Spending Review - Transport.

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

I believe sea levels in the West Country are predicted to rise by 15 inches or so by the 2080s, so I'm not sure inundation of the sea wall is such an imminent threat that the current government will have to make a decision in the next five years, nor any subsequent governments from some years yet.

Network Rail's own belief, expressed to a House of Commons Select Committee into transport in the South-West is that the measures they currently have in place with regard to the sea-wall will be effective for the next twenty years. So just maybe decisions will have to be made sooner rather than later. As the Comittee subsequently suggested.

86.  On certain issues, we heard that the government and other stakeholders had specific plans for the future. Network Rail told us that the range of solutions they have in place at Dawlish, which includes a special weather station at nearby Teignmouth, will be effective for the next twenty years.

<snip>

87. ...Network Rail does not yet know which solution it will need to implement at Dawlish in twenty years' time, even though planning and funding cycles are such that a decision on any major work^for instance, the construction of an inland route^will need to be taken in the next two or three years.

[woody]

"Suspicions",I simply personally have doubts about about whether any government would fund a new inland route thats all.Get over it.

[eightf48544]

For the seawall why don't we go to Europe and get Germany to pay for any new line.

Alternatively we could slowly rebuild Okehampton Bere Alston it would make a good job creation scheme.

[Rhydgaled]

the case for electrification depends on the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) & Thameslink new stock order. Aparantly the government want Hitachi to reduce the costs of the Carraiges.

I know i have one suggestion which is to just have a full electric version of the IEP and maybe FGW^▸ (First Great Western) could use the class 57's to haul the IEP's between Exeter & Penzance if the wires get to Exeter which they should in my opinion.

IEP is total daft in my opinion, what's wrong with an IC225-like train (I think 225s are slightly more energy effecient than Virgin's Pendos, but Pendos have regenerative breaking and as far as I know class 91s don't) with a new batch of TDM fitted class 57s? If you have the loco at the London end you can just swap the electric one out for a TDM fitted 57 at Swansea and continue to Carmarthen/Pembroke. Same would be true at Taunton/Exeter/Plymouth if the Reading - Taunton route gets wires, if not sombody's just going to have to keep life extending the INTERCITY 125s.

[willc]

Get over it

Well clearly I'll have to, since you are unwilling or unable to explain your doubts, suspicions, or any other word you choose to use, as to why you think any government would cut off 530,000 people in Cornwall, 250,000 in Plymouth, 130,000 in Torbay and 80,000 in South Hams and 125,000 in Teignbridge, plus most of the resorts in the South West, from the national rail network. A notion that is just absurd, whether the sea wall is at risk in 20 years, or 70.

[JayMac]

Fair go, willc. Would you care to explain your assertion:

...so I'm not sure inundation of the sea wall is such an imminent threat that the current government will have to make a decision in the next five years, nor any subsequent governments from some years yet.

?

[Chris from Nailsea]

Erm ... at the risk of drawing your ire, willc:

Various governments have cut off the 20,000 residents of Portishead from the national rail network, for many years now.  A notion that seems 'just absurd', indeed?

CfN.  

[willc]

Well let me see, 20 years, assuming we take the Network Rail figure - and like all such forecasts, that's only their best guess - equals three more general elections at least before that, so that's a good few years and potential governments to go. If the threat was imminent, Network Rail would doubtless be doing some detailed work on devising a long-term solution (and every MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) west of Exeter would be on their case) but they aren't, which speaks for itself.

The scenario we have been presented with is one where a government simply walks away and cuts off an entire county and the most heavily populated parts of another from the rail network and removes rail access to our prime holiday region. Portishead isn't quite on the same scale. Nor is it 100-plus miles from a railway station, which is where Penzance would  be from woody's Exminster M5 Parkway.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Coalition approves 16 road and bus improvement schemes

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has given the green light for 16 road and bus improvement schemes which he says are a "key driver" of future growth.

The projects approved include upgrades to sections of the M1, M60, M6 and M25 to relieve major congestion spots.

Despite tough economic times, he said councils would be able to bid for an extra ^600m in money for local schemes.

Ministers have axed a host of road schemes and said rail fares will rise as overall transport funding is cut.

In last week's Spending Review, Chancellor George Osborne revealed that transport funding will fall by 15% over the next four years with capital expenditure on new infrastructure down by 11% over the period.

But the government has said it is committed to spending ^30bn on critical infrastructure in an effort to stimulate growth and has pledged to protect funding for a number of high profile transport projects including Crossrail and Tube upgrades in London and a new Mersey Gateway road bridge near Runcorn.

Mr Hammond told Parliament that transport remained a "priority" and 16 schemes had been approved in addition to eight others confirmed in the Spending Review.

"This government sees transport as a key driver of growth nationally and in the regions," he said. "Transport is vital to securing the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)'s long term prosperity. That is why these schemes are so important and why I will continue to argue for investment which delivers long-term benefits for both the travelling public and the economy as a whole."

[Zoe]

Not looking good for the Kingskerswell bypass.

[caliwag]

From Rail News via Newsnow Rail site:

http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/general/2010/10/27-hammons-names-some-reprieved-rail.html

[paul7575]

Comments elsewhere suggest this announcement was intended to deal with Highways Agency and Regional Funding Allocation projects.  Neither areas of government expenditure would have had anything to do with Thameslink, so I don't really think Rail News should be drawing any conclusions about it...

Paul