Community rail lines hit two million passengers for first time

Passenger numbers have hit two million for the first time on the Devon and Cornwall community rail lines, First Great Western Managing Director Mark Hopwood told delegates at TravelWatch South West’s General Meeting on Saturday 2 March.
Passenger numbers have hit two million for the first time on the Devon and Cornwall community rail lines, First Great Western Managing Director Mark Hopwood told delegates at TravelWatch South West’s General Meeting on Saturday 2 March.
 
Across the seven community rail lines passengers journeys rose by 4.7% over the last year, taking the increase in passenger numbers up by as much as 147% since 2006.  
 
Mr Hopwood said:
 
“These excellent results show the value of our local rail services in the South West and how productive partnerships can really deliver results that benefit local people and the local economy."

“Our local Community Rail services are not only among the fastest growing, but also among the most reliable in the country and we look forward to working with partners to deliver further improvements.”
 
Over half a million people used the Tarka line, while passenger numbers rose to over 175,000 on the Tamar Valley line, over 104,000 on the Looe branch line, over 84,000 on the Atlantic Coast line, over 600,000 on the Maritime Line and over half a million on the St Ives Line.
 
It was another record year for Devon and Cornwall’s branch lines with the largest increase in journeys being seen on the Atlantic Coast Line to Newquay (22.5% growth) following the introduction of all year round Sunday services for the first time in the line’s history. The largest actual number of journeys was on the Maritime Line between Truro and Falmouth where over 613,000 journeys were made – up by 147% since the start of the First Great Western franchise in 2006.


Contact Information

James Davis

Media Relations Manager

Great Western Railway

0845 410 4444

james.davis@GWR.com