Focal Exhibition Success, March 2008

MORE than 170 people visited the Hotel Bristol over the weekend to see an exhibition from the Focal Group who are campaigning for the development of Newquay Train Station and the Newquay Par line.

The group have been in existence for less than three years but have managed to rally support and raise awareness of the importance of the line to the future growth of the town.

Last weekend's exhibition was an attempt to increase awareness of the group and inform people of their aims.

Alan Nicholson-Florence, chairman of the Focal Group, explained: "On Friday we had more than 70 invited guests attend including the leader of Restormel, Julian Crow from First Great Western, the Mayor of Newquay and representatives from Cornwall County Council.

"These people are all stakeholders in the Newquay branch line and the aim was to get these different groups to realise that there needs to be collective action and a Cornish solution. The feedback we had was great, all positive, no negative and everybody seems to behind us."

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Stephen Gilbert has long since been a supporter of Focal and he spoke at the exhibition opening on Friday, March 28. He believes that Focal have 'the right idea at the right time'.

Mr Gilbert said: "Rising fuel costs, the possibility of thousands of new homes in the clay area, and the need to ensure good links between Newquay and St Austell for those who work in, and visit, our area mean that this is the right idea at the right time.

"I would like to congratulate the volunteers of Focal for the hundreds of hours of hard work they have put into bringing this project this far. It's now up to local politicians to push it forward and I hope that everyone will work together to make the scheme a reality."

Although a Focal Group exhibition, other groups were involved such as Friends of Luxulyan Valley and Bodmin and Wenford Railway Group.

Roger James member of Focal and Friends of Luxulyan Valley, said: "The Newquay line runs from one coast to the other between two large towns that are both growing. This line and its future effects everybody.

"The fact that there are so many people involved with this and so many different groups in support tells shows you what an impact all this has over such a wide area."

The centre piece of the exhibition was a 28 foot long model of Newquay Station modified to show the effect of extra line and a second platform. Demonstrations were given regularly using the model trains to illustrate how extra tracks allow the station to accommodate high speed trains from up country while maintaining a regular local service.

At the front of the hall was a large projector screen used to give a presentation and dotted around the hall were stalls from support groups, a detailed history of the station and the line and a display board of the blueprint proposed by Focal.

The exhibition was opened to the public on Saturday, March 29 and was well attended with more than 100 people braving awful weather conditions to visit the Hotel Bristol.

"Some people were ex-railwaymen and some just want to see a better local service. Everyone thought it was excellent and wished us well. It's an important part of the process because if we want to provide a better local service it has to be used by people," said Mr Nicholson-Florence.

"The whole thing was a great success and it went better than any of us could have imagined. This has been the next big milestone for us as a group. The first was the blueprint and getting that circulated and approved then it was this."

Having judged the event a success Mr Nicholson-Florence and Focal are keen to build on the momentum they have gained from the exhibition. He explained: "We will be continuing to work with First Great Western from which we hope further developments will occur. We will be working with the positive links made by various parties can hopefully be in a position to secure the land needed to reinstate the second track."

From Event builds pressure for development of station
By Daniel Taylor , Newquay Voice

02.04.2008