Council approves Mid Cornwall Metro scheme

Bosses said the service would provide an hourly direct train service connecting Newquay, Par, St Austell, Truro, Penryn and Falmouth

Cornwall Council has approved a project to "transform transport links" in the county.

Cabinet members agreed to provisionally accept £50m of levelling up money towards the £56.8m Mid Cornwall Metro.

Bosses said the service would provide an hourly direct train service connecting Newquay, Par, St Austell, Truro, Penryn and Falmouth.

Councillor Richard Williams-Pears said it would "enhance the lives of residents".

Mr Williams-Pears, the council's portfolio holder for transport, said: "We are committed to providing a thriving and sustainable Cornwall, fit for the modern world, for the benefit of our residents.

"We recognise too that in these straitened economic times, we have to be mindful that Cornwall Council is the accountable body for the project, and we need to keep a tight hold of the purse strings and a close eye on the project delivery."

The council said Mid Cornwall Metro would include:

• A new platform at Newquay Railway Station 

• Doubling of the number of rail services between Newquay and Par - an extra 700,000 seats per year both ways 

• Improved accessibility and interchange at Par Station 

• Reduced journey times and ease road congestion for people living along the route  

• Ticket digitalisation - providing tap-on/tap-off pay-as-you-go ticketing in Cornwall

Matt Barnes, GWR head of strategic service development, said: "This is really exciting news and we look forward to working with our partners to start delivering the Mid Cornwall Metro initiative, which is going to be truly transformative for the whole of the region."

Work is due to start in 2024.

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