UK: Okehampton Interchange station has opened in West Devon, adding an accessible rail, bus, cycling and park-and-ride connection to the Dartmoor Line for local communities and travellers from North Cornwall.

Okehampton Interchange station opens in West Devon with hourly trains, step-free access and links for buses, bikes and cars.
Photo: www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Hourly service starts at the new station

Passenger services began on Saturday 1 August, one day after an official opening attended by representatives of Network Rail, Great Western Railway, Devon County Council and West Devon Borough Council. Network Rail oversaw delivery through contractor Octavius.

The purpose-built station is approximately 2.2 km east of the existing Okehampton station and close to the A30. It creates another access point for communities in West Devon, Torridge and North Cornwall travelling towards Exeter and destinations across the wider network.

The opening does not change the existing Okehampton–Exeter timetable. According to the official Dartmoor Line project page, trains call hourly in both directions and every service stops at both Okehampton stations. The original station remains open for the town centre and nearby attractions.

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Step-free access links rail, bus, cycling and cars

Okehampton Interchange has a single 100-metre platform and step-free access through ramps, a covered footbridge and a lift. The station is unstaffed, but passengers have a card-only ticket machine, information displays, shelters and two help points, while onboard staff can provide boarding assistance.

The transport facilities include a car park with approximately 200 spaces, designated disabled parking, sheltered cycle storage and a covered bus interchange. Bus route 118 connects the station with Okehampton town centre and is timed around train arrivals and departures. Electric-vehicle charging points are also planned.

Devon County Council led construction of the walking, cycling and bus facilities on Hameldown Road through Kennford Tarmacadam, while WSP supported the environmental work.

£18 million investment follows Dartmoor Line revival

The new station represents an £18 million investment. UK Government funding accounts for £13.5 million, following a successful West Devon Borough Council bid supported by Devon County Council, with both authorities providing match funding.

The project follows the restoration of daily passenger trains on the Dartmoor Line in 2021, more than 50 years after regular services were withdrawn. The route recorded more than half a million journeys during its first two years back in operation.

Network Rail says research covering South West stations indicates they could support up to 238,000 jobs and contribute £14.25 billion to the economy by 2035. Its release projects that Okehampton Interchange and Marsh Barton station together could generate around 1,500 permanent jobs and approximately £112 million a year for the local economy over the next decade.

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