A spokesman for First Great Western told BBC News it was an act of appalling cruelty and the guard had reacted instinctively and done his job.

Compared to Other places the Size of Penzance, Penzance is riding things well, there aren't that many empty Shops in Penzance.

Green light for new ^10m transport hub

Plans to create a new park and ride scheme at a west Cornwall railway station and 750 car parking spaces as part of a ^10 million development have been approved by councillors.

On Thursday members of Cornwall Council's strategic planning committee voted 16-5 in favour of granting planning permission at St Erth station near St Ives.

The scheme includes a park and ride service to St Ives, Penzance and Truro.

Supporters said the new "transport interchange" would reduce congestion on the roads while critics argued the scheme was too costly.

Graeme Hicks, the council's portfolio holder for transport highways and environment said the new system was a key part of the local transport plan to connect Cornwall.

He said: "The rail network in Cornwall has untapped capacity which can help us towards taking people out of their cars and reducing the growth of traffic on our roads.

"I hope that this new transport interchange will encourage people to investigate the local area and be a trigger for further local investment.

"The interchange will improve the connectivity between different transport modes and enable car-free days out for visitors whilst enabling commuters and businesses to use car-free travel for part of their journeys.

"This will help reduce congestion on the A30 through the villages of Rose-an-Grouse, Canon's Town, Cockwells and Crowlas."

Three car parks are planned to lie adjacent to the existing railway station.

A new section of road will be created through the A30 junction for cyclists and pedestrians to use.

The scheme includes improvements to the A30 junction with Station Approach, including traffic signals, along with additional lanes for turning traffic.

Councillors said this would increase the junction capacity and regulate traffic flows by reducing congestion and improve the current situation for vehicles travelling to and from St Erth village.

It is anticipated that construction will commence early next year.

Councillor Rob Nolan, who voted against the scheme said it was far too expensive.

He said: "It will cost around ^40,000 per parking space.

"This is a colossal waste of money.

"We can't ignore the fact we might be wasting money."

When Philip Mason, head of planning and regeneration, interrupted Mr Nolan to remind him to "put cost out of his mind" and leave it to another committee to decide, the councillor replied: "You cannot ignore cost."

I visited the site at St Erth today, along with visits to Lelant Saltings, Carbis Bay and St Ives stations. Good to see a fair few people about wherever I went, with the 2-coach Class 150 unit well-loaded.

When were the barriers installed at St. Ives Station? I was there on holiday last June and there were no barriers there then.

St Erth Railway Station reaches final of international awards

Staff at St Erth Railway Station have been celebrating after reaching the finals of an international competition.

The railway station reached the top six of of the International Station Awards of the Year 2013 which rate stations based on their appearance, the facilities available, transport links and customer focus.


St Erth Railway Station reaches final of international awards

Judges from different railway companies looked at the station, which is managed by First Great Western (FGW), over a two month period.

Sara Rogers, station manager, represented St Erth at the awards in Cardiff. She said: ^We did so well to achieve a place in the finals, but of course I am sad that we didn^t achieve the top prize. Especially after the hard work that was put in to show the judges how good our passengers feel about St Erth Station.^

First place went to Aylesbury Vale Parkway, which was named Best Small Station of the Year.

Despite not taking home an award, Jeremy Joslin, director of the Sterling Group who created and run the First Class Buffet on the Station, was delighted with the result.

^We have a great relationship with First^s staff from Sara to the regular duty station managers Ray and Peter and including the train crews who rest over at the station,^ said Mr Joslin. ^We always help each other to make the passengers feel welcome and a little less worried about their long journeys. This international recognition is a great boost to the buffet and to the hard work done by our FGW staff.^

There is a dispensation that you can travel to Penzance and get a train back.

Would sighted disabled (probably wheel chair users) be better getting of at Hayle if they are not continuing by train. I assume the barrow crossing is still in use. Otherwise Penzance is the only option.

Cornwall County Council has awarded Wills Bros Civil Engineering a £4∙6m contract to design and build a multi-modal hub at St Erth station. The scope includes the provision of 440 new car parking spaces, ramped pedestrian access from the south car park to platform level, improvements to the station forecourt and amendments to the existing junction on the A30 trunk road.

Learned today that there are plans to widen the bay platform at St Erth by slewing the track to where the unused second platform line currently is.  Will ease congestion at busy times when those waiting for the St Ives train have to jostle with those getting off an incoming service.

I heard that the existing bay siding is to be shortened back and the disused platform on that side extended and widened. When complete this would allow trains from St Ives when arrived at St Erth, to unload on one side and load on the other.

Unrelated but I found out today that when work on the St Erth hub is complete early next summer the bus stops on the A30 by the station will be removed. All bus services will then call at the stop right outside the station meaning all buses will divert off and back on the A30 and no risking your life trying to walk across a busy trunk road.

Due for completion around April or May 2019. Lelant Saltings will receive a Parliamentary service after that with only 2 trains calling daily.

Surprisingly late for a May 2019 timetable change, I have (via TravelWatch) a copy of a service consultation for the ongoing services.  Looking at the list of consultees, RichardB should have a copy too.

Background: When the Park and Ride at Lelant Saltings is replaced by the Park at Ride at St Erth, it is proposed to:
* Run a 30 minute service daytime St Erth to St Ives as at present, but with extra turn around time at St Erth
* Remove most calls at Lelant Saltings (just one train each way per day remaining)
* Retain morning and evening calls at Lelant, and add calls in both directions at around 12:30 and 15:30
* All services to call at Carbis Bay rather than alternate services

Comment is made about some local use made of Lelant Saltings, offering Lelant or the bus as alternatives. Perhaps this traffic which is within the catchment of both stations has gravitated to the Saltings because of the much better service and will revert to Lelant in the future?  I am noting the extra calls at Lelant are lunchtime and school-end time.

I don't know whether TWSW will make any formal input, but I would be most interested to read any views from users - as I suspect would other consultees.  Those more local to the area, such as the Devon and Cornwall CRP, are far more likely to have a tuned insight than I have ... but comments / thoughts welcomed. 






Thanks Graham.  Yes, I have it too.  I have to say I am disappointed that the plan isn't to provide Lelant with an hourly service. ....

St Ives branch
• Once St Erth multi modal hub is open, all trains to call at Carbis Bay and parliamentary service for Lelant Saltings. Lelant to have an hourly service.
• Summer Sunday service to run year round and run later in the day. Last train back from St Ives no earlier than 2130
• Trains to run to a clockface timetable

Yes, I have a personal interest in Item 14 which is looking very positive.

If anyone is interested, I have Lostwithiel Town Council's submission to the consultation as a word document.

State of Play as at 1500 today ....


.... major progress still needed to make the May timetable change.

I should add that there's no truth to the rumour that they've approved a station at Pilning Westgate with Park&Ride facilities because they need SEWWEB votes to get the St Erth deal through...

Announced today....
7th May - 31st May,  bus transfer St. Erth to Lelant Saltings for connection into a train service to St. Ives,  apart from early morning & late evening services.  To do the platform work at St. Erth.

That'll be a fun half term & bank holiday

You would need a lot of buses to match the capacity of the train service.  Also avoids traffic congestion in St.Ives.

The closure is to allow the bay platform to be re-engineered to remove the redundant line and extend the platform width.

The timing of it allows the rail replacement buses to use the new bus turning facilities at the front of the station rather than on the busy main road.

Not only does it include one of the May Bank Holidays and half term but also the St Ives food festival.

All the old forecourt area has now been paved at a bus stop shelter erected.

As First say rail tickets are valid on all buses to St.Ives on services 16 A17 and T2 I cannot imagine anyone would want to get the train as it is only a 12 minute trip on the bus and the A17 is half hourly direct from St.Erth to St.Ives.

As First say rail tickets are valid on all buses to St.Ives on services 16 A17 and T2 I cannot imagine anyone would want to get the train as it is only a 12 minute trip on the bus and the A17 is half hourly direct from St.Erth to St.Ives.

As First say rail tickets are valid on all buses to St.Ives on services 16 A17 and T2 I cannot imagine anyone would want to get the train as it is only a 12 minute trip on the bus and the A17 is half hourly direct from St.Erth to St.Ives.

In service pics:

The sleepers sleep at Audlem and Ambergate,
No passenger waits on Chittening Platform or Cheslyn Hay,
No-one departs, no-one arrives,
From Selby to Goole, from St Erth to St Ives...

Most of the flow to/from St Ives would be rail side, operating as you envisage Clan Line, would have made this difficult without taking more of the 'non rail' part of the Hub. Space is still tight on the North Side. A full fence reconstruct would have been needed too.

The one issue I think that needs some permanent remedial work is the area, currently temporarily fenced, around the buffer stop considering the potential volumes of potential pax in that area. The low level railings as on the leaflet illustration will need to be installed quickly.