IN response to your article last week, ‘Rail Route is Crucial’ I would like to confirm that as someone living to the West of Okehampton who regularly travels to Reading, London and beyond for work that I would certainly use trains starting from Okehampton.

When travelling currently I have to drive for 40 minutes, or more depending on traffic, to Exeter and allow at least a further 15 minutes to park and walk to the station, collect tickets etc. If the train service began in Okehampton then I could save the drive time and have a much easier commute.

Jonathan Allen

I WORK at the University of Exeter and I live in Tavistock.  I would certainly use a train from Okehampton to Exeter to commute.  I currently car share, which is good to a point, but I have long wished for the availability of a commuter service from Okehampton to Exeter (and back).

My role is IT based and if I need to stay late for an urgent issue, there is no public transport from Exeter to Okehampton/Tavistock after 6.30pm (I can’t really expect my car share partner(s) to wait).  Earlier this year I had to get a taxi from Exeter to Tavistock to get home after just such an incident.

I certainly agree that a delay of five years (2025-2029 phase) would not be acceptable and since there is an existing link from Okehampton to Exeter for a leisure route at weekends, there really is no justifiable reason why there should be any further delay to the establishment of a commuter service.

Tim Hortopp