PASSENGER trains could once again run between Lostwithiel and Fowey, and between Bodmin and the north coast at Wadebridge and Padstow under proposals put forward to ministers.

A £1.2 billion, fully costed rail upgrade plan for the South West has been presented to Government and local authorities.

The wider plans include reopening the Exeter-Okehampton-Plymouth line as a second resilient route to the South West and reinstating other passenger branch lines in the region.

The report’s authors, Lord Tony Berkeley and Michael Byng, argue that making rail investment in the South West is vital to the region’s economy as well as supporting a reduction in carbon emissions.

They say that the improvements suggested would come at just a tiny fraction of the cost of the HS2 line linking London with Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester.

The new routes envisaged in the plans would build on the success of the new half-hour service running on the Cornish main line, which has shown dramatic increase in use by students, commuters and holidaymakers, reducing car traffic on the roads, says Lord Berkeley.

’This package aims to enable this growth to be replicated across the region and improve access to jobs and help the move towards more zero carbon transport,’ he said.

’This is more than ever necessary for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, where the regional productivity is reported to be 70% less than in the South East.

’These upgrades can be implemented in stages using local and regional contractors to design, obtain permissions and construct, or even operate some smaller lines.’

Lord Berkeley continued: ‘Government’s commitment to rebalancing the economy from the South East to the Midlands and North must also be applied to the South West, where a contribution of less than one percent of the cost of HS2 would bring massive benefits to this region.’

The proposals have been welcomed by local company Rail Signalling and Power, who design and manufacture equipment to the rail industry. Its chairman Angus Dent said: ’Full marks to Lord Berkeley and Michael Byng for putting together a thoroughly professional and cogent

proposal for improving rail links across the South West. A lot of hard work has gone into producing a solution that not only demonstrates practical, joined-up thinking, but is supported by hard facts and detailed costings.

’Most importantly, the seven-part plan represents good value for taxpayers’ money. Let us hope ministers are convinced because, if it comes to fruition, this plan will be of enormous social and economic benefit to an important region of the UK that sometimes feels forgotten.’

The railway line between Bodmin and Wadebridge was opened in Septemer 1834 to transport ores from the mines near Wenford to the coast for onward shipping – and to bring sand in the other direction for use in agriculture. A passenger service also operated until 1967, the line closed altogether to freight in 1983.

Restoring the Bodmin to Wadebridge connection, while retaining the Camel Trail, which uses the old trackbed of the line, has long been a goal of the Bodmin and Wenford Railway. Their project has submitted a bid to receive money from the Government’s ’Restoring your Railway’ fund – otherwise known as the ’Reversing Beeching Fund’ – consideration will be given to reinstating or transforming lines which were axed duing the cuts made by Lord Beeching in the 1960s.

Nick Wood, the director of the Railway PLC who has led on the submissions, said: ’The return of the railway to Wadebridge has been the long-held ambition of the Bodmin & Wenford Railway for over 20 years. A lot of work has been carried out by consultants as well as our own volunteer staff over that time to assess the viability of reinstating train services to and from Wadebridge as well studies in to the practicalities of doing so, whilst retaining the integrity of the Camel Trail.’

The Lostwithiel to Fowey line opened in 1869 for the transport of china clay. A passenger service was withdrawn in 1965: the line is still used for the china clay loads.

Meanwhile the North Cornwall line opened in the late nineteenth century and connected Halwill in North Devon with Padstow via Wadebridge: it closed in 1966.