Campaign for Tavistock reopening

[whole diary]

[TerminalJunkie]

In his haste to post in support of the campaign to restore the rail link to Tavistock, and express concern over this latest attempt to block it, relex109 may have overlooked some spelling, grammar or syntax errors.

He also overlooked the fact that they are objecting to the building of new houses and an access road, and not the restoration of the railway line...

[Chris from Nailsea]

Point taken, TerminalJunkie - but there are implications for the restoration of the rail link, dependent upon whether these new homes are actually built:

One of the key reasons for siting the development where it is, is that the site can be used to build a new rail connection via Bere Alston to Plymouth. The rail link will be funded from the sale of the houses, using ^Clause 106^ money that requires funds from the sale of houses in large developments to be set aside for local services. However, it is not necessary to build the houses on the same site as the proposed new railway station: the station will be built to serve all of Tavistock, not just the nearby houses, and therefore any new houses in Tavistock could legitimately justify money being set aside to build a new rail link to cater for the new and existing population.

See http://www.protectthetavyvalley.com/Housing.html

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

actually they are protesting to both in some (but not all) cases, i was watching an interview on spotlight a few weeks ago the angry feelings have still not subsided! most of the people that object to this blatently do not have to drive to work in plymouth and put up with that road and are stuck in the past, or perhaps they belive that affordable housing for a growing population should be restricted to high rise flats within citys out of there back yard?

[34104]

In his haste to post in support of the campaign to restore the rail link to Tavistock, and express concern over this latest attempt to block it, relex109 may have overlooked some spelling, grammar or syntax errors.

He also overlooked the fact that they are objecting to the building of new houses and an access road, and not the restoration of the railway line..

Councillor Harper,who i believe is involved in this group, has been a consistently vocal campaigner against the reintroduction of the railway,saying it is a "non starter" and a "line going to nowhere".He continually spouts simplistic nonsense to support his case and frankly is an irritating little publicity seeker.If you think that this group is not opposed to the railway,just look at the "Town life and business"section on their website-sems pretty definite to me,idiotic though their arguments are.

[TerminalJunkie]

If you think that this group is not opposed to the railway,just look at the "Town life and business"section on their website

I did: 'the chosen site' refers to the housing, not the railway. Perhaps you should try reading it more carefully.

[34104]

If you think that this group is not opposed to the railway,just look at the "Town life and business"section on their website

I did: 'the chosen site' refers to the housing, not the railway. Perhaps you should try reading it more carefully.

I read the "Town life and business" section very carefully and came across this text;   

"and the new rail and road connection to Plymouth will mean that more people are likely to take their custom to Plymouth, instead of supporting local businesses. "

Now,that doesn't sound very pro railway to me.What they are saying effectively is that it doesn't matter where a railway station is sited,a new rail connection to Plymouth would be bad under any circumstances because it would affect local trade.The argument is fallacious of course-what about the possible boost to the local economy provided by the influx of people,not just from Plymouth,but Bere Alston and especially Bere Ferrers as well? I do not understand what they mean by the comment about a new station should be for the whole of Tavistock-surely a new station would be just that? I presume that they are implying that only people who live in the immediate vicinity of the station would use the railway-i don't accept that,and Barnstaple and Bere Alston stations are good examples of where the stations are far from the respective town centres,but provide an increasingly thriving service to their communities.In an ideal world.the railway would be extended through to Tavistock North station and beyond,but due to the criminally short sighted actions of previous local authorities,this is not possible without demolishing property built on the end of Tavistock viaduct and Tavistock's connection to Waterloo must wait until global warming washes the Dawlish line away! I would like to see a railway without a giant housing development too,but i think that the houses are going to be built anyway,and to get a rail connection would be a boon and a huge bonus for Tavistock.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

lets face it the media just print anything! you can pick up two papers and read two different versions of a story both claiming to be official... add to this the fact that its devon were talking about and.........

hear all trust nothing

[34104]

Just a snippet of information-for the past week,vegetation clearance has been taking place on Shillamill viaduct,near Tavistock.I would presume this means that clearance has taken place all the way back to the broken bridge over the main Tavvy-Callington road,can't see how vehicles would access the viaduct otherwise.I shall try to find out more.Presume this would be to facilitate the cycle path rather than the railway in the first place,but it's a start.

[RichardB]

Just a snippet of information-for the past week,vegetation clearance has been taking place on Shillamill viaduct,near Tavistock.I would presume this means that clearance has taken place all the way back to the broken bridge over the main Tavvy-Callington road,can't see how vehicles would access the viaduct otherwise.I shall try to find out more.Presume this would be to facilitate the cycle path rather than the railway in the first place,but it's a start.

Thanks for the update "34104".  The road comes quite close to the southern end of the viaduct.  That section from the viaduct to the tunnel is owned by Tavistock Woodlands so access to the southern end is pretty straightforward.  A few years ago, I was part of a group who spent a very pleasant Saturday walking as much of the trackbed as you can.

I would suspect the viaduct has been cleared to gauge necessary maintenance work, but the cycleway is going to happen whatever the decision re the railway and it probably is (as you say) to facilitate that.  Whatever the reason, it's very good news.

I've not been along there for a while - it would be great if clearance work had been done from the Tavistock end.  I remember that being very overgrown with no easy road access.

[34104]

Just a snippet of information-for the past week,vegetation clearance has been taking place on Shillamill viaduct,near Tavistock.I would presume this means that clearance has taken place all the way back to the broken bridge over the main Tavvy-Callington road,can't see how vehicles would access the viaduct otherwise.I shall try to find out more.Presume this would be to facilitate the cycle path rather than the railway in the first place,but it's a start.

Thanks for the update "34104".  The road comes quite close to the southern end of the viaduct.  That section from the viaduct to the tunnel is owned by Tavistock Woodlands so access to the southern end is pretty straightforward.  A few years ago, I was part of a group who spent a very pleasant Saturday walking as much of the trackbed as you can.

     I would suspect the viaduct has been cleared to gauge necessary maintenance work, but the cycleway is going to happen whatever the decision re the railway and it probably is (as you say) to facilitate that.  Whatever the reason, it's very good news.

I've not been along there for a while - it would be great if clearance work had been done from the Tavistock end.  I remember that being very overgrown with no easy road access.

Richard,
           Bit more of an update.This pm ,i accessed the railway from the broken bridge over the main Tavvy-Callington road ,it's been used as a path by locals for many years.There has definitely been a lot of clearance work since i last walked it,probably about a year ago.The trackbed is now comfortably walkable to the Tavistock end of shillamill viaduct,which is still well and truly walled up,so vehicular access must be from the other end as you said.About halfway from the broken bridge to shillamill,a couple of old mine shafts have been made safe by two sort of thick iron bar cages-very adjacent to the railway actually,could have been quite a shock if the shafts had gone unnoticed! From this point to shillamill,the trackbed,previously impenetrable ,is easily walkable and in fact still remarkably well ballasted in places.I know that in the past year much clearance work has also taken place either side of gawton bridge,about halfway between Bere Alston and Tavvy,although nothing has yet taken place in the Bere Alston area.Things seem to be progressing.
               Richard,do you know what the timescale is for the next stage of the development proposals involving the 750 houses,kilbride etc? I know the consultation period ended in July and the next stage is for the proposals to go before the planning inspectorate-any idea when that will be ? October seems to ring a distant bell,but i couldn't be sure,wondered if you knew anything more definite.There has been oppositon in Tavistock,i don't know how much that will affect the issue.


Thanks

John

[RichardB]

Thanks for the update, John.  Sounds very different from when I was along there - really good stuff.

Good too to hear about the work around Gawton Bridge - when I did my walk four years or so ago, the trackbed was pretty impenetrable around there - lots of brambles etc but the ballast appeared to have just been left when the track was lifted.  I hadn't noticed much ballast on the section from the missing bridge to Shillamill so the fact you can now I think indicates just how much has been done.

In terms of timescales, with the end of the consultation period, I believe West Devon BC will agree their final Local Development Framework for submission to the Secretary of State some time during the Autumn.  I think people are expecting that the Secretary of State will order what is called an "Examination in Public" of the Local Development Framework sometime in the Spring with the Inspector's decision, I'm guessing, by the Summer.

If all goes in favour of the Kilbride proposal, and barring anything unforeseen, I would expect that Kilbride would be looking to submit their Transport & Works Act Order application early in 2011.

The key thing is that everything is still moving forward.

Cheers,

Richard

[34104]

Thanks for the update, John.  Sounds very different from when I was along there - really good stuff.

Good too to hear about the work around Gawton Bridge - when I did my walk four years or so ago, the trackbed was pretty impenetrable around there - lots of brambles etc but the ballast appeared to have just been left when the track was lifted.  I hadn't noticed much ballast on the section from the missing bridge to Shillamill so the fact you can now I think indicates just how much has been done.

In terms of timescales, with the end of the consultation period, I believe West Devon BC will agree their final Local Development Framework for submission to the Secretary of State some time during the Autumn.  I think people are expecting that the Secretary of State will order what is called an "Examination in Public" of the Local Development Framework sometime in the Spring with the Inspector's decision, I'm guessing, by the Summer.


Thanks Richard,i'll keep updating as and when i find out anything new.Hopefully i won't fall down an old mineshaft on my explorations!

If all goes in favour of the Kilbride proposal, and barring anything unforeseen, I would expect that Kilbride would be looking to submit their Transport & Works Act Order application early in 2011.

The key thing is that everything is still moving forward.

Cheers,

Richard

Thanks Richard,i'll keep updating as and when i find out anything new.Hopefully i won't fall down an old mineshaft on my explorations!

[34104]

Just a very quick update.I had a look at Shillamill viaduct today,albeit through a small hole in the iron door that blocks the Bere Alston end of the viaduct,and a fairly comprehensive clearance of the vegetation previously dominant has taken place.There seems to be a lot of old ballast left on the viaduct and it looked to be just waiting for the track to be relaid.A bulldozer and tractor were in place, but not in use, a bit further down the line towards Bere Alston,so maybe a start will soon be made on clearance back towards BA^» (British Airways - about).Fingers crossed,i'll keep updating when i can.

[Andy]

Thanks for the updates 34104 & RichardB. It's good to read that, behind the scenes at least, there is some movement.

[Andy]

Those following the Tavistock reopening initiative may be interested to learn that there has been a management buyout at Kilbride, taking in the various rail projects, including the Bere Alston-Tavistock initiative. here's the press release: 

http://www.kilbridegroup.com/docs/view_news.asp?nid=48

Does anyone have any info on what's happening on the ground?