THE NUMBER of people using the Newquay to Par railway branch line this year has broken all records – with three months' usage still to be added to the total before the year is finished.

A total of 63,120 one way tickets were sold this year, smashing the previous record high of 60,832, set in 2004, with three months' figures still to come this year.

Now the Friends of the Atlantic Coastline (FoCAL) would like to see these high numbers of train users result in better funding, facilities and services for those choosing to travel by train.

A delighted Alan Nicholson-Florence, vice chairman of FoCAL, said: "Everyone involved with FoCAL is delighted at the numbers using the branch line.

"In 2004, there were eight trains in action which obviously resulted in the 60,000 using the branch line. But this year we only have seven trains, so to get this high number of users is incredible.

"This can't be anything but good news for the future of the branch line. When we had Lord Adonis here in April, he said about increasing the number of people using the trains in order to try and securing more funding."

The final three months of the year could result in a total of 70,000 people using the branch line for travel.

"With the eco-town to be built, which could see the train line utilised more in Cornwall, this should add more weight to our claims that with more funding and more services the line would be used more," added Alan. If this keeps increasing, Cornwall Council will surely be looking at how, with National Rail and the Regional Development Agency, further improvements can be made on the line.

As part of the eco-town plans an additional train station is planned to be built in Trewoon, and more train tracks installed to create a service between Newquay and St Austell.