With the summer holidays upon us, it’s a good time to hop on a train to explore what Devon & Cornwall has to offer. It’s worth taking advantage of the Devon & Cornwall Railcard, which is now also available in digital format. If you would like a digital railcard, you can purchase one on the GWR website and within minutes you can have the railcard on your phone or tablet in the free Railcard app.

A Devon & Cornwall Railcard costs £12 a year for local residents in Devon and Cornwall aged 16 and over. Buying a Devon & Cornwall Railcard means you save a 1/3 on all Standard Class Anytime or Off-Peak tickets for journeys not starting before 08:45, which are wholly within Devon and Cornwall. Families can take up to four children (aged 5-15) for a flat fare of £1 per child. 

I headed to Axminster Station to catch up with Devon County Council’s transport head Cllr Andrea Davis to hear about the recovery of rail travel since the pandemic. Recent government investment in our region has made a real difference for passengers, including the return of the Dartmoor Line, a reinforced sea wall in Dawlish, and a new railway station in Marsh Barton. I’m now pushing for a new station in Cullompton.

In Parliament, I've been making the case for the expansion of the Veterans Railcard. At the moment, this card cannot be used for travel before 10am for 10 months a year. This means a veteran travelling to work in the morning usually does not qualify for the appropriate discount. With The Royal Marines Charity based here in East Devon, I understand the challenges veterans face and will be meeting their new CEO at their Lympstone Commando base to discuss how to best support those who’ve served our country.

The railway station ticket office consultation has been extended to 1st September. I’m urging East Devon residents to take part and let their views be heard on planned changes to local stations. I’ve written to GWR to raise concerns about the planned closure of Exmouth’s ticket office.