Update 16th May 2020
Transport for Cornwall will be starting their normal bus timetable, including our new 28 service, on 1st June 2020.
The 28 service timetable, in pdf format may be downloaded, from here.
Update 23rd February 2020
Lostwithiel Town Council has released details of plans prepared by Newtwork Rail / Cornwall Council for a bridge at Lostwithiel Station.
The much anticipated new “half-hourly” train timetable for Lostwithiel started on 15th December 2019.
GWR have issued a timetable showing all departures from Lostwithiel Station.
Update 5th June 2019
From 20th May GWR have introduced seven extra train services a day in each direction between Penzance and Plymouth. The additional trains will provide over 4,000 extra seats every weekday. Unfortunately not all these trains will be stopping at Lostwithiel, however there has been an improvement in our service. A Copy of the latest timetable is availabe via this link.
A full timetable (Timetable K) can be downloaded from the GWR Website
Update 5th March 2019
Cornwall Council has agree to pay Network Rail to carry out a feasibility study to move the Totnes footbridge to Lostwithiel. This is a vital step towards getting the footbridge needed to help rail users and pedestrians alike. The study should be finished by May. The bridge at Totnes has become available following the award of a £1.5m design and build scheme to provide a new footbridge at Totnes . Image below shows existing bridge at Totnes Station. (Photo Credit: Rail Business Daily)
Update 6th August 2018
There are a few ups and downs to report on transport this month. You may have seen the chaos that followed the introduction of new timetables in London and the North. Unfortunately Network Rail has decided that to avoid similar problems in the South West it will not allow Great Western to introduce its new timetable in January. That means that our planned hourly train service has been deferred. We hope to find out shortly how long this will be.
On a brighter side, the St Austell footbridge is not now going to Wales and will remain in Cornwall. GWR and Network Rail have agreed to ‘measure up’ to see if it would fit on our platforms. There are still financial issues, but things look brighter.
GWR is shortly to refurbish our waiting room and will install a seat in the shelter on the ‘down’ (Truro side) platform. This will improve our platform. This is just as well, as waiting time on the platform and at the crossing may increase! It seems that our signal-box staff have been too helpful in raising the gates early and must now keep the gates closed until trains are past the ‘trigger points’. This will go on for some time, and they realise that this strengthens our case for a footbridge. GWR will be writing to all households and putting up posters to explain the problem.
The Wednesday Asda bus has gone, but the Wednesday Summercourt bus is still running, serving Asda and Morrisons, until at least next Easter. This bus currently leaves the Royal Talbot at 11.45 and arrives at Asda at 12.05. The bus leaves Asda at 13.30 and returns to Lostwithiel at 13.52.
The Lerryn Mini bus also offers services to Bodmin on Tuesdays and other supermarkets in surrounding towns on other days. See their timetable on the Lostwithiel Business Group website.
John Scott
Lostwithiel Town Forum chair.
Lostwithiel Town Forum has been working closely with bodies across the region to improve public transport in Lostwithiel. We have represented Lostwithiel interests at meetings of the Peninsula Strategic Rail Partnership, the GWR Timetabling Panel, and the Department for Transport Consultation on the Rail Franchise. Here are some of the possible improvements that we have influenced:-
- It looks as if we will soon have a much-improved rail timetable with twice as many trains stopping at Lostwithiel than at present. GWR has produced a draft timetable for January 2019 that reflects the pressure that we and Cornwall Council have been putting on them to introduce an hourly service. All being well, from the end of this year, we will get trains in both the Plymouth and Penzance directions stopping each hour throughout the day, Monday to Friday, and with a similar service on Saturday. Around 46 trains a day could be stopping at Lostwithiel.
- Of course, this increase in trains also increases the need for a footbridge over the railway and we are continuing to pursue this. Unfortunately, our request to have the redundant bridge from St Austell was rejected by Network Rail. The demand for a bridge continues, as there will be as many express trains passing through Lostwithiel, without stopping, as there will be trains that stop – meaning that the crossing gates will be down for much longer than at present.
- You may have seen posters at the station about improvement works being undertaken. These refer to the re-signalling of the railway line. There was a concern that this would involve transfer of signal and level-crossing control to Swindon. However, Network Rail has announced that, at least for a few more years, Lostwithiel signal box will remain in use and so the crossing gates will be controlled by someone who can see who is crossing or waiting to cross.
- We are also pressing for local bus services and have had a positive response from Plymouth Bus, which is planning its expansion across Cornwall. We have asked for an extension of the 11a bus to give us a connection to Bodmin town and for new routes that would connect us to Wadebridge, Fowey, and Liskeard. We don’t have any definite promises yet, but at least these are now under consideration. Cornwall Council supports the plans as part of its ‘One Public Transport’ initiative to integrate buses and trains and recognises the particular importance of us having a connection to Bodmin town.
All in all, things might get better – we must only hope. If we do get these additional services for rail and bus, do make sure to use them, in case we lose them again! We will keep you updated.
Last month our Chairman John Scott attended a meeting with Lostwithiel’s MP Sheryll Murray, Deputy Mayor Tim Hughes and representatives from Network Rail and GWR.
Train services after December 2018 were discussed. After this date there should be a half-hourly service in both directions for “main” stations e.g. Truro and St Austell. It is hoped there will be an hourly service in both directions for smaller stations such as Lostwithiel. Our MP has agreed to fund a survey to ask when Lostwithiel residents would like to see train stopping at our station.
Sheryll Murray was given a copy of our proposals for a new footbridge at the station. Approximate costs for a new footbridge were obtained at the meeting: c£1M for a footbridge without lifts and c£3M for a footbridge with lifts.
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Update 10th June 2017
EARLY DRAFT NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN RELEASED
The long-awaited Neighbourhood Plan for Lostwithiel has been released in early draft format and may be read via this link.
Update 6th June 2017
Proposals for new footbridge at Lostwithiel Station
A major project for the coming year is to make the case for the building of a footbridge over the railway line. Together with the Town Council and our Cornwall Councillor Lostwithiel Forum have put in a formal case to Network Rail for the building of a footbridge at the level crossing. The case has been made in terms of the increased time for which the barriers will be down and the disruption caused for those in town and those trying to catch a train. More details of the proposal may be viewed via this link https://tinyurl.com/NewFootbridge
We will keep you informed about the response from Network Rail.
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Update 15th April 2017
Lostwithiel - Superfast Broadband Update
The Forum have been told that the last remaining part of Lostwithiel town without superfast broadband (BT Infinity) ought to be complete by the end of the year. Victoria, Uzella Park, and Meadow Breeze will have distribution points included in the next planning phase, which will be confirmed in June. All being well, this improved broadband will be available from December 2017.
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Meetings
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Lostwithiel Town Forum hold regular meetings in the Station Meeting Room. All are welcome to attend. If you have something you would like improved or addressed within Lostwithiel why not join us and see what can be done? For the date and time of the next meeting see THIS PAGE.
Contact Us
In the meantime, if you have any ideas which you think we could help with, please contact the Forum by
- Email via lostwithielforum "at" gmail.com or CLICK HERE
- Write to The Platform, Lostwithiel Railway Station, Grenville Road, Lostwithiel, PL22 0EW
- Call either Lindsay Southgate 873371 or Helen Taylor 872252
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 Updating... Ċ Keith Southgate, Jan 10, 2016, 2:00 PM Ċ Keith Southgate, May 30, 2014, 8:13 AM Ċ Keith Southgate, Jul 9, 2016, 1:44 PM Ċ Lindsay Southgate, Oct 29, 2012, 2:23 PM Ċ Keith Southgate, Dec 19, 2016, 12:01 AM lostwithiel_loo_bbc_cornwall_28_7_16.mp3 (10754k) Keith Southgate, Jul 1, 2016, 9:47 AM
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