trains

Council leader heads to Laira depot to see progress on Wi-Fi installation

Leader of Plymouth City Council, Tudor Evans has been to see for himself how work is progressing on the mammoth task of installing free Wi-Fi on every First Great Western Train in the region.

The works to make this happen has involved engineers installing a separate aerial on every single carriage across 53 sets of trains!

Councillor Evans along with Plymouth’s business...

FGW announces SAD Therapy train carriage

Passengers enjoyed the first ever SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) therapy train carriage on the First Great Western 7.06am train from London Paddington Station to Penzance, Cornwall on Monday 2 January.

First Great Western collaborated with charity SADA, the Seasonal Affective Disorder Association, to see how they could brighten passenger’s journeys as the winter blues take their...

RMT criticises Government over SW investment

Rail union RMT has pledged an all-out fight over rail investment in the South West after the Transport Secretary cast doubt on the scale of investment in the Plymouth region’s railways by admitting that just £40million has been promised – despite calls for a £7 billion package.

RMT has branded the move a “complete and utter betrayal of the South West despite all the posturing and...

Show your support for earlier trains to Plymouth

Businesses and residents are being asked to put their weight behind calls for earlier trains from London.

In March First Great Western announced plans to start running earlier trains but wanted to gauge the response from the public and business before committing to a timetable change.

The company launched a consultation on the change that will introduce a new service leaving...

People in Plymouth bound by routine, but crave spontaneity

Research released today by CrossCountry has found that over half (53%) of people living in Plymouth feel they follow too much routine in their lives, with 54% agreeing they would like to be more spontaneous.

According to the leading train company, despite the desire to be more open-minded, a remarkable 49% admit that they have never made a spontaneous life changing decision. Over a...

Alison Seabeck MP delighted as additional seat capacity is promised for SW rail services

After continued campaigning to increase capacity on rail services from London to Plymouth, Alison Seabeck, MP for Plymouth Moor View, was delighted to hear that First Great Western and the Department for Transport have confirmed that work will soon begin on increasing standard class capacity through converting some of their first class carriages.

The work, which will deliver almost 3,...

Five Alternative routes considered to Dawlish

Network Rail has said they will consider five alternative routes as a long term response to the destroyed line at Dawlish.

Options include creating a new passenger route using the existing freight train lines at Alphington and Heathfield near Newton Abbot.

Another option is to reinstate the closed Okehampton line which is expected to cost up to £700m.

Three new routes...

Dawlish Line could re-open early

Work on to re-open the railway line could be completed earlier than expected, according to Network Rail.

The work to repair the area of track destroyed during the recent heavy storms was initially expected to be completed by mid-March but was pushed back to mid-April after further storm damage frustrated repairs.

However the Rail Minister, Steve Hammond, said the rail company...

Dawlish work delayed by two weeks

Network Rail will lay more concrete foundations in Dawlish today after additional damage to the sea wall caused by Friday' nights storm could delay the track’s restoration by up to two weeks.

The track, initially damaged by storms at the beginning of February, was originally expected to be completed by mid-march.

However this Friday saw the temporary flood defences, made of...

Alison Seabeck MP slams a lack of investment and further increase in rail fares

Alison Seabeck, MP for Plymouth Moor View, has slammed yet another increase in rail fares as constituents, already experiencing a cost of living crisis, now have to deal with higher transport costs to reach London and other key British cities.

Speaking in a House of Commons debate on inter-city rail investment, Ms Seabeck also raised her concerns about the lack of investment into the...

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