Britain to spend US$21 billion on rail upgrades
Britain plans to spend billions of pounds on improving the country's rail network so that it can handle twice as much freight by 2030.
Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly said GBP10 billion (US$20.50 billion) would be invested by 2014 to increase services and lengthen trains to up to 16 carriages long. The project envisions adding 1,300 train carriages to the network and upgrades at 150 stations.
However, a high-speed magnetic rail link and dedicated freight lines have been ruled out owing to the high expenses involved in constructing and maintaining such services.
"We can't know precisely what our railway will look like in 30 years' time but now we can be confident of making it bigger, stronger and more flexible," said Ms Kelly.
Critics of the proposal complain it will lead to fare increases for passengers, forcing more commuters onto the road instead of the railways, which are a greener mode of transport.
In the event the government's estimations are wrong and demand outstrips supply by 2030, "more radical options" may have to be considered, particularly on the London-Birmingham-Manchester corridor.
Key proposals from the White Paper include the upgrade of more than 150 stations at a cost of GBP150 million, with London Bridge and Blackfriars stations to be upgraded by 2015 and 2011 respectively; GBP5.5 billion would be spent on the Thameslink modernisation programme, trebling the number of stations on this cross-London network; GBP425 million for improvements at Reading Station; GBP128 million for improvements at Birmingham New Street station; and railway operators would aim for a punctuality target of 92.6 per cent of trains by 2014, up from the current 88 per cent.
Ms Kelly said the White Paper also contained the government's commitment to Crossrail, a proposed high-speed rail link from Berkshire to Essex via Central London, and was currently trying to "pin down" private sector funding, to match government funding.
Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly said GBP10 billion (US$20.50 billion) would be invested by 2014 to increase services and lengthen trains to up to 16 carriages long. The project envisions adding 1,300 train carriages to the network and upgrades at 150 stations.
However, a high-speed magnetic rail link and dedicated freight lines have been ruled out owing to the high expenses involved in constructing and maintaining such services.
"We can't know precisely what our railway will look like in 30 years' time but now we can be confident of making it bigger, stronger and more flexible," said Ms Kelly.
Critics of the proposal complain it will lead to fare increases for passengers, forcing more commuters onto the road instead of the railways, which are a greener mode of transport.
In the event the government's estimations are wrong and demand outstrips supply by 2030, "more radical options" may have to be considered, particularly on the London-Birmingham-Manchester corridor.
Key proposals from the White Paper include the upgrade of more than 150 stations at a cost of GBP150 million, with London Bridge and Blackfriars stations to be upgraded by 2015 and 2011 respectively; GBP5.5 billion would be spent on the Thameslink modernisation programme, trebling the number of stations on this cross-London network; GBP425 million for improvements at Reading Station; GBP128 million for improvements at Birmingham New Street station; and railway operators would aim for a punctuality target of 92.6 per cent of trains by 2014, up from the current 88 per cent.
Ms Kelly said the White Paper also contained the government's commitment to Crossrail, a proposed high-speed rail link from Berkshire to Essex via Central London, and was currently trying to "pin down" private sector funding, to match government funding.