THE mayor of Launceston has described progress towards the restoration of regular Okehampton to Exeter train services as ‘really exciting’.

Cllr Margaret Young told council colleagues at a meeting on November 21 that she had attended another meeting of OkeRail, adding: “I think by 2018 we should see real progress for the parkway station at Okehampton. It’s sounding really good.

“Chris Grayling [Secretary of State for Transport] is involved at full Government level. It really is progressing most encouragingly. We must all go there and use it.”

The Post recently reported groundworks had been carried out on Devon County Council land for the ‘Okehampton Parkway’ station — just minutes away from the A30.

Devon County Council is working closely with GWR, Dartmoor Railway, Okehampton and OkeRail on the design of the required infrastructure for the station.