Après le déluge Christopher Irwin, Director, TravelWatch SouthWest CIC TravelWatch SouthWest General Meeting Taunton, 8th October 2016

After Brexit….

The French connection

A tale of two cities Rennes 363 km from capital 210 k inhabitants 2nd fastest growing in France 30 tpd, 0526-2103 TGVs to Strasbourg, Lille, Lyon, Marseilles >2 hr 4 min journey to Paris (1 hr 30 min from 2017) Plymouth 365 km from capital 260 k inhabitants 2nd largest after Bristol 27 tpd, 0509-2035 Voyagers to BHM, LDS, NCL, EDI >3 hr journey to London

The Dawlish kick-start

Joining-up the strategy Members: Cornwall Council Devon County Council Plymouth City Council Somerset County Council Torbay Council Heart of the South West LEP Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP “and a Stakeholder Advisory Group, open to anyone with an interest in rail”

3-point plan: a great SW Peninsula Railway Resilient and reliable With faster journey times, and better connectivity Sufficient capacity and comfort.

128% passenger growth over 21 years The core complaints 2.2 million people £36 billion economy 128% passenger growth over 21 years No major timetable revision for 40 years Long and slow journey times with late arrivals SW rail gets £35pc HMG spend; UK average £97pc Only 50% right time arrivals

What do passengers need? Does combining local with long-distance passengers’ needs in the far SW work well? Are passengers’ priorities for station facilities different west of Exeter or in conurbations? Do faster journey times matter? What is an acceptable level of performance and reliability in the far SW? What technology do people now expect (eg WiFi)? What key infrastructure improvements are needed? How can far SW needs be reconciled with those at intermediate places such as Totnes, Westbury etc.?

www.travelwatchsouthwest.org Thank you!