Potential 2021 opening for Marsh Barton station

It was initially meant to open at the end of 2016

Marsh Barton railway station is targeted to open by the end of 2021 – five years after trains should have been stopping.

The station was initially due to open at the end of 2016, but delays, rising costs, changes in design standards and an unsuccessful bid to the Department for Transport’s New Stations Fund left a funding shortfall which has delayed the project.

But Devon County Council has finally secured the funding to cover the current project estimate cost, excluding contingency, and giving an update on the progress of the station at Thursday’s full council meeting, councillor heard the current planned opening date is the end of 2021.

Asked by Cllr Alan Connett for an progress report on Marsh Barton station, Cllr Andrea Davis, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Development and Waste, said: “The ecological surveys and environmental impact assessment has been completed, which will inform the planning submission for the new station, which is expected in late Spring this year.

“We have had positive meetings with disability and access groups as part of the pre-consultation discussions and land agreements have been agreed in principle with Network Rail. Design is progressing well, and subject to planning permission, we are hopeful of being on site at the start of 2021 with opening towards the end of 2021.”

The station at Marsh Barton, to be built at Clapperbrook Lane, is one of seven new stations include in the Devon Metro project to develop the existing railway network based around Exeter into a County Wide Metro ‘turn up and go’ service and to take traffic away from the congested roads and onto the rails.

The Devon Metro strategy said the station at Marsh Barton would attract rail trips to this major employment centre from a wide area, with 30 per cent from Torbay and South Devon, 15 per cent from the city centre and over 30 per cent from east of the river, and the increased patronage projections meant it was given priority over a new station at Exminster

John Newland, Network Rail’s senior sponsor for the Marsh Barton project, has previously said: “We are passionate about improving the railway for passengers and this includes at Marsh Barton. It’s great that Devon County Council is now able to submit a planning application and marks a further step forward in delivering the new station. Getting to this stage has been possible thanks to close working with DCC and we look forward to continuing to work together.”