The construction of the Okehampton Interchange, a new £15m ($19m) railway station being delivered by Network Rail on the edge of the Devon town, has commenced in the UK.
The project is a collaborative effort between Network Rail, Devon County Council, West Devon Borough Council, and Great Western Railway (GWR).
The station will join the Dartmoor Line, linking West Devon, Torridge, and North Cornwall with Exeter and others.
The UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) is providing funding for the Okehampton Interchange, with additional financial support from the aforementioned councils.
The station aims to connect more people to employment, education, and healthcare opportunities, fostering local economic growth while benefiting the environment.
The interchange is designed to serve the expanding east side of Okehampton and alleviate traffic and carbon emissions in the town centre and along Station Road.
It will feature a single platform with step-free access and a car park with 200 spaces, including electric vehicle charging points and bays for those with dsiaiblities, and will complement the existing Okehampton station.
To promote sustainable travel, the station will offer enhanced walking and cycling routes, sheltered bicycle parking, and bus stops.
To facilitate the interchange’s construction, essential track work will occur from 8 March to 14 March 2025, during which buses will replace trains between Exeter and Okehampton.
Devon County Council deputy leader, cabinet member for climate change, environment and transport and councillor Andrea Davis said: “Okehampton Interchange is an important progression for the Dartmoor Line, which has already been a tremendous success since reopening and is a great asset to the local economy.
“This new interchange will make sustainable travel a more realistic option across a wider area of the county, supporting connections with bus, cycling and walking links to help tackle carbon emissions.”
This project follows Network Rail’s announcement of significant upgrades at Manchester’s Oxford Road Station as part of its remodelling scheme.
