Great Western Coffee Shop

It seems DC has upset WW by saying he can't have his 3rd runway at Heathrow.

Instead DC wants to build HS2 to the North, now if he'd have coupled that with a huge electrifcation project for the rest of the railway  I might be tempted to vote Tory for the very first time. Not that my vote matters in Taplow it's one of the safest Tory seats in the country. 

I've always said there's a prefectly good third runway at Charles de Guale with a direct raillink to London. There's a fourth in Brussells to which Eurostar could run and a fifth at Schipol. Let the continent have the pollution. 

See also :

The feasibility study into existing mainlines and secondary lines whole sale route electrification is at quite an advanced stated, it has got virtually whole industry (rail) buy in this is a first this has happened in nearly 20 years. 

The aim of NR, who are the industry leaders is for funding in hopefully CP5 and definitely CP6, we are just about to enter CP4 (CP control period is 5 years, its apparently Government speak), CP3 has been about stopping the rot, i.e replacing worn out infrastructure, CP4 is about not only continuing with that but much need enhancements.

The big but and its a big but is the credit crunch no matter who wins the next general election Government money is going to be extremely short supply, I am still very skeptical about the Tory party view on rail they have to many road haulers in their gang, it was after all John Major who messed up the system with the idea that RailTrack should pay dividends to share holders

Further related links.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7646383.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/02/transport.theairlineindustry

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/oct/02/transport.conservatives

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1065390/Government-accused-spin-rejects-calls-review-Heathrow-runway.html?ITO=1490

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburgh/MSP-says-Tory-train-plan.4550583.jp

http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12341731&fsrc=rss

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/oct/04/conservatives.transport

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/uk/SNP-backs-EdinburghLondon-link.4559843.jp

http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2457221.0.highspeed_train_link_derailed.php

http://www.theresavilliers.co.uk/article/?id=354&PHPSESSID=cd46681e01c2c81d469ad02ead15500f

http://www.abtn.co.uk/COMMENT_Can_trains_really_replace_planes

http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/3735528.Lib_Dems__transport_strategy/

http://www.nce.co.uk/news/2008/10/tory_axe_for_heathrow_third_runway_will_not_kill_crossrail__villiers.html;jsessionid=661B02D61DD9A5F2A5B5B7AE78A8922D

http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/system/files/08.10.13.alts_to_aviation_summary.pdf

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article4950762.ece

http://www.buckinghamshireadvertiser.co.uk/south-buckinghamshire-news/local-buckinghamshire-advertiser-news/2008/10/15/tories-make-high-speed-rail-pledge-82398-22039961/

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/letters-to-the-editor/Highspeed-link-to-new-life.4599191.jp

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-transport-news/2008/10/19/adonis-slams-tory-plans-to-scrap-heathrow-runway-65233-22069881/

http://www.snp.org/node/14407

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-opposition-to-new-airport-runways-baffling-967368.html

http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/latest-east-anglia-news/Tory-opposition-to-new-airport.4609536.jp

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7685795.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/oct/24/conservatives-transport-heathrow-rail