Politicians


and
business
leaders
in
the
regions
have
been
voicing
their
dismay
after
several
railway
upgrades
were
‘paused’
indefinitely
by
the
Department
for
Transport.

More
than
50
road
and
rail
schemes
were
confirmed
two
days
ago
using
money
allocated
in
the
Spending
Review.
The
railway
schemes
include
three
reopened
stations,
support
for
the
Midlands
Rail
Hub
and
the
restoration
of
services
between
Bristol
and
Portishead.

But
work
has
been
‘paused’
on
the
final
stage
of
stabilising
the
cliffs
along
the
railway
at
Dawlish,
while
Midland
Main
Line
electrification
will
end
for
now
at
Wigston,
just
south
of
Leicester,
instead
of
being
continued
to
Derby,
Nottingham
and
Sheffield.

Also
on
hold
is
the
the
York
Area
Capacity
and
performance
project.
The
DfT
said
this
was
‘until
the
wider
strategy
for
the
ECML
and
Northern
Powerhouse
Rail
aspirations
can
be
developed
further’,
while
a
congestion
relief
scheme
for
Peckham
Rye
station
in
south
London
is
another
project
which
has
been
delayed
indefinitely.

The
DfT
has
justified
the
pause
in
electrifying
the
Midland
Main
Line
by
saying
‘Given
the
existing
trains
in
use
on
this
stretch
of
railway
and
the
costs
and
time
needed
to
electrify
the
route
we
are
focusing
our
investment
on
other
schemes
…
we
will
continue
to
keep
the
potential
for
full
electrification
of
the
route
under
review.’

As
far
as
Dawlish
is
concerned,
the
Department
said
‘preliminary
works
to
support
cliff
monitoring
and
drainage
are
progressing.
We
have
already
invested
significantly
in
securing
the
cliffs
and
making
the
coastline
more
resilience
in
the
South
West
and
need
to
focus
our
investment
on
other
projects
around
the
country’.

The
new
pause
in
Midland
Main
Line
electrification
has
dismayed
leaders
in
Sheffield,
which
is
now
the
largest
city
in
the
country
not
served
by
electric
trains.

South
Yorkshire
Mayor
Oliver
Coppard
said:
‘It
feels
like
one
step
forward
and
two
steps
back.
After
decades
of
national
underinvestment
in
our
transport
network,
we’re
having
to
wait
longer
for
vital
rail
improvements
that
would
create
jobs,
opportunities
and
economic
growth.

‘We
were
told
HS2
would
come
to
Sheffield.
That
was
cancelled.
Now
electrification
of
Midland
Main
Line
is
being
paused.
All
we’re
asking
for
is
a
fair
deal.’

Further
south,
the
Mayor
of
Leicester
Sir
Peter
Soulsby
said:
‘We
are
deeply
disappointed.
Electrification
is
not
just
a
technical
upgrade,
it
is
a
critical
investment
in
the
capacity,
reliability
and
sustainability
of
our
railway.

‘It
reduces
carbon
emissions,
lowers
operating
costs,
and
provides
the
infrastructure
that
could
transform
local
as
well
as
inter-city
rail
services.

‘The
Midland
Main
Line
is
now
the
only
mainline
route
that
remains
largely
non-electrified.
This
puts
our
region
at
a
disadvantage
compared
to
others
and
undermines
the
national
ambition
to
deliver
a
cost-effective,
reliable,
low-carbon
railway.’

Do
you
have
a
comment
on
this
story?
Please
click here to
send
an
email
to
Platform
at
Railnews.