From the First Great Western press release:
New timetable means earlier and more frequent services for Devon and Cornwall
The Department for Transport has today agreed to the first significant redesign of First Great Western^s mainline timetable in Devon and Cornwall for over a decade.
The changes will see an improved service for the South West, providing an earlier morning direct service from London to Plymouth and Cornwall, getting to key destinations beyond Totnes 40 minutes earlier than today.
Answering the calls of local business, the proposals will deliver a much improved service for the region, supporting the generation of economic growth through improved connectivity between major centres.
Key improvements include:
^ The 0706 Paddington to Paignton service will now instead run to Plymouth and Penzance, arriving 40 minutes earlier at key stations from Totnes and beyond than the current first direct service from London. The 0730 Paddington to Penzance service will now instead run to Paignton.
^ Additional capacity for summer travellers on the late morning (1039) service from Plymouth through Cornwall by using an eight carriage High Speed Train rather than a smaller local train.
^ Faster mid-morning service between Paddington and Plymouth
Subject to approval by Network Rail, the new timetable will operate from December this year.
Benefits by region
Cornwall
First train into Cornwall from London will be 40min earlier than now, with a 10 minute faster journey time. This in turn helps improve connection times from Cornwall branch lines into London.
New direct early morning journey from Newbury and Westbury
A more even spread of Penzance ^ Paddington High Speed Trains throughout the day 1000 ^ 1400 ^ 1600 becomes 1000 ^ 1307 ^ 1600).
This means the lunchtime service to Newquay will connect out of a local service from Exeter rather than a High Speed Train from London
Additional capacity for summer travellers on the late morning (1039) service from Plymouth through Cornwall (High Speed Train rather than a local train), with a more robust single connection into the Cornwall branch lines
Plymouth
First train from London is 40 minutes earlier than now, also with a 10 minute faster journey time.
To allow this package of improvements to happen we will remove one through service from Swindon / Chippenham / Bath / Bristol to Plymouth. Connecting services will remain available.
New direct early journey from Newbury and Westbury.
One station call at St Budeaux Ferry Road call in Exeter ^ Penzance local services will be removed to allow this package of improvements to happen.
Accelerated 11.06 service from London
Additional capacity for summer travellers on the late morning (10.39) service from Plymouth through Cornwall (High Speed Train vice local diesel train)
