Consulting firm Aecom has been awarded a contract to technically manage the "Mid Cornwall Metro" project, which aims to expand the passenger rail transport line between the north and south coasts of Cornwall. A direct hourly service between Newquay, Par, St Austell, Truro, Penryn, and Falmouth is planned from 2026. The contract covers the modernisation of the line to Newquay, including the planning of a passing track and an additional track at Newquay station, as well as the modernisation of the station infrastructure and signalling systems. In December 2023, Cornwall Council's Cabinet decided to accept the €58.5 million (GB£50 million) grant from the UK government's Levelling Up Fund for the project, which will cost €66.4 million in total. The British infrastructure company Colas is responsible for planning the signalling and telecommunications systems.
