10th January 2017
By Julia Penhaligon
Follow @CornwallReports
Any commuter rail service linking Bodmin General station to the mainline at Bodmin Parkway would have to be subsidised by Cornwall Council, the town’s heritage steam railway company has confirmed.
In a decidedly cool response to an initial feasibility study, the Bodmin and Wenford Railway Company says it is waiting to hear from the council about any next steps. The council has already indicated that it does not see the project as a priority and has no plans to bring a report before elected councillors.
The land on which the track rests is owned by Cornwall Council, which has leased it to the Bodmin and Wenford railway company until 2048.
The B&WR chairman, Phil Hawke, said the Great Western Railway feasibility study had produced no surprises. “To summarise, the report says that GWR can run a morning and evening train service (their preferred option) subject to somebody else paying a subsidy for it and the BWR providing a lot of facilities (that we don't have)," he said. "There would be substantial start-up costs.”
Mr Hawke added: “We are awaiting a response from Cornwall Council as they will have to provide (or find) all of the survey and start up costs as well as the annual operating subsidy. Any community rail service would inevitably have an impact on our Heritage Railway activities.”
Mr Hawke said the GWR report’s observation that a commuter rail service would be in competition with the existing, hourly, bus service was “rather significant.”
Return to the Cornwall Reports front page.
Related Posts
- NHS Kernow confirms closure of Bodmin Treatment Centre, as MP calls on Health Secretary to intervene
30th March 2017 By Graham Smith The closure of the Bodmin Treatment Centre tomorrow (Friday)…
- Bodmin Treatment Centre will close on Friday, as Ramsay keeps the work and moves it to Truro's Duchy hospital
29th March 2017 By Graham Smith The Bodmin Treatment Centre is to close at the…
- Council election to be cancelled, and political parties suspend campaigning, as Bodmin councillor dies
16th April 2017By Graham SmithOne of the elections to Cornwall Council looks set to be…
- Skywatchers invited to celebrate the magic of Bodmin Moor this Saturday
26th April 2017 By Graham Smith Skywatchers are being invited to a special “dark skies”…