Great Western Railway is introducing new services as part of their new timetable on the 17th May.

Included in the changes is the first phase of the Mid-Cornwall Metro and overnight connections to Gatwick Airport.

As part of the first phase, there will be an hourly service between Par and Newquay, utilising the capacity increase provided by their Class 175 trains.

The summer timetable will also see further service expansion.

The change comes as the operator plans to open its 200th station, Okehampton Interchange, during the summer, with more stations to follow.

Furthermore, the brand new overnight services between Reading and Gatwick Airport will provide an important connection, opening up numerous areas to increased tourism and more sustainable travel options.

“Rail is one of the most powerful tools we have for driving economic growth connecting people to jobs, businesses to markets, and communities to opportunity.

“This new timetable is a statement of intent: we are committed to making our railway work harder for the communities we serve, not just as a way of getting around, but as a genuine engine of local and regional prosperity.

“From the first trains of the Mid-Cornwall Metro to our 200th station, this is a milestone moment for GWR, and we are proud to be delivering it.”

Mark Hopwood, Managing Director of Great Western Railway