As of Sunday, the 17th of May, Newquay station in Cornwall will see the biggest timetable change in 60 years.

As part of a £57m investment by the UK Government, Cornwall Council and Cornwall Metro to upgrade the lines linking major towns across mid Cornwall, in an effort to better connect the county using sustainable and frequent public transport.

The reopening of platform 2 at Newquay station has been one of the major factors that have contributed to the upcoming major timetable change, offering a much more frequent service along the line.

15 local services will run per weekday between Newquay and Par. 14 services on Saturdays and 8 on Sundays.

These services will be run by class 175 DMUs, which began operating services on the line last December and are proving popular with local passengers with their extra space and reliability compared to the previous DMUs that ran the services.

In addition to this, two direct services through to, and from, London Paddington will also be instated into the summer timetable, offering a faster journey from the Atlantic Coast direct to the capital.

The Great Western Railway (GWR) say that the new timetable, soon to be in operation on the Atlantic Coast Line, will offer the best train services since the 1960s.

Cornwall has, in recent years, benefited from the introduction of pay-as-you-go ticketing, giving locals the best and cheapest fares on rail services, allowing for a cheaper alternative to travel between the towns of Newquay, St Austell, Truro and Falmouth/Penryn, which has helped connect residents to key services, employment opportunities and education.

GWR’s Growing Places Report predicts that Britain’s regional rail network will support over 1 million jobs by 2036 and generate £79bn in economic value.

The upgrading of the Atlantic Coast Line will play a key part in helping to achieve those figures as it prepares to increase line capacity to support jobs, businesses and homes.

“Mid Cornwall Metro is about giving residents simple, reliable and more sustainable ways to travel across central Cornwall. Passenger numbers have continued to grow over the many years we have worked with GWR, Network Rail and government to improve our rail services – demonstrating that when we invest in reliable, accessible services, residents choose to use it.

Alongside the rail improvements, the MCM project is also investing in the roads, pavements and public spaces around the stations to make it easier for residents to walk, wheel, cycle or use the bus to reach their local station, reducing congestion and supporting healthier, more sustainable travel choices.”

Cornwall Council cabinet member for transport, Cllr Dan Rogerson

“The start of the Mid Cornwall Metro is a landmark moment, not just for the branch line, but for Cornwall as a whole. We know from experience the difference a step change in train services can make, whether that’s through more frequent services or new stations.

This will encourage more people to travel by train to Cornwall and around it, and that is good for communities, good for the economy and good for the environment.”

Matt Barnes, GWR Head of Strategic Service Development