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Topic: Network Rail Chief Proposes High-Speed Rail Network (Read 3210 times)
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Lee
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Iain Coucher is proposing three new lines operating at up to 200mph: from London to Glasgow via Birmingham and Manchester; London to Edinburgh via Leeds and Newcastle upon Tyne; and London to Cardiff via Bristol (link below.) http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article3247811.eceHe will commission a detailed study soon into possible routes for a network that is likely to cost more than £50 billion to complete. Network Rail has decided to take a lead after becoming frustrated by the Department for Transport’s lack of progress on the issue of high-speed rail. In an interview with The Times, he said that High Speed 1, the 186mph (300km/h) line that opened in November between London St Pancras and the Channel Tunnel, should be viewed as the first part of a new network carrying faster intercity express trains. He added: “Not just High Speed 2, but High Speed 3, maybe even High Speed 4 — that’s where we need to be by 2020. There is demand building up today. We’ll now sit down, working with the train-operating companies, to come up with ideas about where we think it should go and what it should look like.
“We will need something up the West Coast by 2015, 2020 time. That’s why we think it’s better to think about how we’re doing it now, so that we have time to build it properly and we’re not trying to rush it out under impossible timescales.
“We need to find a way of delivering this cost effectively to minimise the draw on the public purse.” Mr Coucher said that the new network, which would have stops about 100 miles apart, would release capacity on existing lines for more frequent local services and freight trains. Quote from Anthony Smith, Chief Executive of Passenger Focus : “If they can’t finish works at Rugby on time over Christmas, what chance have they of building a high-speed line?
“Talking about a network of new lines in today’s conditions takes a vision and level of assumption about the planning system which could only be described as heroic.” |
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Lee
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New TGV-style rail lines linking southeast England to the Midlands and Scotland would bring economic benefits of £63 billion, according to a study to be released this week (link below.) http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/03/labour_eyes_31bn_highspeed_rai.html#moreAtkins, the engineering group, will say that without new lines, the network will run out of capacity by 2026 - or even 2016 if the recent rapid growth in rail passenger numbers continues. The conclusions come from an update of the investigation into the case for high-speed rail commissioned by the government from Atkins in 2003 (link below.) http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/researchtech/research/highspeedlinestudysummaryreportThe consultants looked at three options – a new line for the west coast, one up the east coast, and the “full network” option, which includes both. It said the latter generated the highest benefits, worth about £63 billion. The full network would cost about £31 billion to build. The report is likely to receive the backing of Theresa Villiers, shadow transport secretary, and Network Rail. |
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Graham Ellis
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Lee, I see the following quote on one of those pages you've linked to - from the report:
'The challenge is to look at the developing and changing demographics, and demand along particular corridors, and see what fits best. High-speed travel is likely to be one of a multitude of ultimate solutions. As we develop our plans to build a bigger, better railway over the next few years, we will look at this in more detail.' ... but you only make reference to East and West Coast main lines in your comment.
There's a huge amount of population growth planned in Wiltshire (Swindon, Chippenham, Trowbridge, Warminster, Westbury and Melksham) - some 50% more people in the next 18 years - and already roads are overloaded and trains, where they run, at capacity and beyond (to the extent of people being turned away at times .. Salisbury .. Trowbridge .. Bradford-on-Avon .. as well as Bath and Bristol.
What do these reports propose for the area to the West of London rather than the area to the North? From what I have seen, the answer is close to "nothing" but I'm hoping I've missed something such as another similar plan for London to South Wales and the West Country.
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Lee
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Lee, I see the following quote on one of those pages you've linked to - from the report:
'The challenge is to look at the developing and changing demographics, and demand along particular corridors, and see what fits best. High-speed travel is likely to be one of a multitude of ultimate solutions. As we develop our plans to build a bigger, better railway over the next few years, we will look at this in more detail.' ... but you only make reference to East and West Coast main lines in your comment.
There's a huge amount of population growth planned in Wiltshire (Swindon, Chippenham, Trowbridge, Warminster, Westbury and Melksham) - some 50% more people in the next 18 years - and already roads are overloaded and trains, where they run, at capacity and beyond (to the extent of people being turned away at times .. Salisbury .. Trowbridge .. Bradford-on-Avon .. as well as Bath and Bristol.
What do these reports propose for the area to the West of London rather than the area to the North? From what I have seen, the answer is close to "nothing" but I'm hoping I've missed something such as another similar plan for London to South Wales and the West Country.
When Iain Coucher "re-floated" the idea of a High-Speed Rail network in January, he did mention the possibility of a High-Speed line from London to Cardiff via Bristol. However, todays reports seem to suggest that Atkins have missed this out. We will just have to see what the new report contains when it is officially released. |
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Industry Insider
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I'd have to say that, whilst an advocate of HighSpeed rail links in the UK, I don't forsee any case for a London to the West Country/South Wales link as the distances involved are quite small compared with the population sizes of possible stations along the route. For example, Reading at 35 miles from London would need to be served and no link could shave much time off of the 25 minutes allowed already for this run given accelleration and braking of the train. After that Bristol or Cardiff journey times (for a non-stop train after Reading) would maybe shave 25-30 minutes off current times which could never be justified when the huge expense of construction/operation was taken into account. Any link to South Wales would need to cross over/under the Severn too. |
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« Last Edit: April 01, 2008, 05:30:05 AM by Industry Insider »
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Lee
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Greater Manchester transport officials have signed up for a study to look at building a high-speed rail link between Manchester, Birmingham and London (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7343116.stmIt will explore the potential of a 180mph service, which would cut the Manchester to London journey time from two-and-a-half hours to 90 minutes. Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority has joined the Greengauge 21 group after being invited last year. It will submit its findings to government in April 2009. Greengauge 21 - a not-for-profit organisation set up to promote the development of high-speed rail in Britain - invited GMPTA to join the group - earlier this year. Research will be undertaken into the technical requirements, key sites, funding and consultations - before producing a range of options. |
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Lee
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A multi-billion-pound plan to build a high-speed train link between Scotland and London is back on track following secret talks between the UK and Scottish Governments (link below.) http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/06/secret_talks_on_scotlandlondon.html#moreRail ministers from Edinburgh and London met last week for preliminary discussions on laying down the spine of Britain an entirely new line, which could cut journey times from north to south to just three hours. The talks have been kept private in a bid to dampen public expectation, with ministers on both sides of the border balking at the vast cost of the scheme. |
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Lee
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Five new high-speed main lines crossing the width and breadth of the UK may be built as part of a review of the rail network, Network Rail says (link below.) http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=3037.msg23324#msg23324The network operator will announce on Monday it is to commission a study looking into what could be the largest track build since the 19th century. The study being commissioned by Network Rail will look at the service in the post-2014 period, with all options "on the table". If given the go-ahead, the new lines are likely to run alongside some of the UK's busiest existing routes. They include the West Coast line to Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, the East Coast main line to Edinburgh, the Great Western main line to Cardiff and Penzance, the Midland main line to Sheffield and the Chiltern route to Birmingham. |
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