Cornwall
Council

has
given
the
green
light
to
another
scheme
in
the
Government’s
Restoring
Your
Railway
programme.

Mid
Cornwall
Metro
involves
the
upgrading
of
railways
so
that
direct
trains
can
run
every
hour
between
Newquay,
Truro
and
Falmouth,
alongside
intercity
services
to
Newquay.
In
the
longer
term,
there
are
plans
to
increase
frequencies
still
further
on
the
Newquay
and
Falmouth
branches.

The
budget
of
£56.8
million
will
pay
for
a
number
of
improvements
including
the
lengthening
of
platforms
at
two
stations
in
Falmouth,
as
well
as
new
signalling
on
the
Newquay
line,
the
restoration
of
a
second
platform
at
Newquay,
a
new
passing
loop
at
Tregoss
Moor
to
improve
the
capacity
of
the
route,
and
other
improvements
at
stations,
including
a
bus
interchange
at
Newquay
and
further
upgrades
to
the
stations
at
Newquay,
Roche,
Bugle
and
Penryn.
A
new
accessible
footbridge
with
lifts
will
also
be
built
at
Par,
which
is
the
junction
for
the
Newquay
line.

The
Government
has
contributed
almost
£50
million,
and
the
remainder
will
come
from
Cornwall
Council
and
other
funders.

The
announcement
of
funding
was
made
in
January,
but
the
Council
wanted
to
consider
and
investigate
the
financial
risks
before
accepting
the
grant.

Councillors
voted
to
proceed
with
the
scheme
at
a
Cabinet
meeting
yesterday.

Portfolio
holder
for
transport
Cllr
Richard
Williams-Pears
said:
‘We
are
committed
to
providing
a
thriving
and
sustainable
Cornwall,
fit
for
the
modern
world,
for
the
benefit
of
our
residents.

‘This
initiative
is
absolutely
key
to
delivering
rail
and
active
travel
improvements
across
Cornwall
both
now
and
in
the
future,
to
enhance
the
lives
of
our
residents
by
revolutionising
how
we
can
navigate
across
the
Duchy.

‘The
Council
has
already
successfully
bid
for
£50
million
from
the
Government’s
Levelling
Up
Fund,
and
we
recognise
the
importance
of
this
initiative
to
enable
a
levelling
up
of
the
local
economy
and
future
sustainable
growth
and
investment
in
mid
Cornwall.
But
we
recognise
too
that
in
these
straitened
economic
times,
we
have
to
be
mindful
that
Cornwall
Council
is
the
accountable
body
for
the
project,
and
we
need
to
keep
a
tight
hold
of
the
purse
strings
and
a
close
eye
on
the
project
delivery.

‘As
well
as
its
green
credentials
and
being
a
catalyst
for
economic
growth
and
local
regeneration
around
the
stations,
I
see
this
as
the
beginning
of
a
transport
revolution
for
Cornwall
with
this
being
the
Mid
Cornwall
section
of
the
eventual
Cornwall
Metro.’

Network
Rail
has
recently
built
a
road
bridge
over
the
railway
in
Newquay,
which
will
carry
a
link
road
to
the
new
suburb
of
Nansleden.
NR
is
hoping
that
some
level
crossings
can
be
closed
as
a
result,
so
that
line
speeds
can
be
increased.

General
work
on
the
Mid
Cornwall
Metro
is
due
to
start
in
the
coming
year,
and
the
scheme
should
be
completed
by
2026.