A PROPOSAL by a rail campaign group calling for the majority of stations on the Exeter to Barnstaple branch line to be closed to help speed up journeys has been branded as "simply quite crazy" by a local councillor.

The North Devon Public Transport Users' Group has said that leaving just three of the 14 stations open on the Tarka Line could cut 15 minutes off journeys.

Cllr Nick Way (Crediton Rural, Devon County Council), who has long campaigned for the rights of passengers who use the Tarka Line, told the Courier: "The proposal from this group based at North Devon is quite simply crazy and goes against all our efforts to improve our local rail services over recent years.

"We need to open more stations not close them and encourage travellers to leave their cars at home.

"With fuel now edging towards the £1.50 per litre mark, many people increasingly depend on public transport.

"If there is a local success story anywhere it is the increase of passenger numbers on the Tarka Line, now at an all time high of 512,000.

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