I'm a bit confused at to what counts as a regulated fare. Anytime return fares are to rise by, is it 4.7% - and if someone needs to travel urgently those fares can be their only option.

A multi-storey car park could be built off Station Lane while Stagecoach looks to scale down its use of Paignton bus station

A town could lose its bus station but gain a new supermarket and multi-storey car park under a plan for its future.

Torbay Council's cabinet has signed off on a document outlining a "vision" for regeneration for Paignton, which will now go out for discussion with residents and developers.

"It is about promoting Paignton to the outside world," said deputy leader, councillor Chris Lewis. "It is about sharing the fact that we are serious about the regeneration of the town. Rome wasn't built in a day, and Paignton won't be changed in a day, but there are exciting regeneration projects under way."

The plan suggests a multi-storey car park could be built off Station Lane, while Stagecoach looks to scale down its use of Paignton bus station, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). Its new electric buses will be based in Torquay, but Paignton's routes will stay the same.

"If Stagecoach wants to move to a smaller site it's an opportunity for us to see if we can put a supermarket there with flats above it," said Lewis. Talks are also under way to improve derelict buildings in Station Square. "They have been derelict for far too long," he said. "These are exciting times for Paignton," he added.

Stagecoach confirmed that its buses would no longer be based overnight at Paignton Bus Station, with some transferring to its nearby Torquay site.

Peter Knight, managing director at Stagecoach South West, said: "This change forms part of our wider plans to develop a more sustainable, fully electric bus network for Torbay, with the Torquay depot set to become Stagecoach South West's main electric vehicle operating base from early 2026." He said there would be "no impact on local bus services, and all Paignton routes will continue to run as normal".

"Stagecoach remains committed to delivering reliable, low-emission transport for local communities and will continue working closely with Torbay Council as its regeneration plans progress," he added.

Councillor Nick Bye said the current seafront project, including new sea defences, would "transform" Paignton. "Paignton is the future," he said. "So much is going on that we can be proud of. A successful vision will be what drives its regeneration."

But, councillor Darren Cowell said: "If this is a vision, whose vision is it? The feedback I have had is that the community seems to have been forgotten. And so far delivery seems to be demolition."

Councillor Swithin Long added: "We've had lots of exciting projects mentioned, but all we've had so far is car parks being turned into car parks."

News today that the go-ahead has been given for reopening the Oxford -  Cowley line by 2030.
Funding of £120m has been made available to reopen the line to passengers with new stations at Littlemore and Cowley.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgql954g07do

Cowley Branch line to reopen after 60 years in £120m project


The rail line, which has been closed to the public for 60 years, will include a new station in Littlemore

An Oxford railway line closed to passengers since 1963 is being reopened.

The Cowley Branch Line is currently only used by freight going to and from the BMW Mini Plant, but new stations will be opened in Cowley and Littlemore in south-east Oxford.

The government has pledged £120m in funding, part of a £500m investment in infrastructure to link up Oxford and Cambridge and turn the region into the "European Silicon Valley".

Anneliese Dodds, MP for East Oxford, said the Cowley Branch Line was "finally going to become a reality". She said it would make a "massive difference to local residents, slashing travel times and reducing congestion".

The county's five Liberal Democrat MPs Freddie van Mierlo, Layla Moran, Charlie Maynard, Olly Glover, and Calum Miller said the "major" announcement reflected "years of campaigning, local partnership and rigorous business-case work".

The government said reopening the line would help create up to 10,000 new jobs. It will connect Littlemore, Cowley, Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys to central Oxford in under 10 minutes in a twice-hourly passenger service.

Prof Irene Tracey, vice-chancellor of Oxford University, said it would "stitch together" science parks, hospitals and new cultural spaces "so that ideas, researchers and local residents" could move more easily around Oxford and out to London Marylebone.

Oxford City Council leader Susan Brown said: "The Cowley Branch Line is the single most important piece of infrastructure for connecting local communities and businesses in south and east Oxford. It will give access to more amenities and jobs, help to cut congestion, meet our climate targets, and unlock new homes and jobs."

Liz Leffman, leader of Oxfordshire County Council, added: "We're delighted that the government has seen the obvious benefits that this project will deliver and the value for money it represents."

Rob Brighouse, chair of Oxford Strategic Rail Promoters' Group, called it a "once-in-a-generation opportunity and represents great news for those who do, and will, live and work on the route, as well as helping to ease rail capacity constraints through Oxford".

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the government had "massive ambitions for the Oxford-Cambridge corridor".

The government said the investments would also build on its commitment to deliver East West Rail, "which will strengthen links between Oxford and Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Bedford and beyond".

The Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), which conducts research into biology, agriculture, climate change, AI and robotics in Oxford, said it could eventually employ up to 7,000 staff, and that the Cowley Branch Line would be "crucial". EIT said it would "participate with other local stakeholders to provide supplementary funding" of £35m, and design and construct the station at Littlemore.

Sarah Haywood, managing director of Advanced Oxford, which represents science and tech businesses in the region, said it was an "exciting and important boost to the Oxford region". She said it would help to realise the "full potential" of East-West Rail "cementing the region as a world-class science super-cluster".

Yong Shen, director of the Oxford Science Park, called it a "significant, tangible step towards more sustainable transport options" to the city.

Oxford City Council said work would be carried out to identify the additional infrastructure needed to connect the stations to their local communities. This could include new bridges, pedestrian and cycle routes, and better links to the bus network, it said.

10:00 Great Malvern to Oxford due 11:30 will be terminated at Moreton-In-Marsh.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:23/11/2025 10:09

11:50 Oxford to Great Malvern due 13:18 will be started from Moreton-In-Marsh.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:23/11/2025 10:09

14:00 Great Malvern to Oxford due 15:30 will be terminated at Moreton-In-Marsh.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:23/11/2025 10:27

15:50 Oxford to Great Malvern due 17:18 will be started from Moreton-In-Marsh.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:23/11/2025 10:27

I thought that an IET with only one engine was able to ascend inclines, though slowly.
After all, the electric version has only one engine, and can allegedly "limp home" on diesel power.

I thought that an IET with only one engine was able to ascend inclines, though slowly.
After all, the electric version has only one engine, and can allegedly "limp home" on diesel power.

Is this a case of the cost up against the environmental issues?

I don't know the cost,but if a single decker costs ten pound an hour to run

and if

a double decker costs twenty pounds an hour to run.
The bus company would be saving money and I presume a single decker use's less fuel and benefiting the environment,
not to mention that a single decker would be easier to negotiate the roads and streets of Cornwall.
Strange that I have not heard anything from the Independence for Cornwall brigade     

Housebuilding around train stations will be given default “yes”, says Government.  Housebuilders will be encouraged to build more homes near these transport links, and councils in England will also now be required to tell the government when they intend to reject new housing developments over a certain size, with the Housing Secretary able to have the final say on whether they should go ahead

Architect Russell Curtis, writing on his Linked In page, commented: "Three years ago we determined that there was space for at least 1.2m homes within 800m of England's rural train stations. Mapping every station in the country and excluding genuine constraints (natural habitats, flood risk etc.) resulted in the identification of more than 770 stations across the nation with various housing capacities.

"The obvious place for new homes is when public transport already exists; and it's not on the periphery of towns and cities where everyone needs a car to get around."

13:20 Hereford to London Paddington due 16:22 will be started from Great Malvern.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:22/11/2025 12:09

Good riddance. Brilliant staff and a lousy company.