Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the announcement by the Secretary of State for Transport in February that he had instructed Great Western Railway "to prepare plans to introduce regular train services to Okehampton", what progress has been made on such plans; and when they expect the service to start.

The Department’s response to its consultation on the future of the Great Western franchise published on 28 August said that the Department would “continue to work closely with local partners and the current franchisee to deliver the ‘Metro West’ scheme and the reinstatement of regular services to Okehampton.” Until it is clearer what the scope of work is that will be needed to reinstate regular services on this route, it is not possible to give an exact date for that reinstatement.