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The railway linking London and the South West of England is "sorely in need of investment" to offset the cancellation of major road projects, a new study has found.

The government halted a planned tunnel for the A303 past Stonehenge within weeks of winning the general election in 2024. It stated that the £2bn scheme was "poor value for money".

It also stopped other road improvements, ending a long-planned upgrade of the A303 to a dual carriageway "expressway" between the M3 at Basingstoke and the M5 at Taunton.

The new study recommends improving the parallel West of England railway line through Salisbury, "in the absence of a plan based on road widening".

It has been compiled by respected transport consultants Greengauge 21 on behalf of groups which opposed the Stonehenge tunnel.

The (Basingstoke-) Salisbury-Exeter line would also benefit from a switch from diesel traction to electric, which is currently working its way through the rail sector planning processes. The diesel fleet is nearing life expiry (40 years). The replacements would be much newer and better equipped but surplus-to-requirements electric multiple units. These would be converted to dual-mode battery-electric operation, and would be deployed on the Exeter line which would need to be equipped with a low cost discontinuous dc electrification programme.

The report set out who needs to do what to bring this programme into being. Maybe other highway schemes that appear to be going nowhere such as the Lower Thames Crossing should be the subject of equivalent ‘A303’ reviews. You can read the full report here (https://www.greengauge21.net/wp-content/uploads/Connecting-South-West-England-Report.pdf)

© January 2025, Greengauge 21. Some Rights Reserved: We actively encourage people to use our work, and simply request that the use of any of our material is credited toGreengauge 21 in the following way: Greengauge 21, Title, Date

Dear All,
This report should be of interest to all associated with the South West Main Line out of Waterloo.

BRTA would welcome for the South West Line a review, audit and study with options for the following:
1. Reinstate the direct curves at Yeovil, in particular the one allowing Weymouth-Exeter direct running for example.
2. Reopen the Lyme Regis Branch enabling commuting off the main line for resort and wider dynamic socio-economic and environmental appeal.
3. Upgrade electrification, double-tracking and signalling and
3. Have longer trains/upgrade stations and platforms
4. Satellite stations around Salisbury need studying as well.
5. What scope for more freight and line-born freight in particular?
If you agree write to your MP in support of the report (email!): https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons
This line has been allowed to be a back-water and vibrancy and a new engagement is required.
I also remind folks that our Westbury Forum can also discuss this and wider issues, date, place and times via my colleague Simon Barber, but May onwards is most likely and listing will be here: https://brtarail.com/events/
BRTA membership is open to all and ideally we need local area reps to help forward our agendas locally and convene pub sort of forums to join and come forward please. Local activism and campaigns often make a difference, but can be thankless tasks for getting the proverbial 'ball' rolling!
I am sure Simon is willing to table forums elsewhere providing costs or donations can be provided and offers of a speaker at a venue, if voluntary is welcome to entertain.

Yours sincerely,


Richard Pill
BRTA CEO
https://brtarailvolunteer.blogspot.com/