Feature Articles / Go West by Train - Faster and Earlier
Go West by Train - Faster and Earlier - First Great Western has launched a new early morning train from London Paddington, which leaves the capital at 7.06am and arrives in Exeter St David's at 9.30am

Go West by Train - Faster and Earlier

First Great Western has launched a new early morning train from London Paddington, which leaves the capital at 7.06am and arrives in Exeter St David's at 9.30am
By locations4business

The new service means business travellers from London can get to Exeter 40 minutes earlier than previously, enabling them to do a full day's work in the city.

Representatives of Exeter City Council and the city's chamber of commerce, who worked with First Great Western to secure the new service, gathered at the station to mark the arrival of the first early morning express yesterday.

Chamber vice chairman Derek Phillips said: "This is great news because it better connects the city once again. We lobbied for this because we think it's essential to have an early morning train out of London serving the Westcountry."

First Great Western managing director Mark Hopwood said: "We're delighted to be able to introduce this early morning fast train, which will be a real benefit to the local economy, both for business and tourism.

"There has been an overwhelming response from across the region in support of it and we thank everyone for their help and support in helping make this happen."

Tim Jones, chairman of Devon and Cornwall Business Council, said improved transport links to the capital could be a "great stimulus to new investment" in Exeter.

"This is absolutely the answer to what we have been asking now for about three years from First Great Western," he said. "We needed to ensure that people could come into the far South West as quickly as they could go up to London.

"Inward investors want to have a full day's work down here and the importance of that symbolically along with the improved journey times is absolutely fundamental. So a big thank you to First Great Western and it's now up to the business community to use this service."

Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw said: "I warmly welcome this new service, which recognises Exeter's key role in the local economy of the South West. I congratulate First Great Western, local business organisations and Exeter City Council for working together to help bring the new service to fruition."

 

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