Editing South West England (section)

===Transport===
The region lies on [[List of railway lines in Great Britain#South West|several main line railways]].  The [[Great Western Main Line]] runs from [[Paddington railway station|London Paddington]] to [[Bristol Temple Meads railway station|Bristol]], [[Exeter St Davids railway station|Exeter]], [[Plymouth railway station|Plymouth]], and [[Penzance railway station|Penzance]] in the far west of Cornwall. The [[South West Main Line]] runs from [[London Waterloo railway station|London Waterloo]] and [[Southampton Central railway station|Southampton]] to [[Bournemouth railway station|Bournemouth]], [[Poole railway station|Poole]] and [[Weymouth railway station|Weymouth]] in Dorset. The [[West of England Main Line]] runs from London Waterloo to Exeter via south Wiltshire, north Dorset and south Somerset.  The [[Wessex Main Line]] runs from Bristol to [[Salisbury railway station|Salisbury]] and on to Southampton. The [[Heart of Wessex Line]] runs from Bristol in the north of the region to Weymouth on the south [[Dorset]] coast via [[Westbury railway station|Westbury]], [[Castle Cary railway station|Castle Cary]] and [[Yeovil Town railway station|Yeovil]], with most services starting at [[Gloucester railway station|Gloucester]].

The vast majority of trains in the region are operated by [[CrossCountry]], [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|Great Western Railway]] (GWR) and [[South Western Railway (train operating company)|South Western Railway]] (SWR). GWR is the key operator for all counties in the region except Dorset where SWR is the key operator.

CrossCountry operates services to [[Manchester Piccadilly railway station|Manchester Piccadilly]], [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow]] and [[Aberdeen railway station|Aberdeen]]. Dorset is currently the only county in the region where there are electric trains, though the Great Western Main Line and the [[South Wales Main Line]] in Wiltshire, Somerset, Greater Bristol and Gloucestershire is [[21st-century modernisation of the Great Western main line|being electrified]]. 
SWR operate services to and from London Waterloo and serves every county in the region except Gloucestershire and Cornwall. GWR serves all counties in the region and operate to various destinations, some of which run to South Wales and the West Midlands, though almost all intercity trains operated by GWR run through the region.

[[Transport for Wales Rail|Transport for Wales]] also operates services between {{stnlink|Maesteg}} and {{stnlink|Cheltenham Spa}}. [[West Midlands Trains|West Midlands Railway]] operated a [[parliamentary train]] between {{stnlink|Birmingham New Street}} and {{stnlink|Gloucester}} via {{rws|Worcester Shrub Hill}}, which was withdrawn in 2019 (there was once a regular service on the route, but this was withdrawn in 2009).

It has been proposed that the former [[London & South Western Railway]] [[Exeter to Plymouth railway of the LSWR|Exeter to Plymouth railway]] be reopened to connect Cornwall and Plymouth as an alternative to the route via the [[Dawlish]] seawall that is susceptible to closure in bad weather.<ref>{{cite news |last= Harris |first= Nigel |title= Taking trains back to Tavistock |work= Rail |issue= 590 |pages= 40–45| location= Peterborough| year = 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=UK storms destroy railway line and leave thousands without power |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26042990 |date=5 February 2014 |work=BBC News |access-date=5 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140205072449/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26042990 |archive-date=5 February 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Dawlish's storm-damaged railway line reopens|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-26874503|access-date=4 April 2014|newspaper=BBC News|date=4 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140404063923/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-26874503|archive-date=4 April 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Network Rail chooses Dawlish alternative route |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26110559 |date=10 February 2014 |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211080406/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26110559 |archive-date=11 February 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Local bus services are primarily operated by [[FirstGroup]], [[Go-Ahead Group]] and [[Stagecoach Group|Stagecoach]] subsidiaries as well as independent operators. [[Megabus (Europe)|Megabus]] and [[National Express Coaches|National Express]] operate long-distance services from South West England to all parts of the United Kingdom.

[[File:M5 - geograph.org.uk - 238980.jpg|thumb|M5 looking south towards [[Avonmouth]] ]]
Three major roads enter the region from the east. The [[M4 motorway]] from London to South Wales via Bristol is the busiest. The [[A303 road|A303]] cuts through the centre of the region from Salisbury to [[Honiton]],  where it merges with the [[A30 road|A30]] to continue past Exeter to the west of Cornwall. The [[A31 road|A31]], an extension of the [[M27 motorway|M27]], serves Poole and Bournemouth and the Dorset coast. The [[M5 motorway|M5]] runs from the [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]] through Gloucestershire, Bristol and Somerset to Exeter. The [[A38 road|A38]] serves as a western extension to Plymouth.  There are three other smaller motorways in the region, all [[Transport in Bristol|in the Bristol area]].

Passenger airports in the region include [[Bristol Airport|Bristol]], [[Exeter Airport|Exeter]], [[Newquay Airport|Newquay]] and [[Bournemouth Airport|Bournemouth]].

Within the region the local transport authorities carry out transport planning through the use of a [[Local transport plan|Local Transport Plan (LTP)]] which outlines their strategies, policies and implementation programme.<ref name=DfT1>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/ltp/theltpprocess
|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100513051107/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/ltp/theltpprocess
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=13 May 2010
|title= The LTP Process
|publisher=[[Department for Transport]]
|access-date=26 September 2010}}</ref> The most recent LTP is that for the period 2006–11. In the South West region the following transport authorities have published their LTP online: [[Bournemouth]] U.A.,<ref name=BmLTP>
{{cite web
 |url=http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/Residents/roads/transport/LTP/default.asp 
 |title=Bournemouth 2006–11 Local Transport Plan 
 |publisher=[[Bournemouth Borough Council]] 
 |access-date=28 April 2009 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415045417/http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/Residents/roads/transport/LTP/default.asp 
 |archive-date=15 April 2009 }}</ref> [[Cornwall]] U.A.,<ref name=LTP>{{cite web
|url=http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=4595
|title=Cornwall 2006–11 Local Transport Plan
|publisher=[[Cornwall Council]]
|access-date=28 April 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090804213009/http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=4595
|archive-date=4 August 2009
|url-status=live
}}</ref> [[Devon]],<ref name=DvLTP>{{cite web
|url=http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/transportroads/devon_local_transport_plan/dltp.htm
|title=Devon 2006–11 Local Transport Plan
|publisher=[[Devon|Devon County Council]]
|access-date=28 April 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091111134735/http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/transportroads/devon_local_transport_plan/dltp.htm
|archive-date=11 November 2009
|url-status=live
}}</ref> [[Dorset]],<ref name=DrLTP>{{cite web
|url=http://www.dorsetforyou.com/index.jsp?articleid=2579
|title=Dorset 2006–11 Local Transport Plan
|publisher=Dorset County Council
|access-date=28 April 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011160631/http://www.dorsetforyou.com/index.jsp?articleid=2579
|archive-date=11 October 2007
|url-status=live
}}</ref> [[Gloucestershire]],<ref name=GlLTP>{{cite web
|url=http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=10987
|title=Gloucestershire 2006–11 Local Transport Plan
|publisher=[[Gloucestershire County Council]]
|access-date=28 April 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007100049/http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=10987
|archive-date=7 October 2007
|url-status=live
}}</ref> [[Plymouth]] U.A.,<ref name=PmLTP>{{cite web
|url=http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/homepage/transportandstreets/transportplanning/ltp2006-2011.htm
|title=Plymouth 2006–11 Local Transport Plan
|publisher=[[Plymouth|Plymouth City Council]]
|access-date=28 April 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726174056/http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/homepage/transportandstreets/transportplanning/ltp2006-2011.htm
|archive-date=26 July 2008
|url-status=live
}}</ref> [[Somerset]],<ref name=SsLTP>{{cite web
|url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/ete/transport/localtransportplans/localtransportplan2/index.cfm?override=publications&pubid=
|title=Somerset 2006–11 Local Transport Plan
|publisher=[[Somerset County Council]]
|access-date=28 April 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109222217/http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/ete/transport/localtransportplans/localtransportplan2/index.cfm?override=publications&pubid=
|archive-date=9 January 2009
|url-status=live
}}</ref> [[Swindon]] U. A.,<ref name=SwLTP>{{cite web
|url=http://www.swindon.gov.uk/roadstransport/transportplan.htm
|title=Swindon 2006–11 Local Transport Plan
|publisher=[[Swindon Borough Council]]
|access-date=28 April 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501183017/http://www.swindon.gov.uk/roadstransport/transportplan.htm
|archive-date=1 May 2009
|url-status=live
}}</ref> [[Torbay]] U. A.<ref name=TbLTP>{{cite web
|url=http://www.torbay.gov.uk/index/transport-streets/transport/transportpolicy/transportplan.htm
|title=Torbay 2006–11 Local Transport Plan
|publisher=[[Torbay|Torbay Borough Council]]
|access-date=28 April 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070815180733/http://www.torbay.gov.uk/index/transport-streets/transport/transportpolicy/transportplan.htm
|archive-date=15 August 2007
|url-status=live
}}</ref> and [[Wiltshire Council|Wiltshire unitary authority]].<ref name=WlLTP>{{cite web
|url=http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/parkingtransportandstreets/roadandtransportplans/localtransportplan2.htm
|title=Wiltshire 2006–11 Local Transport Plan
|publisher=[[Wiltshire Council]]
|access-date=28 April 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100910045625/http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/parkingtransportandstreets/roadandtransportplans/localtransportplan2.htm
|archive-date=10 September 2010
|url-status=live
}}</ref> The transport authorities of [[Bath and North East Somerset]] U. A., [[Bristol]] U. A., [[North Somerset]] U. A. and [[South Gloucestershire]] U. A. publish a single Joint Local Transport Plan as part of the [[West of England|West of England Partnership]].<ref name=WoELTP>
{{cite web
 |url=http://travelplus.org.uk/our-vision/joint-local-transport-plan-3/let%27s-talk---read-the-draft-jltp3 
 |title=West of England Partnership 2011–26 Local Transport Plan 
 |publisher=West of England Partnership 
 |access-date=28 April 2009 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024204219/http://travelplus.org.uk/our-vision/joint-local-transport-plan-3/let%27s-talk---read-the-draft-jltp3 
 |archive-date=24 October 2010 }}</ref>