Transport 2000 - Growing The Railways In The Southwest Conference

I have already mentioned this in the link below.
http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=826.msg2385#msg2385

However , I do think that it is a particularly important event. I especially note the following quote (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2007/01/growing_the_railways_in_the_so.html#more

"Passenger journeys on Britain’s railways last year exceeded 1 billion, the highest since 1959, and train operators estimate that demand for rail travel will grow by 66 per cent over the next 20 years. But parts of the network are already bursting at the seams and desperately need expanding. Other parts of the network will soon reach capacity as demand for rail use continues to rise. Yet, despite the increasing demand for rail travel, closures and cuts are on the agenda, with local rail services and stations on main lines particularly under threat."

This is epecially relevant given this quote from an ATOC letter to the ORR regarding Network Rail's Business Plan.

Quote from: Lee on January 16, 2007, 03:02:26 PM

However, we have some concerns about the assumptions within the business plan and also the level of analysis that is provided.

We are concerned especially that passenger train miles are assumed to grow by just 2% by 2007/08, after which no growth at all in passenger train miles is assumed. This contrasts with assumed freight train tonne miles growth of almost 24% by 2014.

This low growth in passenger train miles does not reflect our overall expectations for passenger growth over the next ten years (although some of this will, of course, be accommodated on longer and more heavily-loaded trains), especially in some parts of the network that are already very crowded. The new RUS programme will go some way towards identifying passenger demand from the bottom up, but a more realistic national assumption must also be adopted. We would be pleased to work with both the ORR and Network Rail to determine this.

This event is being held on Friday 19 January 2007 - 10.00-12.00 at the Government Office for the South West , 2 Rivergate, Temple Quay , Bristol. Admission free - All Welcome.