Rail services

Following the draft timetable issued by Great Western Trains last spring there followed a period of intensive lobbying and public pressure to both Great Western Trains and the Department for Transport to reinstate train services.

The good news is that many of these objections and concerns have been addressed and the new Great Western Trains timetable effective from Sunday 10 December 2006 now contains a number of services which were missing from the Spring draft timetable.

The Night Riviera service between Penzance, Plymouth and London has been retained and will continue to provide a comfortable and enjoyable overnight service to London Paddington.

There will still be two trains each way Monday to Friday providing a three-hour journey between London and Plymouth. The three-hour journey time is seen as pivotal in promoting Plymouth as an accessible destination for both business and leisure travellers. These high speed trains leave London Paddington at 10.05am (arrive in Plymouth 1.07pm) and 12.05pm (arrive in Plymouth 3.09pm). From Plymouth high speed trains leave at 5.48am (arrive in Paddington at 8.49am) and 10.43am (arrive in Paddington at 1.44pm).

The total number of trains between Plymouth and London remains as now with 15 departures Monday to Friday from Plymouth to London and 14 from London to Plymouth.

One of the main areas of concern arising from the draft timetable was the reduction in services calling at Ivybridge station. Although there will be a reduction from the current number of trains serving Ivybridge nine trains from Plymouth will call (compared to 12 now). The current four hour gap in trains from Plymouth to Ivybridge (8.34am to 12.33pm) will be improved by a new departure from Plymouth at 11.10am.

In the other direction nine trains from Ivybridge will call at Plymouth (compared to 12 now).

The current level of service on the Tamar Valley line between Plymouth and Gunnislake is retained including the early morning Dockyard departure from Calstock.

Services between stations in South East Cornwall (Liskeard, Menheniot, St Germans, and Saltash) have been retained and although the new timetable shows a reduction on current service levels, again it is an improvement on the draft timetable.

Looking ahead the new South West Trains franchise will continue to provide direct services to Plymouth and Torbay from London Waterloo until at least 2009. It was feared during the original franchising process that all South West Trains would terminate at Exeter St Davids. Lobbying by local authorities and other stakeholders has resulted in these useful services being retained.

We have been involved in the franchising process for the Cross Country services (currently operated by Virgin Trains) and together with other stakeholders we will seek to retain and improve upon the current level of services and choice of destinations beyond Birmingham.

Full details of all train services are available on the National Rail or Traveline websites.

If you have any comments or suggestions on rail services in Plymouth please contact the Public Transport team.