PAR TO NEWQUAY BRANCH LINE: "JOINED UP THINKING NEEDED"

1.00.00pm GMT Wed 23rd Dec 2009

St Austell & Newquay's Prospective MP Steve Gilbert has called on Network Rail to use a bit of joined-up thinking in tackling the obstacles to further development of the Newquay to Par branch-line to ensure that local services don't lose out when inter-city services use the line in summer months.

The Lib Dem campaigner responded to Network Rail's 'Route Utilisation Strategy' which did not include provision for increasing the capacity of the line.

Steve said, "The Newquay to Par branch line is the only branch line in Cornwall that operates both local services and also inter-city high-speed trains in the summer. At the moment, when the inter-city services start in the summer season we lose some of the local services. There are several ways that this problem could be addressed but the proposed plan for the branch line doesn't properly consider all the alternatives. I've written to Network Rail asking them to look again at the options.