Campaigners welcome GWR funding for Devon rail scheme
The campaign group Railfuture has welcomed news that Tarka Rail Association's 'ACE Rail' campaign has secured a grant from GWR's Community Fund. The campaign seeks to restore mainline rail services to Bideford and upgrade the Tarka line to Exeter. The money complements a grant from Railfuture's Fighting Fund and a contribution from the Association. It has enabled an Initial Business Case to be commissioned to examine extending Tarka line services to Bideford and adding an extra hourly fast service to the county capital. The final report will be published in March 2023.
"The financial support of a rail company is a real vote of confidence in the credibility of the campaign.” said Railfuture's Director for Infrastructure & Networks, Roger Blake. “It works on both a practical and symbolic level. Railfuture has been advising ACE Rail since the campaign started barely 18 months ago, and like GWR, put some of its money where its mouth is through our Fighting Fund."
The Tarka Rail Association's ACE Rail campaign lead Tim Steer added: "This endorsement from the local train operator and from Britain's leading independent campaign group Railfuture is moving our modest initial efforts to the next level. The campaign is already proving highly successful in attracting solid support across a wide range of stakeholder interests who are looking forward to the study report next March with an air of confident anticipation."
GWR's website gives more information about this award.