We have submitted a bid to Network Rail and Department for Transport for a share of £20m to fund a new railway station in the Torquay Gateway.

The brand new station which would be known as Edginswell, will have a wide range of local benefits including creating travel, employment and housing opportunities in Torbay’s largest and most strategically important urban extension which will deliver over 550 new homes, 37,000sqm of commercial space and a new school.

The submission of the bid follows the announcement from the Government in February 2020, stating applications for the third round of the New Stations Fund which is part of the Restoring the Railway Fund were being accepted.

In our bid submitted on 5 June, we set out proposals for £7.8m of funding against a total estimated cost of almost £13.1m, the remaining of which will be from Council resources and an allocation will be included within the Torquay Town Deal funding bid.

Councillor Swithin Long, Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Tourism, Torbay Council, said “In 2016, the Council applied to the second round of New Stations Fund. Whilst unsuccessful, our bid team received positive feedback from the assessment panel, particularly on the strategic and economic case. In our latest bid, we have taken on board the initial feedback and have submitted a case that we feel meets all of the desired elements. The Benefit Cost Ratio for the new station predicts that for every £1 invested, there is almost £7 of benefit to the economy. This project benefits from the support of key stakeholders, including our local MPs and the Torquay Town deal Board.”

Councillor Mike Morey, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Environment and Culture, Torbay Council, said “Back in June 2019 the Council declared a Climate Emergency and we are working with partners across Devon to collectively address this. One of Torbay’s highest emission sectors is from road transport, it is important that we keep investing in developing a low-carbon sustainable transport system that includes, rail, bus and active travel methods such as cycling to increase accessibility and reduce congestion”.

A new station at Edginswell is expected to attract rail trips from a wide range of stations on the Exeter and Torbay rail network, as well as supporting residential, strategic health facilities, employment, rail and education in the area – both existing and proposed.

The new station is aligned with local and national objectives, by improving the quality of alternatives to the private car, by making better use of existing transport assets, and by supporting economic growth. The project benefits from the support of key stakeholders within the rail industry, as a result of its alignment with industry objectives and the attraction of additional rail passengers.

If successful with the bid application, the programme assumes a construction period commencing in Spring 2022, with completion in Winter 2023/24.

The station would be owned by Network Rail and operated by the Train Operating Company, currently Great Western Railway.

A revised planning application would need to be submitted to take reflect the change to the overall design and appearance of the station, which now includes lifts instead of the ramp structures following further discussions with both Network Rail and Great Western Railway.