Devon council urged to take urgent action over ‘obsolete’ Tarka Line rail route

Campaigners and politicians are calling for an urgent modernisation of the rail link between Barnstaple and Exeter, warning that the line's poor resilience is now a “strategic risk” to the North Devon economy.

Devon County Council is set to debate the motion put forward by a local councillor during its pivotal Budget Meeting on Tuesday, 24 February. 

The move comes as local leaders warn that a failure to invest in infrastructure is leaving the region “structurally disadvantaged” in labour markets, further education participation, and housing delivery.

The call for action follows a winter of extreme disruption. 

The route has been closed three times during the 2025/26 season due to “predictable weather events.”

Following the impact of Storm Chandra in late January, the line was shut for over three weeks, with the section between Crediton and Barnstaple remaining impassable due to severe flooding.

The motion is being brought by Councillor Graham Bell, who represents Braunton. 

He notes that while travel times from Exeter to the North Devon coast were around 15 hours in 1826, the journey in 2026 has “not vastly improved” given the frequent infrastructure failures.

Despite a tripling in passenger numbers since 2006, much of the route remains restricted by single-track sections and “obsolete operating practices” more commonly associated with heritage railways than a modern commuter route. 

The line serves around 900,000 passenger journeys a year, with growth outstripping almost all comparable routes in the South West.

“The Tarka Line is the only rail connection serving North Devon and Torridge,” the motion states. “It remains constrained by single-track sections, limited passing places, and Victorian structures.”

The council agenda for the budget meeting highlights that rail reliability is no longer just a “transport inconvenience” but a “material economic issue.”

Repeated closures triggered by flooding risks to multiple bridges and waterlogged trackbed sections have demonstrated that the line cannot withstand current weather patterns.

These disruptions impose direct economic costs: lost working hours, missed education, and reduced visitor numbers. 

The motion notes that these factors lead to higher emissions and increased car dependency, disproportionately affecting a rural economy with lower average incomes and fewer transport alternatives.

Furthermore, Barnstaple continues to feature in international congestion rankings, which has a “severe knock-on effect” for bus reliability and productivity. 

While the council recently backed a connectivity improvement program at Barnstaple station to ensure public transport and cycles can effectively connect to the rail network, leaders say these benefits are undermined if the core rail service remains unreliable.

The impact of the “fragile” link is felt across the county, specifically affecting:

• Education: Students traveling to North Devon College and Exeter frequently face missed classes, impacting their long-term prospects.
• Workforce Retention: Businesses in the economic centres of Barnstaple, Crediton, and Exeter struggle to retain staff who cannot rely on the commute.
• Isolated Communities: Young people and those without vehicles are “solely reliant” on the rail service for social and employment connections.

Campaigners point to the Dartmoor Line's successful reopening as a blueprint, with Tim Steer, chair of Railfuture Devon and Cornwall, among those calling for a similar approach for the Tarka Line. 

They argue that targeted investment delivers “rapid economic and social return” and strengthens town centres.

North Devon MP Ian Roome recently presented a petition to Parliament with more than 3,000 signatures, calling for the line to be “future-proofed.”

During a Westminster Hall debate, Steve Race MP for Exeter argued that a “step change” in frequency, moving from one train per hour to two, would enable major growth. 

Currently, the hourly service is cited as a factor that “dissuades” residents in Ilfracombe, Bideford, Torrington, and South Molton from choosing the train.

With climate change projections indicating that flood-related disruption will increase, the motion warns that continued inaction is now a “known and escalating risk.”

The Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance (NDRDA) now provides a “mature, cross-sector vehicle” for the project. 

The alliance includes Torridge and Mid-Devon Councils, with a motion to include North Devon Council expected to be brought this month.

If the motion is passed at the budget meeting this Tuesday, the council will formally:

• Declare the line’s state a "strategic economic risk" requiring urgent intervention.
• Commit to driving a modernisation programme to achieve a half-hourly service at peak times.
• Request that the Council Leader and senior officers make the Tarka Line a "standing priority" in all engagements with Network Rail and the Government.