Rail users watch renationalisation 'with interest'

Bruce Duncan, chair of the Salisbury to Exeter Rail Users Group, said "it's really about is there going to be change?"

Rail users in the South West say they will be watching "with interest" to see what changes could be delivered after South Western Railway was renationalised.

SWR was brought into public ownership on Sunday and the Department of Transport is now responsible for it until the Great British Railways is created later in the year.

Bruce Duncan, chair of the Salisbury to Exeter Rail Users Group (SERUG), said "it's really about is there going to be change".

The government has said it plans to renationalise nearly all passenger rail services in England by 2027.

The government has said it cannot guarantee train tickets will get cheaper under renationalisation

The government said seven more companies, including Great Western Railway (GWR) which operates services across Devon, Cornwall and beyond, will be renationalised by 2027 as each of their contracts end – or sooner if their performance is judged to be unacceptable.

Mike Reddaway, chair of the Avocet Line Rail Users Group (ALRUG) which represents passengers on the Exmouth to Exeter railway, said the group was "not expecting a lot of change immediately".

He said the group would "watch with interest" to see what happens to other renationalised train operators before GWR is taken in by the government.

The government said on Sunday it cannot guarantee train tickets will get cheaper under renationalisation.

Mr Reddaway said: "The Avocet Line Rail Users Group is not surprised that the government is unable to guarantee cheaper train tickets after renationalisation.

"There is a great need to simplify the very complex rail ticketing which has been promised for some time."

Mr Duncan said plans for developing the Devon Metro were key in which half-hourly trains would travel between Honiton and Exeter.

"Devon Metro is critical," he said.

"Exeter is a huge growth city in the UK but to enable that to be done you have to put a bit of double-track back.

"Everybody's agreed it can be done except the politicians won't find the money for it."