Calls are being made for Plymouth’s disused Laira railway station to be reopened and a shuttle service to run from Plympton into the city centre.
MP Luke Pollard is working on a proposal to reopen the Laira platforms nearly a century after they were closed to passengers.
He would like the platforms, which are still there but obscured by undergrowth, to form part of a link between a new station at Plympton and the city centre.
He envisages a half-hourly service being started in what he calls the city’s biggest rail overhaul in decades.
Mr Pollard is planning public meetings in both Laira and Mount Gould in May to discuss the proposals with residents and gather feedback on the plans.
The Sutton and Devonport MP said the proposal forms part of his campaign for a new Plymouth Metro – a modern “turn-up-and-go” rail network connecting communities across the city and surrounding areas with more frequent and reliable services.
He said: “A century after Laira station closed, I want to open it again as part of ambitious plans for a new Plymouth Metro.”
This aerial view shows the disused platforms next to the rail line at Laira(Image: Google)
Laira station, sometimes referred to historically as Laira Halt, is located next to Laira Depot. It was opened in 1904 but closed to passengers in July 1930.
But it is still on an active railway line.
It previously served the communities of Lipson and Laira, as well as workers at the nearby railway depot.
People could get to the station at the end of Mullet Road and via steps connecting to the underpass at Brandon Road.
Under Mr Pollard’s proposals, Laira would sit on a revitalised Ivybridge to Bere Alston line, with the possibility of extending this to Tavistock.
He said trains could run to Plymouth city centre every 30 minutes as part of a three-phase Metro-style upgrade expected in the early 2030s.
The Plymouth Metro concept would see rail services operate more like an urban transport system, with frequent trains linking key parts of the city including Plympton, the city centre, Devonport and beyond to Tavistock, Ivybridge and into Cornwall.
A new station at Laira would significantly improve connectivity for nearby communities, with journey times expected to be just a few minutes into Plymouth city centre, and about 10 minutes to Devonport Dockyard, creating faster and more reliable access to jobs, education and services.
The MP’s proposals also include a new walking and cycling route linking Laira station to Mount Gould via a path alongside Laira Depot, helping connect areas that are currently less well served by public transport.
The proposals are still at an early stage but Mr Pollard has been working with GWR during the past year to develop plans for the Plymouth Metro and explore the feasibility of reopening Laira station.
Plymouth City Council is also considering the Metro proposals as part of its wider Team Plymouth work to support defence-led growth, including improving transport links to the dockyard and across the city.
Mr Pollard said: “As our city grows and attracts billions (of pounds) of investment, we need a better rail plan and that’s what the metro proposals would deliver.
“I’ve been working with GWR and Plymouth City Council on proposals that would see a three-phase development with half hourly trains on the Ivybridge to Bere Alston route starting in the early 2030s.
“The trains will pass through Laira as part of the Plymouth Metro plan. The only question is whether they should stop in Laira.
“I think they should, and open up a world of opportunity to the communities of Mount Gould and Laira. That’s the case I will be making.”
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