A GROUP created due to ‘an astonishing’ level of support for reintroducing rail services to Bude and Holsworthy will hold a public meeting and annual general meeting next weekend to discuss its progress to date.

A year ago, on the 50th anniversary of the closure of the railway line to Bude, 150 people attended — or sent apologies for — a public meeting in Bude, which had been called to gauge the level of interest in starting a campaign to reintroduce rail services to Bude and Holsworthy.

This meeting led directly to the creation of ‘Connect Bude’, which is now a formally constituted group with officers, bank account, logo and key objectives, which are:

- To campaign to reconnect Bude and Holsworthy to the National Rail Network, initially via Okehampton;

- To promote an improved Rail service between Okehampton and Exeter and beyond;

- To ensure the trackbed of the former railway is protected against further development;

- To garner the widespread community support of individuals, elected representatives and businesses in order to achieve the first three objectives.

Richard Wolfenden-Brown, chair of Connect Bude, said: “Connect Bude is supporting colleagues in Okehampton, who have recently announced the good news that the Secretary of State for Transport has agreed to a trial daily service from Okehampton to Exeter before the end of 2018.

“With other lines reopening and feasibility studies being funded across the country, the time is right to build the membership of Connect Bude in order to launch a major campaign to reconnect Bude and Holsworthy to the National Railway Network.”

Connect Bude is holding a public meeting and annual general meeting at 11am on Saturday, October 21 at The Falcon Hotel. All are welcome to hear about progress to date, ask questions and to join the group.

For more information, email [email protected]