Celebrating Cranbrook station’s 10th birthday

East Devon District Council recently joined partners and the local community to celebrate the 10th birthday of Cranbrook railway station.

Cranbrook Town and East Devon District Councillor Kim Bloxham cut a cake at an event held at the station, joined by fellow East Devon District Councillor Kevin Blakely and Andrew Ardley, Regional Development Manager (West) for South Western Railway.

Commemorative linen shopping bags were handed out to passengers during the celebration. A limited number of bags are still available and can be collected free of charge from Cranbrook Town Council’s offices at the Younghayes Centre.

Cranbrook station officially opened on Sunday 13 December 2015. The £5 million station was funded by Devon County Council and Cranbrook New Community Partners. Located on the East Devon Line, it is served by an hourly South Western Railway service linking London Waterloo with Axminster, Honiton and Exeter.

Usage of the station continues to grow. Between April 2024 and March this year, Cranbrook station recorded an estimated 120,374 users – a 5% increase on the previous year and 12% higher than the last full pre-pandemic year of 2018-19 (Office of Rail & Road, Estimates of Station Usage).

Councillor Paul Arnott, Leader of East Devon District Council and Chair of the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone, said: “Cranbrook railway station  plays a crucial role in supporting the local economy by providing a fast and sustainable transport link for both business and leisure travellers. It offers a valuable commuting route for people travelling to work at key employment sites within the Enterprise Zone, including Exeter Science Park, Skypark and Cranbrook town centre, while also providing a direct and convenient connection into Exeter city centre. This strong connectivity continues to help attract investment, support business growth and strengthen East Devon’s economic competitiveness.”

Councillor Vikki Wright, Chair of Cranbrook Town Council, said: “We are delighted to celebrate 10 years of Cranbrook Railway Station. Since its opening, it has been a vital link for our community, making travel easier, supporting the growth of our town, and promoting sustainable travel. We look forward to seeing it continue to serve residents and visitors for many years to come.”

Andrew Ardley, Regional Development Manager (West) for South Western Railway, said:
“It was great to be at Cranbrook station to celebrate its 10th birthday. The station has a huge amount of potential with the continued growth of the town and the plans for Marlcombe, a few kilometres to the south. This is reflected in how busy the car park already is and the growth in patronage in recent years.

“We are continuing to work with local and industry partners to make the case for the Devon Metro scheme, which would double service frequency at the station and improve performance through an additional section of double track. This forms part of a wider modernisation plan for the line, including the replacement of the current diesel rolling stock by the mid-2030s. In the shorter term, passengers should also benefit from improvements through the refurbishment of the current fleet, including enhanced information systems and charging points.”

The celebration was organised by the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership and supported by Cranbrook Town Council. The cake was supplied by James’ Patisserie of Honiton.