Clearly if we are to see growth and sustainably predicated, and if we accept existing rails and roads are at capacity, modal shift and reducing emissions and congestion means shifting more freight and people back to rail and that in turn demands more rail routes, duplicate routes and capacity creation. Southampton-Reading-Oxford-
The English Regional Transport Association (ERTA) has done a 13 page response to the Solent-Midlands Report which I trust you will find of interest.
Principal rail options are:
1. Western flank Chippenham-Kemble-Hereford via Ross-on-Wye onwards to Shrewsbury, for non Birmingham centric freight by rail and passenger services to ANOB areas which have upgraded progressively A40 trunk roads, but are a desert for rail. Likewise bringing Malmesbury and Cirencester back onto the rail network makes a lot of sense, ditto Witney in passenger terms, but we need end-to-end connectivity also.
2. A new build off the Winchester line (north of Winchester) to Newbury-Didcot could help declutter Reading as well, but issues of new build and accessing the Oxford lines at Didcot via a flyover, are a challenge.
3. Broadening out South Coast Portal handling with more through Portsmouth, Shoreham and elsewhere is another aspect. WE have called for a Shoreham-Guildford reinstatement of a direct rail link, which would give access from Oxford and north, direct to Brighton 'not via London' and quicker than changing at Reading for example. However we also call for support for more joined-up design and planning with the proposed Southern Heathrow Link: https://heathrowrail.
It must go on to interface with the new Old Oak Common (OOC) Interchange and via a tunnel, to physically link with the Chiltern Rail Network with radial links to Oxford, Banbury, a new domestic Great Central spinal line alongside HS2 to serve Brackley (east of)/A43/Silverstone via a new Parkway Station and onwards to Rugby, Lutterworth and the East Midlands via Narborough/Leicester and also a curve in the Nuneaton direction.
4. Birmingham should have the freight centric to it, not be lumbered with freight for beyond it and not specifically for it. That will free up pathways and enable more modal shift to rail with subsequent environmental benefits as well as wider shares of footfall and spend based on sustainable transport modes.
Please have a perusal and help get MP's on board and urge the Government to speed delivery up. East-West Rail must physically link with the East Coast Main Line in the mooted Tempsford area for completeness. Likewise, given existing north-south rail lines are at capacity now (a basis for arguing HS2's contribution eventually), the spinal resurrected Great Central corridor including Calvert-Grendon for quick domestic access to OOC and beyond, would enable East Midlands specific freight and cross-country operations to access without recourse to London, Birmingham or existing lines more, enabling more with benefits. We need a joined-up vision that delivers, not the status quo. We would really welcome your support and interest. However good existing rail upgrades are, Reading-Oxford is at capacity now, so alternative routes are required to keep things moving and cut road reliance more. It is in everyone's interest to do so: https://blog.greenflag.
For perusal of a copy of the 13 page ERTA response, please see and scroll down our Publicity Page: https://ertarail.co.uk/publicity/
No comments:
Post a Comment