"I want to get this rail line up to speed" (Worcester News 04/01/2011)

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

From Worcester News:

A KEY rail scheme should be extended to give passengers quicker journeys to London, says an MP^▸ (Member of Parliament).

West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin says dualling the Cotswold line all the way from Oxford to Worcester would boost passenger capacity and speed up train times, benefiting her constituents.

A 20-mile section of the line is already being improved between Evesham and Charlbury, Oxfordshire, in a ^70 million project by Network Rail. But following a parliamentary question from Mrs Baldwin, transport secretary Theresa Villiers said there had been no talks on improving two remaining stretches on the line. A nine-mile stretch of single track exists between Norton junction and Evesham and a 10-mile stretch between Charlbury and Oxford.

Mrs Baldwin said she was ^disappointed^ no talks had been held over dualling the rest of the line, after 2014. She wants improvements to allow hourly services between the county to London.

^I am shocked it takes 45 minutes longer to get to London than it did 100 years ago,^ she said. ^We^re making the case for a 21st-century rail service and it is time rail companies listened.^

The existing scheme, including station improvements, is aimed at giving trains more flexibility when there are delays between Worcester and London and will be finished in autumn 2011. Currently, there is a small window of opportunity for trains to pass each other on an existing 10-mile stretch of dual track ^ which the existing scheme will enlarge.

Derek Potter, vice-chairman of campaign body the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, welcomed parliamentary support. But he said dualling the whole length of the line wasn^t currently necessary.

^On a good day, if everything is running smoothly the line could support an hourly London service,^ he said. ^But if there are delays then the timetable fails disastrously. With the current improvements trains will have greater flexibility if there are delays on the line, which is what the project was aimed at doing.^

He said it was important MPs continued to lobby the Government.

^Big projects such as the Olympics and the electrification of rail lines will take priority on funding,^ he said. ^So it^s important to keep raising the profile of the line because we are competing against other rail projects nationally. There are other projects on the horizon, such as the replacement of high speed trains and replacement of signals at Worcester.^

Passenger numbers have increased on the Cotswold line since the 1970s.

The rail line was originally dualled until the Dr Beeching review in the 1960s.

[willc]

Keeping up the pressure, with the Transport Secretary agreeing to meet her and interested parties.

http://www.harriettbaldwin.com/content/mp-wins-ministerial-meeting-cotswold-rail-line

[Lee]

Let us imagine that we are betting people - What odds would you give on Harriett Baldwin getting anywhere with this initiative?

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hmm. 

From her webpage, apparently updated 27 January 2011:

... Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond, today told the House of Commons that a long term strategy for the improvement of rail services would be issued in November ...

No odds, I'd say. 

[willc]

Let us imagine that we are betting people - What odds would you give on Harriett Baldwin getting anywhere with this initiative?

There's a bit more to it than just her. She took up the cause after a reception for interested MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament), peers and councillors held at Parliament last December by Lord Faulkner, the CLPG^» (Cotswold Line Promotion Group - about) president. While I believe a certain Oxfordshire MP was too busy to attend, many others all the way along the line to Hereford were there. As a new MP, Mrs Baldwin is perhaps more vocal, as she tries to build a profile in her constituency, but I think Mr Hammond will find he has several MPs calling in, plus the CLPG and the councils.

I don't think anyone is expecting FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to suddenly turn round and offer an hourly service out to Worcester from September - even if they were to get the five 180s back - more that, as the CLPG's Derek Potter put it in the initial Worcester News story:

it^s important to keep raising the profile of the line because we are competing against other rail projects nationally

Though hopefully it won't take quite as long to get results as calls for redoubling.