The
government’s
£725
billion
10-year
Strategy
for
infrastructure
has
received
a
generally
broad
welcome
from
the
railway
industry,
but
a
council
is
criticising
the
omission
of
one
scheme.
The
Strategy
document
acknowledges
that
rail
growth
has
been
re-established,
saying:
‘Although
rail
passenger
demand
fell
during
COVID,
it
has
since
rebounded
and
is
expected
to
continue
growing
over
this
decade.’
The
Strategy
mostly
confirms
railway
investments
which
had
already
been
announced,
such
as
£15.6
billion
for
the
North
and
Midlands
to
fund
a
new
tram
system
for
Leeds
and
Bradford,
upgrades
at
Leeds
station,
improvements
for
tram
networks
in
several
other
cities
and
£3.5
billion
for
the
Transpennine
Route
Upgrade.
Also
included
are
the
next
stage
of
work
on
the
Midlands
Rail
Hub
and
continuing
the
construction
of
HS2,
while
further
south
there
is
£2.5
billion
for
completing
East
West
Rail
to
Cambridge,
funding
of
£2.2
billion
for
Transport
for
London
capital
projects
and
investment
in
Welsh
rail
schemes
including
Cardiff
West
Junction,
although
most
infrastructure
spending
in
Wales
is
a
matter
for
the
Welsh
Government.
Domestic
Scottish
schemes
are
also
devolved.
A
budget
of
£41
million
has
been
allocated
for
improving
WiFi
on
trains,
by
using
low-orbiting
satellites.
The
Railway
Industry
Association
has
been
a
vocal
critic
of
ministers’
failure
to
update
investment
plans
in
recent
years.
Chief
executive
Darren
Caplan
said:
’RIA
has
been
a
longstanding
campaigner
for
a
long-term
plan
for
rail
investment,
enhancements
and
rolling
stock
so
today’s
Government
announcement
of
a
ten-year
infrastructure
strategy
and
the
commitment
to
publish
a
pipeline
in
July
is
extremely
welcome.
‘We
look
forward
to
seeing
the
full
details
of
the
pipeline,
which
will
need
to
give
businesses
sufficient
clarity
to
plan
ahead.’
But
the
Mayor
of
Cambridgeshire
and
Peterborough
Paul
Bristow
has
warned
the
government
not
to
take
Cambridgeshire
and
Peterborough
‘for
granted’
by
ignoring
an
upgrade
in
his
region
which
would
improve
rail
freight
flows.
He
said:
‘Cambridgeshire
and
Peterborough
is
a
place
of
innovation
and
world-changing
breakthroughs,
with
an
economy
which
is
internationally
renowned.
But
if
Government
thinks
this
success
can
be
taken
for
granted,
they
are
making
a
costly
mistake.
‘Government
must
understand
that
fixing
Ely
Junction
remains
essential.
Without
it,
we
can’t
unlock
the
full
potential
of
our
region
or
make
good
on
the
Government’s
own
vision
for
a
thriving
Cambridge
economy
which
is
critical
to
the
country’s
industrial
future.
‘I
look
forward
to
more
detail
from
the
Department
for
Transport
in
mid-July
on
which
projects
will
be
funded.
I
continue
to
make
the
case
that
Ely
Junction
is
the
single,
most
obvious
way
to
unblock
our
region’s
transport.
Government
knows
this
and
the
business
case
is
crystal
clear.
‘Nobody
doubts
the
North
needs
investment.
But
when
£415
million
was
committed
to
rail
upgrades
between
Manchester,
Huddersfield,
Leeds
and
York,
with
a
return
of
£2.50
for
every
£1
spent,
our
own
Ely
Junction,
which
returns
nearly
£5
for
every
£1
invested,
should
be
hard
to
ignore.’
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