News

Earlier this year discussions between Lostwithiel Town Forum’s Transport Users Group, Lostwithiel Town Council and Cornwall Council about rail transport in the town resulted in Cornwall Council financing a telephone survey of local residents to determine their needs and wishes for the future. Results of this survey have now been published, and may be read via this link.  (Note file size over 2MB)

Some of the main points from the survey are as follows:-

• The vast majority (92%) enjoy travelling by train when they can.
• Over a third (38%) of respondents use Lostwithiel station at least once a month. However, the majority (64%) rarely/never use the station.
• The station is predominantly used by leisure travellers
• 54% of those who use Lostwithiel station at least monthly do so for shopping / personal business (54%), and leisure / day out (51%).
• Just 11% use Lostwithiel station for travelling to/from work or on business (9%).
• The size of the settlement supports high walk mode share of those travelling to/from Lostwithiel station: 92% of those who use Lostwithiel station at least once a month typically walk to the railway station.
• 57% of respondents live in a household with one or no car – reliance on public transport?
• Lostwithiel station is felt to be convenient. Rail travel from Lostwithiel is considered to be ‘easier’ than driving and offers time and cost savings over the car.
• However, nearly half (46%) of all respondents use other stations in the area – in particular, Bodmin Parkway – mainly due to the wider availability of services. An improved service may encourage them to use their local station.

• Nearly half of all respondents (44%) would like timetabling to be improved. Of these respondents, 84% say they would definitely/ probably use the train more often if timetabling was improved.
• 60% of respondents would definitely or probably use the train more often if an hourly service was introduced from Lostwithiel.
• Over half (54%) of those who would definitely/ probably/ possibly use the train more often (if an hourly service was introduced) anticipate using the improved Lostwithiel service at least once a week.
• The majority (68% of those who would definitely/ probably/ possibly use the train more often) anticipate using the improved service for shopping and leisure. Just 13% would use Lostwithiel station to commute to/from work and 6% for business trips. This raises some question as to whether there would be sufficient demand to support a service which does not have a large commuter base.

The results from this survey complement the more general Transport Survey that was carried out to help with the development of the Lostwithiel Neighbourhood Plan.

 (Source: Lostwithiel Town Forum )