
A
plan
to
improve
the
railways
linking
Newquay,
St
Austell,
Truro
and
Falmouth
in
Cornwall
has
won
funding
of
almost
£50
million
from
the
government’s
Levelling-Up
fund.
The
total
cost
has
been
put
at
£56.8
million,
and
this
will
include
£2.71
million
from
the
council,
with
the
balance
coming
from
other
funders.
The
Mid
Cornwall
Metro
will
provide
hourly
through
trains
on
the
route,
which
serves
four
of
Cornwall’s
largest
towns.
The
work
will
include
longer
platforms
at
two
Falmouth
stations
to
take
three-car
trains,
as
well
as
a
second
platform
at
Newquay
and
a
new
crossing
place
on
the
Newquay
branch
at
Tregoss
Moor.
Falmouth
is
Cornwall’s
main
university
town,
but
there
is
a
smaller
university
campus
in
Newquay
and
higher
education
colleges
in
St
Austell
and
Truro.
All
the
sites
will
be
within
15
minutes’
walk
of
Mid
Cornwall
Metro
stations.
Other
improvements
include
a
new
signalling
panel
at
Goonbarrow
on
the
Newquay
branch,
as
well
as
a
general
upgrade
of
Newquay
station,
including
ticket
machines,
platform
canopies,
toilets
and
a
larger
station
concourse,
as
well
as
landscaping
of
the
street
outside,
ebike
hire
and
a
new
bus
interchange
which
would
offer
direct
road
links
to
Cornwall
Airport
Newquay.
MP
Steve
Double,
who
represents
St
Austell
and
Newquay,
said:
‘It’s
great
news
to
today
have
confirmation
of
our
successful
bid
to
the
Levelling
Up
Fund
for
the
Mid-Cornwall
Metro.
‘We
have
been
working
together
on
this
along
with
Cornwall
Council
for
a
number
of
years
and
we’d
like
to
thank
the
council’s
team
and
in
particular
Cabinet
Member
for
the
Economy
Cllr
Louis
Gardner
for
their
efforts
in
putting
together
such
a
strong
bid.
The
Mid-Cornwall
Metro
project
will
allow
residents
of
Newquay
and
the
communities
along
the
lines
to
not
only
have
a
direct
route
to
Falmouth
but
also
to
the
main
line
and
beyond,
and
also
provide
economic
benefit
in
allowing
quicker,
easier
access
for
commuters
and
visitors
coming
into
the
area.’
Cornwall
Council
has
calculated
that
180,000
people
would
live
no
more
than
4km
from
an
MCM
station
and
280,000
within
10km,
while
the
urban
cores
of
Newquay,
St
Austell,
Truro
and
Falmouth
account
for
more
than
a
fifth
of
the
population
of
Cornwall
between
them.