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Tories propose 45-minute fast rail link to Birmingham
Joe Murphy11.02.09
The journey from London to Birmingham would be cut to 45 minutes under Tory plans for high-speed rail unveiled today.
The commute would be reduced from 80 minutes on a new ultra-fast network that would initially link London, Manchester and Leeds.
The high-speed lines would eventually be extended to Newcastle and Scotland, providing an alternative to flying from Heathrow to Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Tory leader David Cameron sees the promised investment as key to his argument that a third runway at Heathrow is not needed, on the grounds that fewer domestic flights would be required, releasing spare capacity.
An eight-point plan announced by shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers included making more use of existing track, creating a passengers' champion and increasing the length of train company franchises to up to 20 years to encourage investment.
She said the existing network was suffering from "chronic" overcrowding and needed longer trains, longer platforms and additional lines.
In a move designed to show the Conservatives might reopen defunct lines, Ms Villiers proposed a moratorium on building over disused tracks that are still in public ownership.
"Our rail network is suffering from chronic levels of over-crowding," she said. "We desperately need new capacity - longer trains, longer platforms and, ultimately, additional lines."
Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon dismissed the plans, claiming the Tory economic agenda would mean railway cutbacks.
"David Cameron's plans to limit the transport budget to a one per cent real-terms increase this year would require a cut of £840 million from the transport budget," he said.
Labour last month tried to steal the Tory clothes on the high-speed line by announcing plans for a fast rail hub serving Heathrow, London and routes to Scotland.
The Conservatives propose strengthening the powers of rail regulators to create a passengers' champion, a consumer-focused watchdog able to ensure performance is improved, regardless of where the fault is.
That would include tougher penalties for failure, including the power to block the bonuses of senior management where appropriate.
Network Rail would have to answer to a new supervisory board with a stronger voice for passengers and train operators and the Government would have less say over timetables, which the Conservatives claim amounts to "Whitehall meddling".
Reader views (17)
Bad, bad idea! Scrap it now!
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx
Whey hey!!! a decent idea from the conservatives for once.
- Barbus, Liverpool
Whats the point when you can't afford the train fares?
- Paul, bolton uk
Begone with this political point-scoring and fast-track something immediately acheivable. If there is a change of government,there will be no time to lose.
So start praying now!
- Peter Seekings-Foster, Mildenhall, Suffolk.
No indication of the route or of planning restrictions, This means that they haven't a clue what they are talking about. They couldn't start earth moving for 10 years.
- christina Speight, west london
Looks like the Tories are backtracking.
They have been implying we would get a high speed network like they have in France.
Now we are getting one semi-fast service. With only one indirect route, criss crossing the country to go between cities - rather than a direct route with spurs for individual cities.
Plus One tree falling over will shut the whole route down!
- James, Richmond, Surrey
London to Birmingham in 45 minutes, a good idea, but if the Plan is use parts of the existing line how are the new expresses to get past the existing slower trains? Perhaps litle more explanation would help.
- Derek Allen, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcs
What's the all-fired hurry. Who ARE all these people who travel to and from Brum? Why don't they just live there?
- Alan Preen, McLean, Texas, USA.
A 125mph train is fast enough thanks. Any faster wastes a logrithmic amount of fuel and is a less efficient use of track as you need bigger gaps between trains. In Finland recently I was on a high speed Pendolino train but they only run it twice a day in each direction on a 4 hour journey.Not impressive is it? The line from Paddington to Bristol always has been and will continue to be a World beater when all factors are taken into account. Ultra high speed means ultra high subsidies.
- Jack Spratt, Richmond, England
Good idea. We need a modern infrastructure. The current government wasts everything on social nutcases and buying banks out.
- Georgie, Islington, London
The many people who spend hours a day commuting into London never seem to be considered. We need reliable uncrowded services for daily use rather than cutting 30 minutes of a trip to Birmingham. Real services for real people please!
- Michael, London
Couldn't they make it take 45 hours to get there, now that would be a vote winner.
- P Staker, London, SW8
As a northerner the plans make perfect sense to me. Why do so many businesses and people have to be crammed into the south east? Better rail transport would mean the midlands and north would have better links to the rest of the world via Heathrow and also to London, making them more attractive to businesses. The regions have been ignored by Labour and their obsession with sucking up to the fat cats in London. As usual, it will be the Tories who eventually come to our rescue.
- Matt, Manchester UK
The Tories promising massive capital expenditure? Is this April 1st? Assuming it's not, does anyone believe a word of it?
- John, Bedford
Who wants to go to Birmingham anyway?
- Steve, Gloucestershire
Why the hell would anyone in London want to go to Birmingham? We live in the greatest city in the world!
- Charlie, Soho, London
Would someone like to point out to the Tories that the economy's in free fall and they'll have to do a bit better than that to get the electorate's attention?
- Marianne, SW France
