Rail improvement and platform extension work to take place in West Cornwall
Works to improve the railway in West Cornwall begin on Saturday 5 March 2022, with amended train services and replacement buses in operation to keep people moving.
Network Rail will undertake track work in the Truro area as well as platform extension work on the St Ives branch between Saturday 5 and Sunday 13 March, affecting services throughout the west Cornwall area.
The first weekend of the works will have the most impact with buses replacing trains between St Austell and Penzance, including the Falmouth and St Ives branch lines.
From Monday 6 to Sunday 13 March replacement buses will run between Truro and Penzance as well as on the St Ives branch.
Where the main line remains open, amended train services will operate through Cornwall towards Plymouth with roughly one train per hour in each direction.
GWR is asking those intending to travel during this period to plan ahead and check journey times before travelling.
GWR Regional Station Manager, West, Mark Chorley, said:
“We have been working hard to make sure that people can be confident to travel safely, and that includes running as many trains and carriages as we can to make extra room, and replacement buses where trains cannot operate.
“This work is important to ensure we can continue to improve the service we offer to passengers. The platform extensions will enable us to run longer trains in the future on the St Ives line, providing more capacity for busy summer days.”
Dan Parkes, Network Rail Programme Manager - Capital Delivery Building & Civils said:
“The upgrades we are making to the mainline in Cornwall are vital and will help support the reliability and lifespan of this important railway.
“Our work to extend the some of the platforms on the St Ives branch line will have a hugely positive impact in supporting GWR transport increasing numbers of local residents and tourists to this beautiful part of the south west.
“We’d like to thank local residents and passengers for their patience and understanding during this time and look forward to reopening a more reliable and improved railway on 13 March.”
GWR has been providing rail services throughout the pandemic and has worked to ensure that these are as safe as possible. This includes increased cleaning regimes and the use of a virucidal spray; extra staff at key stations to offer help and guidance; and processes in place to help customers maintain a safe distance where possible, such as restricting the number of reservations available.
Notes to editors
First Greater Western Limited, trading as “Great Western Railway” (GWR), operates trains across the Great Western franchise area, which includes South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, across southern England and into London. GWR provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services, and before the covid-19 pandemic helped over 100 million passengers reach their destinations every year. GWR was recently awarded an extension to its direct award franchise (called DA3), which shall run up to 31 March 2023, with an option to extend for a further year.
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