The case for better rail services

Business leaders, the Council, key organisations and the city's MPs are pressing the case for better rail links to the city and the far South West as part of the Greater Western rail franchise retender consultation.

The Department for Transport is being urged to make sure rail services to Plymouth and the far South West are more frequent, faster and better meet the needs of business.

The department has begun a formal consultation on the Greater Western rail franchise replacement and wants to hear what councils, business and individuals would like to see in the train service requirement before they put the franchise out to tender.

The DfT consultation gives the city and the region as a whole a unique opportunity to state its case for improving rail services over the life of the 15-year contract. All rail services to Plymouth, except those to the Midlands and the North, are currently provided by First Great Western under the Greater Western rail franchise, which ends in April 2013.

The city has compiled a Plymouth timetable which sets out achievable improvements to existing services that can be made during the next franchise period. The proposals will also be used to lobby prospective train companies.

These will make a huge difference to the city's ability to attract investment and achieve its growth ambitions.

Economic benefits

Improvements to Plymouth's rail links could be worth an £94 million pounds to the economy.

The Council commissioned an independent report which showed that for an annual extra investment of £10 million into the rail links between the city and London, the returns would be worth almost ten times as much to the UK's economy.

The information forms part of a package being put together by business leaders, the Council, key organisations and the city's MPs in pressing the case for better rail links ahead of the Greater Western rail franchise retender.

As the Plymouth Rail Franchise Task Force Group, they have set out a timetable of goals they believe are realistic and achievable. The group has also been in discussions with colleagues in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Torbay Councils as well as members of the business community on a regional scale through the Local Economic Partnerships.

Chair of the task force, Councillor Kevin Wigens, Cabinet Member for Transport at Plymouth City Council said: "Better rail connectivity will make a huge difference to the city's ability to attract investment and achieve its growth ambitions.

"Business community needs to be able to do a day's work in Plymouth – or a day's work in London, travelling reliably, comfortably and affordably by train."

Plymouth has made growth one of its top priorities but needs to reduce the perceived distance from the capital. For every 100 minute of travel time from London, productivity drops by six per cent.

The programme of improvements aims for three hour journey times, but also asks for a refurbishment programme on carriages to enable the business community to work en route through WIFI facilities and better mobile coverage.

To read a summary of the issues and the improvements download the document below:

The case for better rail services [588KB]

How you can help

A formal franchise consultation has now begun and gives the city an opportunity to make representations to Government on what is needed to improve rail connectivity as well as lobby prospective train companies bidding for the new franchise.

The Task Force together with partners in neighbouring authorities will be putting together a formal response over the coming weeks to a detailed set of questions as part of the franchise consultation.

However, it also welcomes views from the public and businesses, particularly on the impact better rail connectivity will have on their business both now and in the long term.

The task force is talking to key businesses about how they can help the city and would welcome letters written by the public, businesses and organisations to put to the Department for Transport to support our representations.

The franchise consultation is just one aspect of the work the task force is looking at.

Longer-term projects such as a new rail link for Heathrow and support for Devon County Council and Cornwall Council's local rail improvements are also part of the task force remit.

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