Great Western Coffee Shop

A spokesman for First Great Western told BBC News it was an act of appalling cruelty and the guard had reacted instinctively and done his job.

Compared to Other places the Size of Penzance, Penzance is riding things well, there aren't that many empty Shops in Penzance.

Green light for new ^10m transport hub

Plans to create a new park and ride scheme at a west Cornwall railway station and 750 car parking spaces as part of a ^10 million development have been approved by councillors.

On Thursday members of Cornwall Council's strategic planning committee voted 16-5 in favour of granting planning permission at St Erth station near St Ives.

The scheme includes a park and ride service to St Ives, Penzance and Truro.

Supporters said the new "transport interchange" would reduce congestion on the roads while critics argued the scheme was too costly.

Graeme Hicks, the council's portfolio holder for transport highways and environment said the new system was a key part of the local transport plan to connect Cornwall.

He said: "The rail network in Cornwall has untapped capacity which can help us towards taking people out of their cars and reducing the growth of traffic on our roads.

"I hope that this new transport interchange will encourage people to investigate the local area and be a trigger for further local investment.

"The interchange will improve the connectivity between different transport modes and enable car-free days out for visitors whilst enabling commuters and businesses to use car-free travel for part of their journeys.

"This will help reduce congestion on the A30 through the villages of Rose-an-Grouse, Canon's Town, Cockwells and Crowlas."

Three car parks are planned to lie adjacent to the existing railway station.

A new section of road will be created through the A30 junction for cyclists and pedestrians to use.

The scheme includes improvements to the A30 junction with Station Approach, including traffic signals, along with additional lanes for turning traffic.

Councillors said this would increase the junction capacity and regulate traffic flows by reducing congestion and improve the current situation for vehicles travelling to and from St Erth village.

It is anticipated that construction will commence early next year.

Councillor Rob Nolan, who voted against the scheme said it was far too expensive.

He said: "It will cost around ^40,000 per parking space.

"This is a colossal waste of money.

"We can't ignore the fact we might be wasting money."

When Philip Mason, head of planning and regeneration, interrupted Mr Nolan to remind him to "put cost out of his mind" and leave it to another committee to decide, the councillor replied: "You cannot ignore cost."

I visited the site at St Erth today, along with visits to Lelant Saltings, Carbis Bay and St Ives stations. Good to see a fair few people about wherever I went, with the 2-coach Class 150 unit well-loaded.

When were the barriers installed at St. Ives Station? I was there on holiday last June and there were no barriers there then.

St Erth Railway Station reaches final of international awards

Staff at St Erth Railway Station have been celebrating after reaching the finals of an international competition.

The railway station reached the top six of of the International Station Awards of the Year 2013 which rate stations based on their appearance, the facilities available, transport links and customer focus.

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St Erth Railway Station reaches final of international awards

Judges from different railway companies looked at the station, which is managed by First Great Western (FGW), over a two month period.

Sara Rogers, station manager, represented St Erth at the awards in Cardiff. She said: ^We did so well to achieve a place in the finals, but of course I am sad that we didn^t achieve the top prize. Especially after the hard work that was put in to show the judges how good our passengers feel about St Erth Station.^

First place went to Aylesbury Vale Parkway, which was named Best Small Station of the Year.

Despite not taking home an award, Jeremy Joslin, director of the Sterling Group who created and run the First Class Buffet on the Station, was delighted with the result.

^We have a great relationship with First^s staff from Sara to the regular duty station managers Ray and Peter and including the train crews who rest over at the station,^ said Mr Joslin. ^We always help each other to make the passengers feel welcome and a little less worried about their long journeys. This international recognition is a great boost to the buffet and to the hard work done by our FGW staff.^

There is a dispensation that you can travel to Penzance and get a train back.

Would sighted disabled (probably wheel chair users) be better getting of at Hayle if they are not continuing by train. I assume the barrow crossing is still in use. Otherwise Penzance is the only option.

Cornwall County Council has awarded Wills Bros Civil Engineering a £4∙6m contract to design and build a multi-modal hub at St Erth station. The scope includes the provision of 440 new car parking spaces, ramped pedestrian access from the south car park to platform level, improvements to the station forecourt and amendments to the existing junction on the A30 trunk road.

Learned today that there are plans to widen the bay platform at St Erth by slewing the track to where the unused second platform line currently is.  Will ease congestion at busy times when those waiting for the St Ives train have to jostle with those getting off an incoming service.

I heard that the existing bay siding is to be shortened back and the disused platform on that side extended and widened. When complete this would allow trains from St Ives when arrived at St Erth, to unload on one side and load on the other.

Unrelated but I found out today that when work on the St Erth hub is complete early next summer the bus stops on the A30 by the station will be removed. All bus services will then call at the stop right outside the station meaning all buses will divert off and back on the A30 and no risking your life trying to walk across a busy trunk road.