Modernising travel in the South West
Passengers, communities and businesses in the South West of England will benefit from big changes happening on our railway.
Big Changes in 2020
Trains
- 93 new Intercity Express trains now operating on Great Western Railway
- Biggest timetable change in 40 years for Great Western Railway passengers in December 2019 – 30% increase in trains for 2020
- More room for passengers travelling on CrossCountry trains between Exeter and Bristol with 400,000 extra seats compared to 2018
Stations, tracks, depots
- Worcestershire Parkway Station opened in late 2019
- Bristol Temple Meads historic roof renovation worth £40 million starts 2020
Communities
- In 2020 Great Western Railway has £750,000 available for community projects
- CrossCountry passengers can reserve a seat up to ten minutes before travel by text message
- CrossCountry is partnered with UK Scouts to promote personal safety, with now over 35,000 activity badges awarded
Major upgrade work
- £7.5 billion is being spent on electrifying routes from London to Cardiff, station improvements, and track upgrades
- By summer 2020 Dawlish will have a new £80 million sea wall, boosting the resilience of a vital piece of the regions infrastructure
Changes happening now in the South West
Below are press releases from rail companies in the South West promoting changes and improvements happening in the area.
![STEM centre training facility]()
Network Rail look to inspire young people as ground-breaking STEM learning facility opensNetwork Rail has opened a dedicated STEM learning facility with the aim of inspiring the next generation to pursue careers in...
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Want to help SWR improve services?South Western Railway (SWR) is offering passengers the opportunity to help make a difference to how it runs services by...
![Dawlish sea wall with train travelling]()
Significant step towards more resilient railway with new Dawlish sea wallPlans to protect the vital rail artery to the south west from rising sea levels and extreme weather have taken a significant...
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Multi-billion-pound signalling contracts awarded to help deliver a more reliable railway for passengersBillions of pounds will be invested in railway signalling over the next five years to improve the reliability of systems on...
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Heroes of WW2 to be honoured in train namingsGreat Western Railway (GWR) will mark 75 years since the end of World War 2 and peace was declared in Europe by naming six...
![Network Rail engineer on track]()
Applications now open for Network Rail’s apprenticeship schemeInterested in a career on the railway? Network Rail is recruiting the next batch of future rail leaders through their highly...
People across the South West support rail companies’ proposals for change
The rail industry recognise the need for big changes, that's why together we submitted proposals for a radical alternative to the current franchising system to the independently-chaired Williams review looking into the future of Britain's railway. We proposed for a more customer focussed, joined-up and accountable railway.
See what’s happening elsewhere in Britain
What big changes do you want?
Rail companies are calling for big changes but what matters to you?
