Which of the branches is taking a hit to frequency for that then? Exeter isn't exactly awash with surplus stock, is it?

It dumps half at Exeter, and reloads with similar numbers in my experience.

The Metro is slow, reliable and gets delayed by high speed services getting delayed on the Banks - hence why people jump on one of the very few high speed services available to us without changing. The Paddington services are also stoppers so.... XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) get the lions share of Bristol bound pax.

The numbers they have for Paignton services are laughable. The 1007 has routinely been busy/full and standing for as long as I've used it (about a decade) rain or shine, February, August or November

It's the first off-peak fast service to Exeter and Bristol for us - it's virtually impossible for it not to be busy!

88 my left wossname!

I noticed last week that some new gubbins have been added to the ticket barriers on New North Road at Exeter Cebtraln- possibly smart card readers, but don't look like the ones in London or Manchester.

As a route it's been around for years It got upgraded to Gold last year, with an increased timetable this summer.

The drivers on the route are a bit baffled the by the reasons given for the reduction - allegedly peak time passengers have dropped since the roadworks started, and it's no longer sustainable. This directly counters my own experiences, where it has seemed much busier, especially since the road opened.

Last bus back from Exeter will be at half five. Yuk.

Pfft, get back to me when we get a line back in Brixham. 18 thousand residents, a small horde of tourist and only one proper road in = some proper jams both in and out!

There's no denying the fact that rail is significantly quicker than bus for anyone travelling from Torbay to Exeter or Plymouth.  Takes roughly an hour by train, 1h30 or more by bus.

In fact this winter, Stagecoach are slashing the X46 down to four journeys in either direction, so the train is about the only realistic option!

As I've probably mentioned/ranted about previously: The population of the part of North Devon the route goes through is negligible, so would have a very minimal local service, beyond diversions

Compare that to the half million between Torbay and Exeter, with multiple stations with a million + pax journeys per year, the logic of retention and reinforcement becomes clear.

I know alot of people hyper-fixate on getting to Cornwall, but the local situation has to be considered.

Not sure that the XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services being cancelled can be used as an argument - that's a train fault, not a infrastructure issue per se.

Nothing short of a complete rebuild will ever more than paper over the cracks. The platform is too narrow, the slabs are in some places starting to move underfoot, and it's just foul waiting there in winter.

 There will probably never be a tvm there - just look at what happened at Torre when it finally got activated. Robbed inside of a week!

As for Metro services causing delays on the mainline. ...Uh. .whut. Literally every other day my commute is delayed by late running Plym/Pad/Brum services.

In fact on Monday,  I was delayed TWICE just getting to Exeter in the morning. Perhaps priorities need looking at?!

Also, why are the platforms so long? Seems bizarre for a halt, especially compared to SJP's midget platform next door.

Not to surprising, sadly. You get similar scenes on the Devon Metro out of Central at the same, no matter the time of year.

Compared to the equivalent bus routes(s) rail is usually quicker and cheaper, which is what people eager to go home want after a long day.

Hopefully those 'pocket rocket' HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s will help Cornwall in the not so distant future

Platform extensions, eh? Which stations need em? St James Park?

What's this mobile ticketing malarkey Torbay Council has coughed up for? Their, uh, track record in transport leaves me cynical! (hello Brixham express...)

So many questions

Plymouth got a shiny new entrance, I think.

Paignton, Torquay and Newton Abbot have all had refurbished footbridges/lifts as well as having new bogs installed.

Never mind the IC^▸ (Inter City) services, it's been mad on the Devon Metro, especially in the evenings out if Exeter. Easily the busiest I've seen it in the 4 years I've been commuting there. GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) doing their best with what they have, but it's not been pretty.

I think the metro routes in the West really missed out when the direct award came. It was right on the cusp of the transition point between 'its too expensive to order new trains, when we can refurb the old stuff' mindset which afflicted the DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) and the more recent 'Build build build! New is great!' Which can been seen in Northern, Scotrail, TPE^▸ (Trans Pennine Express), and Anglia all going for new build over refurbishment.

And now there is so much available for cascade, I somehow doubt we will see a replacement for the Sprinters for twenty odd years. Not that I mind sprinters - I'll be happy to see the 4 long coaches on the commute home when they appear Soon (TM^‡(resolve))

Hey, ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))), have I got a deal for you! 8 slightly foxed, badgered and bear'd Class 143's!  You'll love em! It's a matching set for yours!

Considering that there's apparently no business case to electrify down to Plymouth, why would there be one for a route that would serve an substantially smaller population  spread out over a larger area than South Devon?