Network Rail to consider Major New Rail Lines

[whole diary]

[Super Guard]

Five new high-speed main lines crossing the width and breadth of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) may be built as part of a review of the rail network, Network Rail says.

The network operator will announce on Monday it is to commission a study looking into what could be the largest track build since the 19th century.

Full Article at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7467203.stm

[Lee]

Further related links.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7467120.stm

http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/06/que-bono.html

[Chris from Nailsea]

This story is also hitting the 'national news' pages of our local newspapers, due to interesting local implications.

For example, see http://www.thisisclevedon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=224107&command=displayContent&sourceNode=223485&contentPK=20923615&folderPk=104671&pNodeId=224162

Rail bosses are to look at the possibility of building five new high-speed main lines as part of a review of the network's future, Network Rail said.

Network Rail said it was to commission a study which would look into the feasibility of new lines along the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)'s busiest routes in what would amount to the largest track build since the 19th century.

The review, which will be announced on Monday, will also assess the need for high speed trains similar to the French TGV^▸ (Train a Grande Vitesse) to cope with Britain's growing number of rail users.

Over the last decade, the network has seen passenger numbers increase by about 40%. More people are using the service than at any time since 1946.

Numbers are expected to swell by a further 30% in the next ten years, adding to the burden on the current network.

The study being commissioned by Network Rail will look at the service in the post-2014 period, with all options "on the table".

If given the go-ahead, the new lines are likely to run alongside some of the UK's busiest existing routes.

They include the West Coast line to Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, the East Coast line to Edinburgh, the Great Western to Bristol, the Midland main line to Sheffield and the Chiltern route to Birmingham.

The London to Penzance line will also be looked at as part of the review.

If the proposals are adopted, the new tracks are thought likely to be built with high-speed passenger trains in mind.

[Electric train]

The brakes on this will be the NIMBY's

[Btline]

I wonder what the journey times would be like for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) routes?

London to Bristol under 1 hour?

London to Penzance in 3 hours?

Are there figures?

[Lee]

I wonder what the journey times would be like for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) routes?

London to Bristol under 1 hour?

London to Penzance in 3 hours?

Are there figures?

In First's 2002 High Speed Rail plans (click on http://web.archive.org/web/20041026081304/www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/news/release.php?item=29) the following journey times were mooted :

Swindon 35 mins
Bristol Parkway 49 mins
Cardiff 70 mins
Swansea 120 mins
Plymouth 140 mins

[Btline]

Now Bristol Parkway to London in 49 minutes would unclog the M4 bigtime!

[simonw]

The noticeable absence from the proposed five routes is connecting Plymouth to Birmingham via Taunton, BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)), BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) and Cheltenham/Gloucester/Worcester.

The sole purpose of these proposed high speed routes seem to be London focused.

For a national high speed network to work, it must interconnect at several points, and connect at a number of normal speed feeder stations on route.

[John R]

Hmmm, let's face it, to get the volumes of traffic needed to remotely justify a route they need to be London based. No cross-country (lower case) route will ever cut it. I think to get one additional HS^▸ (High Speed (short for HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) High Speed Services)) line in this country in the next 20 years will be fairly remarkable.     

[Tim]

Could the timing of this anouncement be anything to do with labour realising that they will loose the next general election.  It will then be up to the Tories to cancel the lines (which they may have to do if the economy is still in a mess) .

[Andy W]

These don't look like new railway lines at all but upgrades to the existing system.

This looks more like playing politics than getting on with the job.

[Electric train]

I doubt any new HS^▸ (High Speed (short for HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) High Speed Services)) line or indeed mainline electrification will be contemplated until after the Olympics as the games will more than likely take most of the engineering and construction expertise in UK^▸ (United Kingdom) PLC and also will rob the Treasury dry.   The other main project being Crossrail this will call on most of the National expertise in electrification and route upgrading.

What I believe will happen is post the Olympics and provided the Government and there is two general elections to go and does not have a change of heart and build more motorways !! the DoT will start on either current mainline electrification or HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) to the north I don't think the UK economy and the government's will is strong enough to do both at the same time.

[Btline]

I disagree. A high speed line linking the spokes of the London wheel i.e. cross country route linking the other proposed lines from Taunton to York.

However, it should have limited stop(s) at the following places:

FROM PLYMOUTH...
*Taunton
*Bristol
*Cheltenham or Gloucester, or joint station
*Worcester
*Birmingham
*Derby or Nottingham
*Sheffield
*Leeds
*York
...TO SCOTLAND

Edited for clarity

[devon_metro]

How many people want to travel from the north to Taunton? There is little there. A XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) route would need to be extended to Plymouth, or Exeter at the very least!

[swlines]

I'd say Tiverton Parkway has a higher demand than Taunton - although a business case would only really work from Exeter.

(TC^‡(resolve) now recovered from a 72 hour LAN party)