Furious rail commuters in Devon have been given the backing of their local paper, which is waging a campaign to stamp out poor rail services.

The Exeter Express and Echo has published a passionate open letter on its front page attacking First Great Western’s proposed changes to the service from Devon to London.

The company wants to replace modern locomotives with stock that is nearly 40 years old so that it can use the newer trains on the South Wales to London service instead.

And to add insult to injury, the company plans to compensate commuters facing increased journey times by offering them free tea and coffee.

In its letter to First Great Western’s managing director Mike Carroll, the Express and Echo summed up the anger felt by many in the area.

It said: “Rail users in Devon will be getting a raw deal.

“We see no reason why passengers in South Wales should benefit from an upgraded, half-hourly service while people from the Westcountry face delays of up to 27 minutes.”

The paper is calling for the company to either abandon the planned changes or slash the price of tickets by way of compensation.

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