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CORNWALL Council and TravelWatch South West have expressed scepticism about the Government’s proposal to split the current Great Western Railway franchise into two, with a separate operation serving Wiltshire and the South West ( RAIL 841).

Speaking exclusively to RAIL, Cornwall Council Portfolio Holder for Transport Geoff Brown said of the franchise proposal: “We are really concerned about the splitting of the franchise - a smaller franchise provides fewer opportunities for cross-subsidy of less busy routes.

“We will look closely at the potential benefits for passengers from having a smaller franchise area.

“However, if this means that the South West continues to lag behind the rest of the country in terms of rail provision while investments go elsewhere, simply because our franchise area has been reduced, then we will consult our business community, passenger groups and work with our local MPs to ensure the Department for Transport reconsiders.”

However, Brown, who is also chairman of the Peninsula Rail Task Force, welcomed the Government’s decision to extend the current Great Western Railway franchise until 2022.

“We are pleased to see that the DfT has opted to extend the franchise for Great Western Railway, creating vital stability and certainty,” he said.

“It will enable passengers to gain the full benefits of the new fleet of intercity express trains right across the South West network which, together with a range of other planned improvements, will make our rail services better, faster and more resilient.”

He was backed by TravelWatch South West director Chris Irwin, who told RAIL: “A real shortcoming of the so-called ‘Osborne proposal’ is that there is a risk that what is a cross-subsidised operation at the moment ceases to get the benefit of cross-subsidy.”

Brown welcomed the Government’s rail strategy, which suggested that some routes closed in the 1960s and 1970s could be reopened.

“The immediate priority for the South West is the whole main line route from Penzance to Paddington,” he said.

“But in the long term, we welcome the announcement that could bring back some branch line services, including to Okehampton.

“Reopening the route between Okehampton and Bere Alston would open up a huge area of North Cornwall to rail travel - but there is no offer of funding for reopenings from the Government, and local government will not be able to afford it.”