Yellow Weather Warning Delays Reopening of Barnstaple Route

Rail services to Barnstaple remain suspended and are not expected to resume before Tuesday 24 February due to persistent flooding caused by last month’s named storms and continuing adverse weather. Elevated water levels have left parts of the route unsafe to reopen.

While the full line remains closed, progress is being made elsewhere. From mid-morning on Thursday, a limited service will operate between Exeter Central and Copplestone, stopping at all stations. This will supplement the trains already running to Crediton and Okehampton. The revised timetable is subject to ongoing review, particularly with a yellow weather warning for heavy rain in force through the evening of Wednesday 18 February.

The delay in reopening the stretch to Barnstaple centres on the need for specialist divers to examine submerged infrastructure. Inspections must be carried out to confirm the safety of the railway where it crosses swollen rivers. However, strong currents and high water levels have so far prevented access to one of the affected structures.

Divers remain on standby and will enter the water once conditions allow. In the meantime, Network Rail and Great Western Railway say they are continuing to monitor the situation closely.

Daryn McCombe, joint route control lead for Network Rail and GWR, said:

“We’re really sorry for the continued disruption following the various storms which have impacted the railway. The impact of the initial storms, combined with sustained heavy rainfall over the past three weeks, has slowed progress on stretches where the railway crosses swollen rivers and these will remain closed until they can be inspected below the water line. At present, water levels and flow rates mean it is not safe for our specialist divers to enter the water. With a further Met Office weather warning for heavy rain in place across Devon and Cornwall this evening, we will reassess conditions at the remaining sites first thing on Thursday morning. We encourage customers to continue checking gwr.com for the latest information and travel advice.”

Image: Network Rail