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Transport Minister Baroness Kramer visited the south-west today (5 September 2014) to see how 2 rail improvement schemes will transform journeys for thousands of passengers.

The minister鈥檚 first stop was to officially open the 拢13 million multi-storey car park at Bristol Parkway station. Thanks to government funding, the car park is providing an extra 710 parking spaces, in addition to the 1,100 already there.

Baroness Kramer then travelled to Newcourt, near Exeter, to cut the first turf on the 拢1.5 million new station planned for the site. The project is one of 5 to be awarded funding by the government, following a successful bid by Devon County Council in May 2013.

The new station, which will include a ticket machine, passenger information system, secure cycle parking, disabled parking spaces and CCTV, will be served by a half-hourly local service between Exeter St David鈥檚 and Exmouth.

Baroness Kramer said:

A modern railway station with excellent customer facilities can speak volumes about a local community. The new facilities at Bristol and the new station at Newcourt will help transform the experience of passengers and provide a boost to local economies.

We have big ambitions for our railways, which is why we have embarked on the biggest programme of modernisation since the Victorian era, with more than 拢38 billion being spent over the next 5 years to provide better journeys for millions of passengers.

For the work at Newcourt, Devon County Council received 拢741,000 government funding. Once completed later this year, it will serve a new housing development and ease congestion on the local road network.

Both projects are being supported by First Great Western and Network Rail.

Local authorities in the south-west have been given more than 拢900 million to spend on local transport during this parliament, with 拢130 million being spent on improving the region鈥檚 roads this year.