A SOUTH West rail task force is to lobby the government for lower fares and better WiFi on trains travelling from the region to London Paddington, writes Bradley Gerrard.

The move comes as works at Old Oak Common, linked to the HS2 scheme, are set to delay services between Devon and Cornwall and the capital on the Paddington line. It will probably mean fewer services too.

The potential delays could last seven years, according to MPs who debated the issue in Parliament recently.

Andrea Davis, a member of the task force board and Devon County Council’s cabinet member for transport, is due to meet rail minister Lord Hendy soon where she said she will raise the issue of fares and better internet connections.

Asked if she would push for lower fares, she said: “Yes, I will. I find the whole fare system completely opaque and have no idea how the algorithm works.

“We all know it is expensive to use the trains and so I think it is a reasonable ask [to request lower fares].”

Cllr Davis said she fears the ongoing disruption could “destroy confidence” in public transport, and so ensuring journeys could be more productive for passengers is vital.

“We can’t change the fact the Old Oak Common works are going ahead, but let’s make the journey more useful,” she said.

“Our biggest ask of Lord Hendy would be for sustained and reliable Wi-Fi, given that the technology is there and is used abroad in Europe and the US, but we don’t have it here even though there are British companies offering it.”

Asked whether Lord Hendy could actually instigate such a change, Cllr Davis said that “he can do it”.

“We’ve essentially had a nationalised rail service since Covid as the Department for Transport controls what happens, so he would just need to instruct the rail operator.”