£5 billion boost for Bristol to London railway line
THE rail line between Bristol and London is set to become the most advanced and efficient in the country thanks to £5 billion worth of investment, it was announced today.
Network Rail, the company set
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Bristol to London rail line
up to manage the country’s rail network, is set to unveil a package of improvements at an event held in London later today.
The firm is claiming that journey times between Bristol and London will be slashed and there will be a sharp rise in the number of seats.
There are also long-term plans in place to refurbish and improve the ageing Temple Meads station as part of the massive overhaul of Brunel’s historic Great Western Mainline.
Network Rail added that moves to improve the rail network around Bristol are also being closely looked at and are likely to take place once the main electrification programme has been completed at the end of 2016.
Around 11 million passengers use the service every year, an increase of 90 per cent over the last decade, and experts believe demand will increase even more over the next decade with more commuters turning to public transport.
In recent years crowding and punctuality problems on the line have fallen but there are fears that they could return as the number of passengers grows.
Demand is expected to grow by 50 per cent over the next decade, according to industry estimates.
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond, along with bosses from Network Rail, were due to unveil the package of measures at an event at London’s Paddington Station this lunchtime.
The improvements include the £1 billion electrification of the route and the introduction of a brand new fleet of trains designed especially to operate on the service.
Along with the electrification, improvements are being carried out to the track at Reading and Filton which means more trains will be able to use the route.
And a new computerised signalling system is being introduced which will connect drivers direct to the main control system, making the service more efficient and safer to use.
According to Network Rail the economy in Bristol and the South West is expected to grow over the next 10 to 20 years and the improvements will play a key part.
A spokesperson for the organisation said: “It is forecast that the benefits to the region’s economy brought by the major investment programme will be at least double the amount that is being invested.
“It will also potentially bring new rail opportunities for key urban areas in Bristol, boosting the economy by a further £200 million.
“What we are planning to do is to transform the Great Western Mainline to become the most advanced intercity network in Britain by the end of the decade.
“This plan is the largest revamp of the railway since it was built by Brunel. The programme will begin with the upgrade of signalling on the system between Slough and Bristol and the world’s most sophisticated traffic management system is earmarked to be introduced once electrification is completed in 2016.”
Journey times between Bristol and London are expected to be cut by around 20 minutes and tenders have already gone out to firms interested in installing the overhead power lines.
Mr Hammond added: “The case for developing the Great Western Mainline into a railway for the 21st century has always been an economic one. The transformational ten-year programme that Network Rail is leading will do more than help to meet the projected increase in passenger numbers and freight journeys, it will deliver a long-term boost to the economy of Bristol.”
10 Comments
by anilokyah
Sunday, July 17 2011, 6:11PM
“Swissbob's right. Traveling by coach is cheaper, albeit takes longer and subject to traffic delays. By booking 2 weeks ahead, I have managed a London-Bristol return for 8 gbp recently - 3 for the outward journey and 5 for the return. Rail can't compete with that. The only time rail travel was cheaper was when my children were under 15. With a family & friends railcard, I was sometimes able to get a Bristol-London return for2 adults and 2 children at around 15 gbp, with the youngsters fares costing about 1.50 each.
If you want cheap fares, you need to move elsewhere. The Southwest has the most expensive public transport fares, much like everything else.”
by Brizz_Tony
Thursday, July 14 2011, 11:04PM
“DON'T FORGET PORTISHEAD!! It will be a bit embarrassing if you can get to London in an hour, but still have to take 90 minutes to get the 14 miles from Portishead to Temple Meads on the bus because of the traffic on the Portbury Hundred.”
by swissbob
Thursday, July 14 2011, 6:46PM
“And if they can combine it with the proposed new rail network (Portishead, Long Ashton etc), far more people will use it.
Pricing will be the key though. At the moment I don't even consider using the train because it is far more expensive than getting the coach. £14-16 on Megabus to London, return.”
by Dog_Walker123
Thursday, July 14 2011, 4:29PM
“I agree £169 to London is pretty expensive but if I want to go tomorrow arriving before 10 and returning at peak time I can get a ticket for £49 (2 singles). However if I drive it is at least 6 gallons of fuel £35 plus congestion charge (£8) plus parking (circa £40) so best part of £80 plus the stress and loss of my worktime (I can work on the train but not while driving).
However, if ticket pricing were a lot simpler and cheaper to buy on the day then I would be in the trains more. As it i, about half my work journeys to London are by car and the other half by train. On occasion I have to go to cotland - it is cheaper for me to fly and hire a car, rather than drive or take the train. Now *that* is crazy IMO...”
by lh251086
Thursday, July 14 2011, 2:47PM
“@smoosername
And also surprisingly expensive when a journey from Bristol to Manchester (twice as long) is only £40 for an off peak return. Albeit using an young persons discount as well...
When I was dating a chap in manchester I always got the train to visit him. The train took half an hour longer but was pretty much the same price as the tank of fuel I would use on the return journey. So with price out of the equation I always opted for the train. Its not rocket science. Make the price competitive and comparable to driving and people will take the train.
In fact, bring down the price, more people will get the train, so you get more tickets sold and more bums on seats! (But then don't get greedy and put the prices up, which is what the train operators are doing to the detriment of their passengers and ultimately the environment when their passengers are priced out of their trains and back into their cars!)”
by smoosername
Thursday, July 14 2011, 1:37PM
“Just an example of why most people have given up on trains in the UK.
Say I need to travel to London tomorrow at short notice. If I dare to want to arrive in London before 10:00am and not 100% sure what time I will be coming back, the total cost of my journey is £169.
Or drive and save £140.
Tough one really.”
by lh251086
Thursday, July 14 2011, 1:18PM
“But I bet tickets will still be £150 return for peak trains!
Almost cheaper to drive, park illegally, get a ticket, pay the fine and drive back!!”
by 1789John
Thursday, July 14 2011, 12:22PM
“Bristol to London should have been electrified 20 or 30 years ago. By now we should be electrifying down to Cornwall. But better late than never I suppose.
Still, it won't hold a candle to the French TGV but then we can't have everything can we? (Why not?)
@leepearce31 Dream on, mate. Remember this is Britain we're talking about, not some advanced, dynamic 21st century powerhouse.”
by Erinaceus
Thursday, July 14 2011, 10:18AM
“If they really want to improve Temple Meads, they should get rid of that accursed ticket barrier. Just as at Exeter, many of the facilities are on the street side of the barrier, which involves no end of faffing about.
Gven that about 20% of tickets won't work the barrier, and that there is only one manual barrier for both directions, often blocked by cyclists and passengers with large luggage, the whole thing is a total shambles.
Mind you, Exeter St Davids is even worse.”
by leepearce31
Thursday, July 14 2011, 10:17AM
“People that make these sweeping statements need to get out more and see the world! We are light years behind Japan & Korea where Bristol to London will take about 40 minutes with stops in between and cost just £25 each way regardless of the time of day in countries as affluent as the UK in general and where Internet connections leave us in the 20th century. The only world records this line will break are those that cost the most and benefit the few in other words a white elephant!”