Submission from Railfuture Devon & Cornwall Branch

 

1 Restructure the West Country Passenger Timetable making it 'clock face'

 

1.1 An hourly Paddington to Plymouth with a target of 2 hours 45 minutes calling at Reading, Taunton, Exeter, Newton Abbot and Totnes from 0730 to 2030, extended to Cornwall as required.

 

1.2 A semi-fast service from Paddington every hour either to Paignton or to Plymouth including Frome, Dawlish and Teignmouth.

 

1.3 An half hourly Exmouth to Exeter extended hourly to Paignton and hourly to Barnstaple, much as now but including Lapford hourly, plus additional Exeter/Paignton trains making it half hourly.

 

1.4 A two hourly service from Paignton to Newquay alternating with a two hourly service from Newquay to Falmouth (may need dividing at Par).

 

1.5 A regular service filling the gaps from Plymouth to Penzance alternating with the Paddington services.

 

1.6 Cross Country services much as now but with more accommodation and with the re-introduction of services to the North West, Preston, Lancaster, Penrith, Carlisle, Lockerbie and Glasgow.

 

1.7 Two trains per hour on the Waterloo line, one semi-fast to Salisbury then fast to Andover, Basingstoke and Waterloo.

 

1.8 Park and Ride at Meldon for Exeter.

 

2 Infrastructure

 

2.1 Raising of speed restrictions and removal of level crossings

 

2.2 Newquay Branch to resolve conflict between services.

 

2.3 Electrification of the Berks and Hants and Basingstoke to Exeter as a matter of urgency.

 

2.4 Construction a new route from Stoke Canon to Newton Abbot

because of flooding problems at Cowley Bridge and the Sea Wall

 

3 Rolling Stock

 

3.1 More is needed, could not Mk2's or Mk3's be revamped with one loco' and one DVT for longer journeys?

 

 

 

 

3.2 First Class needs to be provided for connections off long distance trains which provide First Class.

 

 

Peter Mulley, Secretary, Railfuture Devon and Cornwall Branch