| Owner: | GWR, SWR, Network Rail |
| Area Served: | Exeter travel to work area |
| Locale: | Devon |
| Transit Type: | Urban and suburban rail |
| Stations: | 40 [1] |
| Operator: | GWR, SWR |
| Host: | Network Rail |
| Character: | Commuter rail service undergoing incremental rapid transit style upgrades |
| Map State: | show |
| Devon Metro | |
| Lines: | 5 lines[2] 4 services[3] |
| Train Length: | 2 - 4 cars on most lines, 6 cars on most East Devon Line services. |
| System Length: | 112.5 mi (181 km) |
thumb|right|250px|Construction at Marsh Barton station in 2021, part of the Devon Metro project.The Devon Metro is the name given to the urban railway network in Exeter and its environs, which since 2011 has been undergoing a metroisation scheme by Devon County Council to provide a rapid transit-style service through incremental upgrades to the existing system.[4] This includes increasing the frequency of trains on existing lines, opening new lines and stations,[5] [6] and improving integration between lines and other modes of transport.[7] Through these upgrades the network is to gradually become a "turn-up-and-go" service[8] without having to refer to a timetable, like more conventional metro systems.
The network is primarily made up of 5 lines with a total of 40 stations radiating from the city centre across the Greater Exeter Area, including the neighbouring districts of East Devon, Mid Devon and Teignbridge,[9] but in some instances extends beyond this with Barnstaple and Okehampton as termini for the Tarka and Dartmoor lines respectively.
Due to the historical development of railways by competing companies in Exeter, which acts as the gateway to the rest of the South West Peninsula, the city has enjoyed an unusually extensive railway network for its size being the meeting point of various lines.[10] Despite substantial sections of Exeter's railway infrastructure being selected for closure as a part of the Beeching Axe, such as St Thomas station or the Avocet and East Devon Lines,[11] most of the network survived but underwent significant economies to justify their retainment including the singling of previously double-tracked routes.[12]
In the years since Exeter has gone through substantial expansion and has become one of the fastest growing cities in the country,[13] with growth particularly large in the eastern suburbs of the city. This has led to Exeter becoming one of the most congested cities in the UK.[14] The need to reduce congestion on the roads led to the reopening of Pinhoe and Digby and Sowton[15] stations in 1983 and 1995 respectively, and the construction of a new passing loop at Axminster in 2009 to increase the frequency on the East Devon Line.[16] These enhancements in the east of the city were intended to attract more commuters to travel to and from the city centre by train instead of car. The local rail routes subsequently experienced rapid growth in passenger numbers forcing them to operate near or at maximum track capacity with the limitations of the single-track lines left after Beeching. This impacted reliability due to the lack of leeway available if a train was slightly delayed causing problems to cascade, often requiring trains to be cancelled to regulate the service. Compounded with the continuing high levels of congestion and population growth, this led to Devon County Council to submit an expression of interest to the government for funding towards what it dubbed the "Devon Metro scheme" in 2010.[17]
Initial proposals of the Devon Metro scheme were laid out as part of the Future of Transport in Exeter consultation, which took place in March and April of 2010.[18] This set out short to medium term plans for new stations "related to areas of new development or existing employment sites in the city". New stations at Marsh Barton, Newcourt and Monkerton were explicitly mentioned. The proposal also included longer term goals such as a new station at Cullompton and increased train frequencies, however it also mentioned that increased train frequency would depend on the construction of new passing loops on single track lines.[19]
In the final report written at the conclusion of the consultation, 84% of respondents indicated support for the rail enhancements under the Devon Metro scheme, with only 5% expressing opposition.[20]
A further briefing was published in 2011 outlining the scheme in more detail, including an implementation plan for 2011-2026. In the short term they included:
The briefing also included longer term plans, including:
Several improvements were also ruled out at this stage:
See main article: Cranbrook railway station (Devon).
Cranbrook railway station opened in 2015.[21]
See main article: Newcourt railway station (England).
Newcourt railway station opened in 2015.
As part of the Devon Metro project, frequency on the Riviera Line between Exeter and Paignton was increased to two trains per hour,[22] [23] which has also had the effect of increasing the frequency of the Avocet Line to Exmouth.
Also as part of the project, in the 2020 timetable change, the Tarka Line service between Barnstaple and Exeter was segregated from the service on the Avocet and Riviera Lines from Exmouth to Paignton via Exeter. It has been proposed that the Tarka Line could now be extended east from Exeter to Honiton along the West of England Main Line.
See main article: Dartmoor Line. Prior to its reopening, the Dartmoor Line had not seen regular passenger service since 1972. It was used from then as a freight and heritage railway line, with trains carrying stone from Meldon Quarry and a heritage passenger service between Meldon Viaduct and Sampford Courtenay. From 1997, Devon County Council commissioned a "Dartmoor Sunday Rover" to be operated by First Great Western from Okehampton to St James Park in Exeter via St Davids during the summer period.
By 2020 both the quarry and the heritage railway had ceased operations. With the stone freight and heritage traffic gone, and the summer sunday service showing some success, this provided an opportunity for the full reopening and reintegration of the Dartmoor Line with the rest of the network.
In 2021, Network Rail acquired the line and laid new track from Colyford Junction to Okehampton funded by the Government's Restoring Your Railway programme. In November the same year regular passenger services recommenced, with 2tph from Okehampton to St Davids calling at Crediton. On weekday peaks, 5 trains a day also continue to Central and a select few continuing further to St James Park on match days. This was increased to an hourly service in 2022.
Sampford Courtenay, which was previously served by the GWR summer sunday service until 2019, has all trains pass through non-stop despite having a new platform surface installed when Network Rail took ownership and there are no plans to bring it back into passenger use.
See main article: Marsh Barton railway station. Construction work started at Marsh Barton in April 2021.[24] The station was added to the National Rail timetable in May 2022, eventually opening for passenger services in July 2023.
See main article: Okehampton Interchange railway station. Following the reopening of the Dartmoor Line in 2021, plans and funding were announced for a 'West Devon Transport Hub' east of Okehampton in November 2023. Funding was approved by the Government in June 2024 as part of their "Levelling Up" policy and the station is expected to be opened in 2025, with Design scoping and ecological survey work currently taking place.[25]
Plans to create a Devon Metro also include new stations at Edginswell, and . Furthermore, the council wishes for the Dartmoor Railway to be extended to serve the town of Tavistock, which would revive a connection provided until 1968 by the Exeter to Plymouth railway of the LSWR. A Tavistock rail link is funded by the Restoring Your Railway funds via the Tamar Valley Line and could be constructed. This is currently having a business plan made for the restoration of the line by Network Rail.