The Mid Cornwall Metro (MCM) system is getting ever closer to fruition as the first three stages of the project begin to get underway.

The project which aims to better connect the towns of Cornwall by using greener forms of transport was announced back in 2023 and is being delivered by Network Rail and Great Western Railway with funding coming from the Government and Cornwall Council.

Phase one will begin later this year. Trains will begin running to an hourly timetable between Newquay and Par, which will increase the frequency of services on the line by double, compared to the existing service on the line at the time of writing.

Phase two will come into force in 2026 and will see through trains from Newquay to Falmouth, via Par, St Austell and Truro.

Phase three involves the building of a 400-metre passing loop at Goss Moor, this will allow direct long-distance trains to pass local service trains between the single-track sections from Newquay and Par.

This will be a game changer in the summer months, not just for tourists but also for the residents that live along the line.

It will offer an increased service and greater availability to travel into and out of Newquay on long-distance trains without changing trains during the journey.

The site of the 400 metre loop is in the middle of Goss Moor National Nature Reserve which owns the neighbouring land on both sides of the track.

The construction of the loop has been granted by Natural England for the work to take place.

At the time of writing, work is taking place at night when no services are running, though to fully deliver the project and install new points to access the loop, the line between Par and Newquay will need to be closed for a whole month so work can progress rapidly.

From Monday, February 24, to Sunday, March 23, there will be no trains between Newquay and Par. Buses will run from St Austell to Newquay and will serve all the stations on the line: Luxulyan, Bugle, Roche, St Columb Road, and Quintrell Downs.

The buses will not be able to serve the station at Par; instead, passengers for any of the stations on the Newquay branch will need to change at St Austell for a rail replacement service.

During the closure of the line, work will also take place Network Rail will use this opportunity to work on other parts of the route.

The existing passing Loop near St Blazey will be re-laid and extended to accommodate longer trains.

Works on Ponts Mill (Prideaux) viaduct will also take place, as will upgrades to the signalling system.

Other parts of the MCM project have included re-building one of the former derelict platforms at Newquay which will double the capacity at the station when work is complete. While improvements to local dule cycle routes / footpaths have also been undertaken as part of the project.

Network Rail industry programme director Bogdan Lupu said: “We’ve made great progress so far to bring Mid Cornwall Metro to life and this next phase will take us even closer.

“Our work will bring more trains to Newquay, improve the environment and boost the local economy.”

GWR Head of Strategic Service Development Matthew Barnes said: “We welcome the steady progress being made to deliver this scheme. These upgrades will make the track improvements necessary for us to provide more, and better, services.

“This paves the way for us to run our first Mid Cornwall Metro trains which will provide coast-to-coast connectivity between Newquay and Falmouth via Par and St Austell.

“Once the infrastructure works and operational preparations are complete, the first step will see us double frequency on the line between Newquay and Par, followed by the start of coast-to-coast services at a later date.”