Rail Strategy for the South West

 

The Peninsula Rail Strategy sets out how rail will underpin the South West’s future economic growth while also supporting the region’s climate goals.

You can access the strategy here:

Context

The strategy comes at a time of major change for the South West’s railways. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, travel patterns have shifted: commuting by train has fallen due to increased home and remote working, while more passengers now use the network for leisure trips and holidays. Added pressures from the cost of living crisis and national rail strikes have created further challenges for the system.

The strategy builds on Closing the Gap (2016), the plan developed by the Peninsula Rail Task Force (PRTF), which secured cross-industry support for vital resilience upgrades to the mainline between Exeter and Newton Abbot after the Dawlish sea wall collapse in 2014. While progress has been made, many issues identified in that plan remain unresolved — alongside new challenges.

Five Priority Themes

The strategy focuses on five key priorities:

  • Improving choice – making rail the natural option for passengers and freight, with quicker, simpler, and more affordable journeys.

  • Reducing emissions – encouraging modal shift from road to rail for both people and goods.

  • Supporting demographic change – improving accessibility and expanding the network to serve growing communities.

  • A resilient network – addressing vulnerabilities and mitigating risks of disruption.

  • Underpinning growth – strengthening rail links to make the region’s towns and cities more accessible.

Next Steps

Alongside long-term priorities, the strategy also identifies a series of short-term initiatives that could be delivered within the next 1–2 years to start making an immediate difference.