Following two months of fewer trains, a full timetable between Honiton and Salisbury resumes today. 

To welcome customers back. South Western Railway (SWR) is offering customers £5 vouchers for catering outlets along the line as well as 100 free taster minutes for e-bikes in Exeter. The offers are valid until Wednesday 23 November. 

The 'Welcome Back' vouchers will be distributed by SWR staff. As well as this, free bottled water and juices will be available on selected trains between Salisbury and Exeter on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week. 

South Western Railway had been forced to impose speed restrictions of 40mph near Tisbury, Gillingham and Axminster. The clay-based track bed shrank in the record-breaking hot and dry summer and this left the rails uneven and too bumpy for trains to run at full speed. There were also fewer trains than normal. 

Since the summer, engineers have restored track levels. Cooler temperatures and regular rain also helped to stop the track bed shrinking. 

Claire Mann, Managing Director, South Western Railway said: "We're delighted to bring back a full timetable to the West of England today, providing the quality services that our customers deserve. 

"I am sorry to all those customers whose journeys were affected as we waited for weather conditions to improve to enable Network Rail to safely remove the speed restrictions.  

"As a token of our appreciation for our customers' patience over the past couple of months, we are pleased to provide these free welcome back offers, and we hope that customers will use them to try out the great food and drink and e-bikes in the area." 

Read more:

Honiton: Why are there so many train strikes?