Road System Growing 15 Times Faster Than Railway Line Network

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May 24, 2012, 05:27:10 PM

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Britain’s road network is growing 15 times faster than the rail network, according to official figures which undermine the Government’s claim that it is helping people to switch from cars to trains (link below.)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3525695.ece

On the eve of what ministers are hailing as their “green Budget”, statistics seen by The Times show that more than 405 miles of motorway and trunk road have opened since 1997 compared with just 27 miles of railway.

In five of the past eleven years, no track was added to the domestic rail network, and in the peak years for rail growth, in 2001 and 2002, the network grew by only six miles a year.

In contrast, the system of main roads has increased by up to 85 miles a year and is forecast to grow steadily. Last week, Ruth Kelly, the Transport Secretary, announced plans for opening the hard shoulder as a running lane on up to 500 miles of motorway.

The figures, obtained from parliamentary answers by the Liberal Democrats, were revealed as Alistair Darling prepares to deliver what is being promoted as the greenest Budget yet.

The Highways Agency has 40 large-scale road schemes in various stages of development but the only significant new rail line being planned for England is Crossrail, which has been debated for more than 20 years and will not open before 2017.

Response from Campaign For Better Transport :

Quote from: Cat Hobbs (Campaign For Better Transport)

Britain's road network has grown 15 times faster than the rail network under Labour.

Government figures show that since 1997, 405 miles of motorway and trunk roads have been built, compared to just 27 miles of railway tracks. This is despite the fact that in the last 10 years, the number of rail journeys has increased by 45%.

Building roads encourages people to drive; building new railway lines encourages people to travel by train. The Government needs to reopen railway lines and stations to give people low-carbon transport options. It needs to look at the 'missing links' in our rail network, identified by Railfuture.

The Government also needs to look at the increasing number of people travelling by train, and start planning for the long term. This means safeguarding key lines for the future.

In the adjournment debate on Woodhead yesterday, Angela Smith MP reminded Transport Secretary Rosie Winterton that rail links in the North are not good enough, and talked about the need for a trans-Pennine 'crossrail for the North' on the Woodhead route. Rosie Winterton said that 'should a significant challenge be identified' which meant the route would be needed, the department would work with National Grid to ensure it could be reopened.

A significant challenge has already been identified. It's called climate change and it means the Government needs to encourage people to use trains instead of cars and planes wherever possible. Our rail network should be growing 15 times faster than our road network - not the other way around.

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