Council targets 2027 to move Plympton station plans forward

Hopes for a long-awaited railway station in Plympton have taken a step forward as transport bosses confirm that potential sites for a new terminal are being reviewed.

Plymouth City Council told The Moorlander Network Rail is currently appraising potential locations for a new terminal between Plymouth and Ivybridge.

The review is part of the "Plymouth Metro" strategy, which aims to improve rail frequency and connectivity across the city region.

However, the council confirmed that no "preferred location" has yet been selected for the project.

The proposal is being evaluated as part of the Peninsula Transport 2026/27 Delivery Plan.

A spokesperson for Plymouth City Council said Network Rail was “reviewing previously identified potential locations” to see if land use changes or new developments had impacted previous shortlists.

"No single, preferred location has been identified at this stage," the spokesperson added.

The council stated that any future station would need to support the "transport and connectivity needs" of the nearby Sherford housing development and the South Devon Freeport.

The local authority said it remains committed to the Plymouth Metro programme to facilitate “significant, planned growth” for the city.

However, the spokesperson added that the council is currently focusing on "easy win" interventions that improve the rail offer “as quickly as possible and at lowest cost to the taxpayer.”

They noted that larger capital investments, such as a new station, would be “closely linked to future land use and development plans.”

The project is currently moving through a phased appraisal process before it can secure government backing.

The council outlined the following timeline:

• Current phase: Completion of the Network Rail site review.
• Next step: A feasibility study to underpin a Strategic Outline Business Case.
• 2027: Development of a formal submission for central government funding.
• 2029-2033: Target window for the next government spending review.

The spokesperson said that any future delivery of a station would remain “subject to feasibility and funding and production of a successful final business case.”