10 Reasons that rail investment should continue

grahame

Administrator
Hero Member

Posts: 43860

10 Reasons that rail investment should continue

« on: November 25, 2020, 10:42:24 »

From Politics Home - a clearly set out list of reasons why rail investment should continue with the long-term importance of the rail network

Quote

The Railway Industry Association (RIA), the trade body for the UK^▸ rail supply community, has called for the
Government to consider the long-term importance of the rail network, publishing 10 reasons why rail investment should continue, ahead of the Spending Review and in light of the debate over Coronavirus?s impact on the future of transport.

The ten reasons are as follows:

1. Rail is a long-term game ? Investments in infrastructure or rolling stock are usually delivered, and create continuing value for passengers and the wider economy, over years.

2. The reduction in passenger numbers is likely to be temporary ? Based on previous economic slumps in the 1980s, 1990s and post-2008, as well as past health crises, passenger numbers have always recovered to continue their pattern of growth.

3. Rail is not just for passengers ? It is also vital for freight, with over 4 billion tonnes being delivered annually before Coronavirus.

4. Rail travel is clean and safe ? A study undertaken by RSSB^▸ in August 2020 estimates that the risk of infection per passenger journey is 1-in-11,000 journeys, with similar results found in other countries.

5. Investment can support the whole of the UK ? The rail network touches almost every part of the country and has the potential to unlock a new generation of talent.

6. Rail can lead the green recovery ? It is not possible to meet zero carbon goals for transport without rail. Rail is a green mode of mass transit, contributing just 2.5% of greenhouse gas emissions from transport and only 0.6% of total UK emissions.

7. Rail cannot easily be mothballed - Once rail infrastructure is decommissioned, it is not easily reopened.

8. Rail investment has a knock-on economic impact - For every #1 spent on the rail network, #2.20 value is delivered in the wider economy.

9. Investment cannot wait ? Much of the rail spending planned cannot be postponed, in order to meet our decarbonisation and digitalisation targets.

10. There is a clear window to get work done ? The pandemic has provided an opportunity to get work done with less impact on services, which should be capitalised on before passenger and freight numbers return.


	Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member

Bob_Blakey

Transport Scholar
Hero Member

Posts: 880

Re: 10 Reasons that rail investment should continue

« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2020, 13:57:42 »

11. As posted elsewhere 19 million UK^▸ citizens - and lets not ignore a significant number of visitors from overseas - cannot, or choose not to, use a car and rail is quite frequently the obvious alternative.

And I would suggest that once the economic & environmental disadvantages of electric cars become more 'mainstream' the 19m will increase.


	Logged

TaplowGreen

Transport Scholar
Hero Member

Posts: 8618

Re: 10 Reasons that rail investment should continue

« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2020, 17:50:44 »

I'm not sure point 2 really applies in this case, none of the previous scenarios quoted are remotely comparable and uniquely on this occasion the possibilities of remote working have been realised and are likely to persist as people appreciate the favourable work/life balance and employers appreciate the colossal savings they can make in office accommodation and other expenses.

Otherwise some reasonable points, but they really all pivot around future demand........just because you build it, doesn't mean they will come I'm afraid.


	Logged

broadgage

Transport Scholar
Hero Member

Posts: 5674

Re: 10 Reasons that rail investment should continue

« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2020, 18:17:02 »

I am in general in favour of rail spending, for the reasons given in the O/P.
The point that I would add, is that IMO^▸ preference should be given to use of British made materials and employment of British workers.

Unemployment is likely to worsen, and spending public money within the UK^▸ economy helps both directly and indirectly.
Foreign made goods might be unavoidable in some circumstances, but preference should be given to UK suppliers unless there is a significant reason to do otherwise.

The UK is "greener" than many of our competitors, and this advantage is diluted by purchasing supplies from many overseas suppliers.


	Logged

A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU^▸ is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.

Chris from Nailsea

Administrator
Hero Member

Posts: 19555

Re: 10 Reasons that rail investment should continue

« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2025, 17:47:59 »

Quote from: broadgage on November 25, 2020, 18:17:02

... preference should be given to use of British made materials and employment of British workers.

Unemployment is likely to worsen, and spending public money within the UK^▸ economy helps both directly and indirectly.

Foreign made goods might be unavoidable in some circumstances, but preference should be given to UK suppliers unless there is a significant reason to do otherwise.

The UK is "greener" than many of our competitors, and this advantage is diluted by purchasing supplies from many overseas suppliers.

... and then Donald Trump barges his way into the arena ... Roll Eyes


	Logged

William Huskisson MP^▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.

ellendune

Transport Scholar
Hero Member

Posts: 4524

Re: 10 Reasons that rail investment should continue

« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2025, 09:13:06 »

Quote from: Chris from Nailsea on April 18, 2025, 17:47:59

... and then Donald Trump barges his way into the arena ... Roll Eyes

Not really. Broadgage is expressing a preference is for classic Keynesian economics. A theory that, despite being adopted by Franklin Roosevelt during the 1930, Trumps Republican allies at least would regard as so left wing as to be communist.


	Logged

Noggin

Hero Member

Posts: 582

Re: 10 Reasons that rail investment should continue

« Reply #6 on: Yesterday at 12:20:02 »

By providing fast, reliable transport there is (still) enormous potential for frequent, reliable and affordable rail services to provide people with the education, career and cultural opportunities in the centres of major cities (and the leisure opportunities in the countryside for that matter). This is particularly the case for those who can't drive for age/affordability/medical reasons, but also those with families who often have narrow windows of time during which they can work, making long commutes unfeasible.

The classic example has long been the Welsh Valleys, but there are plenty of even urban places like Lockleaze in Bristol where a railway line runs through but getting into the city centre by bus can take up to 40 minutes in rush hour.

If we took the Bristol example further, an extra pair of tracks between Chipping Sodbury and Bristol Parkway would enable an RER-style service to serve the south of Yate, Winterbourne and Coalpit Heath, not to mention enabling considerable amounts of housing to be built south of the line (whether that is desirable is another question).

And for the true believers, it seems ludicrous that Bristol has a more or less serviceable rail right of way right through some of the most deprived areas in the north east of the city which would be quite feasible to return to rail use (albeit needing some creativity at the southern end).


	Logged

Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

Pages: [1]

« previous next »