FIRST Great Western has been persuaded to maintain its summer weekday service of 12 daily trains on the Looe Valley line in Cornwall throughout the year following lobbying by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, which works to promote the line. Three trains each way between Liskeard and Looe were planned to be withdrawn for the winter timetable, but will now continue to run.

Welcoming the decision, Liskeard South district councillor Mike Critchley said: “With return fares from Liskeard to Looe as low as £3, or less with Railcards, and free parking at Liskeard, rail travel is ideal and increasingly popular as petrol prices rise. Our partnership must now work hard to encourage use of the trains during autumn and winter.”

Partnership manager Richard Burningham said: “I am delighted at First Great Western’s decision which will make day trips to Looe attractive throughout the year and encourage Looe residents to get out and about by train.”