I T is rumoured the Secretary of State for Transport will sanction the electrification of the Great Western line from London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads.

And it looks like a deal to build the next generation of inter-city trains is edging closer.

The Department for Transport has developed a plan ,which will be put before the Transport Secretary Phillip Hammond.

The complex arrangement would include electrification of the Great Western line as far as Bristol. But it has been decided there is not a sufficiently strong business case for electrification through the Severn tunnel to South Wales.

Hitachi Super Express trains would operate the inter-city service, using the overhead electric lines to Bristol, with under floor diesel engines thereafter.

It is hoped four trains an hour will run between Paddington and Bristol, with two going via Bath.

Services to the South West will continue to use refurbished 35-year-old High Speed Trains for another decade.

If this electrification package goes ahead it is very good news for our area.

For far too long the railways in the Greater Bristol area have suffered through lack of rail investment.

Passengers are using our local rail network in increasing numbers but having to put up with overcrowded trains near the end of their railway service and they are being hit with the highest fares in Europe.

It is appalling that closed railway stations have been left to deteriorate. The Henbury loop is another line in the Greater Bristol area being ignored. Two years ago South Gloucestershire Council allowed the closed Henbury railway station to be sold off. Why did they do this?

The Filton West line between the closed Filton Junction station and Filton West Junction near the closed Filton North. Again decision makers and planners interfering with the railway.

There is talk of removing the important Filton West diversionary route for houses and industrial units to be built next to the removed line.

It is incredible, instead of much-needed investment going into our local railways the decision makers want to close stations and remove tracks.

The Portishead line is being ignored when it should be reopened. And to top it off the West of England Partnership councillors want to run a BRT Bus Rapid Transit system on a line that is a docks railway adjacent to the new cut built in 1862.

The question needs to be asked why do the decision-makers want to asset strip our local Greater Bristol railways?

Dave Wood is a member of the Rail Maritime and Transport Union, Bristol. The above is written in a personal capacity.