy. But remember folks no matter what the politicians say or promise don't hold your breath for all this to happen!

I Daws

Teignmouth

(formerly Okehampton)

I READ the most interesting letters in the Times last week regarding the proposed railway route. Neither of those letters referred to the effect on road traffic.

There is no adequate road connection North to South in Devon and the claim that the A386 is adequate is a joke, as in places two commercial vehicles cannot pass each other.

If there were a proper rail route from Okehampton to Plymouth, much of the current heavy traffic could be dealt with on the rail.

The on/off specialist vehicles allow great flexibility with many containers using the roads only for the last five miles or so.

There are many other things that could be carried by rail rather than road, reducing road damage and other costs.

All of this should be taken into account when calculating the real cost of re-opening the rail route via Okehampton.

A J Wroath

Lydford