Churston South Devon - A strong case to extend Paignton's railway line to Churston has been outlined in a national report.
 
First Great Western has backed the proposal to add an extra three miles to the existing train service from Newton Abbot to Paignton.
 
The service would run to Churston railway station on existing tracks currently operated and preserved by the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway.
 
The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), which compiled the report, says the new line could potentially serve an extra 17,500 people.
 
ATOC's Chris Austin, who helped compile the report, said:  "There are so many people living in that corridor who could benefit from an extension of the present main line service from Exeter to Paignton. There is a very good station at Churston, built by First Great Western originally and kept in nice condition by the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway. The potential catchment area of the station is about 17,500 people, who at present have to use that awful road to get to Newton Abbot or Paignton. The traffic congestion, particularly in the summer, would make it very attractive."
 
Mr. Austin said the benefits far outweighed the costs involved in opening up the extra line.
 
"With this scheme there are no capital costs involved as the steam railway track already exists," he explained.
 
"It's one of the cheaper schemes."
 
Initial reports suggested the railway could be extended to reopen the line as far as Brixham but that appears to be a non-starter.
 
Brixham Town Council chairman Chris Bedford said Torbay Council had investigated opening the old Brixham line as a tram track or cycle route some years ago, but decided it was not practical because houses had been built on the line.
 
"It would be wonderful to have the train line back but, unfortunately, a lot of the land has been sold off and there are houses built across parts of the track," he said.
 
"It would have been an enormous advantage for Brixham. It's a major pain not having a rail link but it's what has taken place since that has precluded that happening."
 
In the decade after Dr. Richard Beeching's first report on rail modernisation, published in 1963, more than 4,000 miles of track were closed and the number of stations was halved to 3,000.
 
In 1962, the Western Region decided to close the Brixham line entirely and the last train ran on 11 May 1963.
 
Any decision on whether any of the plans get the go-ahead would be taken by local and regional government, Network Rail, and the Department for Transport.
 
The additional lines and stations could take between five to 10 years to become operational.
 
The report argues demand for rail services has soared in the last decade and that there is a strong case for refurbishing and reopening old routes.
 
It names 14 lines nationwide which should be reopened.
 
ATOC says more than one million extra people could gain access to the rail network if its recommendations are followed.
 
The report could mark a turning point in the campaign to expand Britain's rail network which until now has largely been the preserve of smaller pressure groups.
 
ATOC chief executive Michael Roberts said:  "Record passenger numbers and rising demand require us to plan for the long term, while climate change and population growth make it vital that in doing so, we adapt the rail network to meet tomorrow's needs. Providing attractive new services and easier access to the rail network will encourage passengers to switch to rail from other, less green, modes of transport. We have established there is a strong business case for investment."
 
A spokesman for the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway was last night unavailable for comment.
 
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