The weak link to Waterloo

One short stretch of railway is causing problems

Lewis Clarke www.devonlive.com

Frustrated commuters are facing longer waits and overcrowded services – and one MP says a quick fix could bring relief to hundreds of daily passengers.

Richard Foord, MP for Honiton and Sidmouth, has urged the Government to invest in dualling a key stretch of the London Waterloo line, following a series of disruptions and a reduced timetable that has caused significant delays for East Devon travellers.

In a speech to Parliament on Thursday, September 11, Mr Foord said a three-mile section of single track at Whimple was creating a bottleneck that limits the number of trains between Exeter and Axminster. Upgrading the track, he argued, would allow an additional hourly shuttle service and restore more frequent connections for towns like Honiton and Axminster.

The South Western Railway line, which runs between Exeter St Davids and London Waterloo, has been operating a reduced timetable since the summer, with trains running every two hours instead of hourly. The disruption was triggered by extreme heat and dry conditions, which affected embankments along the route and led to slower trains and longer journey times.

“A journey from Honiton to London now takes almost four hours,” Mr Foord told MPs.

He added that restoring the hourly service would be feasible if the Whimple section were dualled, helping to ease congestion and improve commuting options across the region.

Mr Foord said: “If the track were dualled for just a three-mile section at Whimple, South Western Railways could run an additional hourly shuttle service between Axminster and Exeter. That would give Honiton and Axminster two trains every hour to Exeter.”

He also highlighted the knock-on effect for commuters and students, particularly since the start of the school term in early September. Many passengers are now resorting to long car or bus journeys into Exeter due to the lack of rail reliability.

“The infrequent service has meant either a lot of hanging around on platforms for commuters; more cars travelling into Exeter; or a very long bus journey,” he said. “The South Western Railway service is simply not currently practical as a commuter service.”

Mr Foord warned that climate change could lead to more hot and dry summers in future, potentially worsening delays unless infrastructure is improved. “If a passing loop existed it would at least have meant that the hourly service could have been maintained,” he added.

He concluded by reminding the Rail Minister that the Waterloo line is one of only two rail routes into the South West and called for urgent investment to safeguard the region’s connectivity.