Somerset MPs have called for the government to cut rail fares across the south west to offset expected longer journeys to and from the capital. As part of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail programme, the government is pushing forward with the construction of Old Oak Common railway station, around three miles west of London Paddington where many services from Somerset currently terminate.
Passengers using Great Western Railway (GWR) services into the capital face substantial disruption during the construction process and longer journeys once the station is operational. MPs have voiced their displeasure at this direction of travel, claiming it will make the West Country unattractive to investors and calling for a review of rail fares to and from the region.
The government has stated no final decisions on timetabling had been made and improving the reliability of Britain’s rail network was “its top transport priority.” The previous Conservative government intended for HS2 services to finish at the new Old Oak Common station, which is currently being constructed around three miles west of London Paddington.
The new Labour government changed this decision, committing to HS2 running all the way into London Euston via new tunnels. Old Oak Common will have 14 platforms – six underground for HS2 services and eight above ground to allow interchanges with GWR services and the Elizabeth Line (formerly known as Crossrail).
In order to deliver the new station, GWR announced in September 2024 that GWR services into London Paddington would be impacted up until 2028, with reduced services on Sundays throughout early-2025 and some trains being diverted to Euston instead. According to New Civil Engineer, those trains which do terminate at Paddington will also be subject to lower speed limits – adding valuable time to journeys between London and the south west.
Once Old Oak Common opens, GWR services to the south west will call there as well – adding more time to each journey. Martin Wrigley, the Liberal Democrat MP for Newton Abbot, called on the government to reduce disruption to West Country rail services during a Westminster Hall debate on Tuesday (January 14).
He said: “The piece of the plan that adds insult to injury for the millions of passengers from the south west is the idea that every Great Western Railway train will stop at Old Oak Common, even after construction is completed. It has been somewhat unclear – some misleading averages have been quoted- but having met with GWR and Network Rail, I understand that stopping at Old Oak Common will add some five to 15 minutes to every single journey.
“Adding 15 minutes on to the fast train – of around two hours- from Exeter to London is significant, and even more so on the quicker trains from Cheltenham or Bristol. Can the transport minister confirm that fast trains from the south west should be able to go through Old Oak Common without stopping?”
Frome and East Somerset MP Anna Sabine speaking in Westminster Hall on December 11, 2024
(Image: Houses of Parliament)
Frome and East Somerset MP Anna Sabine shared his concerns, stating: “My constituents are still shocked to learn about the implications of Old Oak Common. The consultation on that huge change, which will have a major impact on the south west, was insufficient, and we still need to have some kind of impact survey or study of the potential impact on tourism and business and the other effects of the works at Old Oak Common.”
Tiverton and Minehead MP Rachel Gilmour added her concerns about the “inevitable disruption” the project would cause in its current form. She said: “Pressing ahead with the project will condemn the south west to inter-city services that are among the slowest anywhere in the country and greatly reduce the number of direct trains to London.
“To accommodate the new role of Old Oak Common, trains originating in the south west will be diverted from the traditional London Paddington route to London Euston, which will add an hour, on average, to train journeys. The current provision of rail services is already well below a level that could be deemed satisfactory, so the new interchange at Old Oak Common comes at great expense to the West Country and our friends in south Wales.
“Immediately freezing fares and introducing discounts for passengers in the south west seem reasonable and fair first steps towards correcting that glaring disservice to the people of Tiverton and Minehead, and beyond.”
Rachel Gilmour MP
Simon Lightwood MP, parliamentary under-secretary for transport, responded that fixing Britain’s rail network was “our top transport priority” and said no final decisions about timetabling would be made until construction work was further advanced.
He said: “A project of the scale and significance of Old Oak Common cannot be delivered without some disruption to existing services. Our challenge to HS2 Ltd. is to keep that disruption to a minimum and to support Network Rail and train operators to keep passengers moving.
“No decision has been taken on which services will call at Old Oak Common and when; the future timetable is under development, and will be for many years to come. We are committed to the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation and to ensuring that people receive better services and have simpler ticketing.
“Our aim is to keep the price of rail travel at a point that is good for passengers and taxpayers. We are also committed to reviewing the overly complicated fares system. We are committed to ending years of poor service and fragmentation on our railways by creating a unified and simplified system through public ownership and the establishment of Great British Railways.”
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