Residents are being invited to take a virtual balloon ride to ‘see’ for themselves how the Mid Cornwall Metro scheme will transform rail services.
A public consultation will be staged at the Hotel Victoria in Newquay on Friday, February 9 between 10am and 7pm and on Saturday, February 10 from 10am and 4pm.
The new Mid Cornwall Metro coast to coast rail service between Newquay and Falmouth is being funded by Cornwall Council and £50m of government Levelling Up Funding and aims to create a sustainable transport corridor through central Cornwall.
GWR and Network Rail are also involved in the scheme, which will see upgrades to the current rail links Newquay, St Austell, Truro, and Falmouth/Penryn to transform how residents travel and provide a better connection to employment, education and key services.
The rail improvements will be complemented by improvements around the stations to make them attractive gateways to the local area where people want to spend time and visit local shops and businesses. There will also be improvements to encourage walkers and cyclists, including new cycle parking, Beryl bike hire, widened paths and better crossing points.
At the consultation events in Newquay, cutting-edge virtual reality technology will deliver an immersive experience as residents take a balloon ride over the Mid Cornwall Metro route from Newquay to Penryn.
They will view a new second platform at Newquay, which will mean trains between Newquay and Par will double to hourly, a new passing loop at Goss Moor so local and national rail services can pass each other and operate together, seven days a week, all year round.
They will also see the improvements at Par station with a new accessible footbridge, lift and interchange. There will be better facilities outside Penryn Station, with improved footpaths and cycle routes to make it easier to access the University campus. Access to Penryn town centre via Commercial Road, will see pedestrians given priority with three zebra crossings and a segregated cycle route to provide cyclists with a safer journey.
The £50million of government Levelling Up Funding is going towards the delivery of the £56.8 million Mid Cornwall Metro initiative.
Rail Minister Huw Merriman said: "These events are an excellent opportunity for local residents to see the sheer scale of the transport improvements to come through the Mid Cornwall Metro scheme – a project that has been made possible thanks to central and local Government funding.
"They demonstrate clearly our commitment to improving journeys across the region, and this vital infrastructure project is just one example of how we are working to make travelling cheaper, easier and quicker for everyone."
Cllr Richard Williams-Pears, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for transport, said: "We’re looking forward to sharing this virtual reality experience with residents and hope to see as many as possible at the event.
“The Mid Cornwall Metro underlines our commitment to provide a thriving and sustainable Cornwall, fit for the modern world, for the benefit our residents.
“This initiative is absolutely key to delivering rail and active travel improvements across Cornwall both now and in the future, to enhance the lives of our residents by revolutionising how we can navigate across the Duchy.
“It is an important next step in developing and improving the transport network to support more active lifestyles, offer a greener alternative, reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality and alleviate traffic congestion by encouraging more people to leave the car and walk, cycle and use public transport instead.
“The council and the government recognise the importance of this initiative to enable a levelling up of the local economy and future sustainable growth and investment in mid Cornwall.
“As well as its green credentials and being a catalyst for economic growth and local regeneration around the stations, I see this as the beginning of a transport revolution for Cornwall with this being the Mid Cornwall section of the eventual Cornwall Metro."
Mid Cornwall Metro will bring an hourly direct train service connecting Newquay, Par, St Austell, Truro, Penryn and Falmouth.
A second platform at Newquay Railway Station. A new passing loop on the Newquay branch line at Tregoss Moor. A doubling of the number of rail services between Newquay and Par - an extra 700,000 seats per year both ways.
A footbridge lift improving accessibility and interchange at Par Station
Upgrades to level crossings, increased frequency of mainline services between Par, St Austell and Truro, reduced journey times and less road congestion for people living along the route, improved walking routes, links to the bus network and Beryl Bikes, accessibility improvements at rail stations and to the public areas around those stations in Newquay, Roche, Bugle and Falmouth/Penryn and ticket digitalisation - providing tap-on/tap-off ‘Pay-As-You-Go’ ticketing in Cornwall.
Newquay Central Cornwall councillor Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council’s cabinet portfolio holder for the economy, said: “This project will make a real difference to the everyday lives of people and create so many opportunities by better connecting communities to jobs, services, education, and each other, as well as providing economic benefits in allowing quicker, easier and more attractive access for commuters and visitors coming into the area.”
Tom Pierpoint, GWR Business Development Portfolio Director, said: “We really are opening up local connections across mid Cornwall through this project, giving better opportunities for people to access education, leisure, work and retail.”
Alexander Maltby, Network Rail sponsor, said: “We’re really pleased to be able to work with our partners to deliver this project and transform the railway in Cornwall.
“When complete, Mid Cornwall Metro will help more people than ever before travel by train in the Duchy.”
A further engagement event will take place at the Stannary on the University campus at Tremough on Friday, March 1 from 10am to 5pm, and the Temperance Hall, Lower Market Street, Penryn on Saturday, March 2 from 10am to 4pm.
A new website, created for the project by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, the non-profit partnership that works to promote branch lines and help deliver improvements on the railways, has also been launched and will provide regular updates https://midcornwallmetro.com/
To secure a free place, please book ahead for virtual flights on Friday, February 9, or Saturday, February 10, at the Victoria Hotel in Newquay.