North Devon gridlock: Why a 'better bus service' is not the answer to 11 months of roadworks
As utility works are set to leave Barnstaple and Bideford in gridlock, Tim Steer, chair of the Devon and Cornwall branch of Railfuture, argues that longer trains and new stations are the only real cure for the region’s transport misery.
In the middle of the night on June 4 2026, GWR successfully sent a five-carriage class 175 test train down from Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple.
Network Rail cleared the test train to run down the North Devon line, also known as the ‘Tarka line’. This test train was to prove that it was indeed possible to have more than four carriages serving the North Devon line, thereby increasing the much-needed capacity at peak times.
Today, the North Devon line is already well known to be over-capacity at peak times, which suppresses demand as there is no more room.
GWR drivers will now be trained to use the five-carriage class 175s, and we may find them in operation later this year!
Exeter Central ticket gates have been expanded and improved through funding from a special programme designed to support projects that reduce costs and increase revenue, along with a contribution from the Department for Transport.
Network Rail and GWR have worked on the delivery of the ticket gates that will give many a sigh of relief, especially when college students are eager to get to lectures and catch that next train home.
The Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance stakeholders are meeting up in July to discuss funding for the HMT/Department for Transport-compliant Strategic Outline Business Case to improve the line so that we can have an additional frequency of two services per hour that will also solve the capacity challenges for many generations.
The Devon Metro 2 rail map is showing signs of delivery with a brand new Okehampton Interchange coming later this year that will act as the latest parkway station for Devon and Cornwall. Cullompton and Wellington stations are now at a procurement stage where we will see them in operation in the next 2/3 years, thanks to the 2025 central government’s spending review.
Wellington station is viewed as Devon-related, although in Somerset, as it will be used by Devon rail users, and it will help ease parking capacity and vehicle congestion at Tiverton Parkway.
Talking of congestion, by now, those of you who live around Bideford and Barnstaple will be joining the daily congestion that is being caused by the B3233 being closed by Wales and West Utilities.
These new gas works are essential, but they will feel perpetual, as the road is well-known to have a network of communication, gas, electric, fresh and waste water pipes buried under its surface. Even the Tarka Trail will be dug up in years to come to improve ductile capacity to the riser main that runs waste water from Fremington to the Cornborough cliffs.
Unfortunately, Barnstaple and Bideford are now going into gridlock due to the 11 months of utility roadworks along the B3233, and this only highlights that a ‘better bus service’ is not the answer.
A rail link between Bideford and Barnstaple would be the ultimate solution to allow the utility companies to close the road for future essential upgrades and repairs to the network.
Looking at the Devon Metro 2 Rail map, we can see that there will be a future Edginswell station in Torbay, Monkerton station along the Exmouth branch line, Cullompton and Wellington stations (already in the pipeline for delivery), Okehampton Interchange being delivered this year, and Plympton to service the commuters into Plymouth City.
We also have two rail extensions on the map with Tavistock to Bere Alston that will ease congestion into Plymouth (that has already had a funded and completed Strategic Outline Business Case), and Bideford to Barnstaple that will finally ease the congestion to Barnstaple and also into Exeter.