Cornwall passengers will experience hourly coast-to-coast train services between Newquay, St Austell, Truro and Falmouth
Public transport links in Cornwall will be transformed thanks to £50 million of taxpayer-funded investment to deliver the mid-Cornwall Metro Scheme.
In a visit to Newquay Station on 27 March 2024, Transport Secretary Mark Harper met with local leaders including St Austell and Newquay MP Steve Double to discuss progress on the major improvement project that will better connect residents to employment, business and education opportunities.
Initial benefits of the scheme will be delivered as early as May next year and – once complete in full by the end of 2025 – it will offer a new hourly coast-to-coast train service between Cornwall’s largest urban areas: Newquay, St Austell, Truro and Falmouth.
It will bring vital infrastructure enhancements along the Newquay rail line including a second platform at Newquay station and an additional ‘passing loop’ on the tracks to increase capacity and allow extra services to run.
Passengers travelling along the rail route will also benefit from modern, more convenient digital ticketing, allowing them to simply ‘tap-in’ and ‘tap-out’, knowing they will always pay the best fare without needing to plan ahead or search for the right ticket.
Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said:
The scheme will also encourage walking and cycling by delivering active travel improvements in and around stations including new cycle parking, bike hire options, widened footpaths and better crossing points.
Delivered in partnership between Cornwall Council, Great Western Railway (GWR) and Network Rail, the scheme will double the number of rail services between Newquay and Par, adding an extra 700,000 seats per year for passengers along the route.
Other improvements will include level crossing upgrades and signalling improvements to make rail services more reliable.
GWR Business Assurance Director, Joe Graham, said:
Network Rail’s Western Route Director, Marcus Jones, said:
Councillor Richard Williams-Pears, Cabinet Portfolio holder for Transport, said: