Petition launched after flooded rail line issues

North Devon MP, Ian Roome, launched the petition

A petition has been launched after commuters faced more than a week of train cancellations due to flooding.

North Devon MP, Ian Roome, who launched the petition, said ongoing problems on the Tarka Line, in Devon, were "totally unacceptable" and residents had been left with "a second class service".

Earlier in November, rail passengers and campaigners called for change on the line due to delays, cancellations, flooding, and overcrowding.

Full service on the line - which stretches from Barnstaple to Exeter - has since resumed and Network Rail said it closed the flooded line "for the safety of customers".

During the closure limited replacement buses and taxis were put on, with journey times often taking longer, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

People who regularly use the service, which has about 800,000 passenger journeys a year, said they frequently experienced delays or cancellations on the line and were calling for it to be made more resilient.

Roome said: "I am pushing for structural improvements, additional train carriages to deal with persistent overcrowding, additional drainage work, longer platforms at some stations en route, and more passing places along the single track line so the train timetable can be improved.

"This is one of the most successful train lines in the country in terms of passenger numbers and we will be lobbying the rail minister to put it at the top of his agenda. It's time to future proof the Tarka Line."

'Specialist divers'

Great Western Railway said it was aware some trains immediately before and after the start of the college day were in demand, and with non-Exeter College travellers using the route it was over capacity on some services during peak times.

It said it was looking at providing more trains and carriages with selective door opening to cater for shorter platforms and was supportive of the campaigns to upgrade the infrastructure.

On Tuesday, Network Rail said: "Water levels have receded below the closure mark on all three bridges along the Barnstaple line, which allowed specialist divers to carry out an inspection of each structure earlier today."

It said divers found no damage to any of the bridges and had to run an inspection train along the entire length of the line before it could be reopened to passenger trains.