Railwatch

Published by Railfuture

Railwatch is the quarterly magazine of Railfuture, which is free to members.


Non-members can subscribe to Railwatch, receiving it by post.

Subscribe

Railwatch 075 - April 1998

Be radical with rail

By Mike Crowhurst

Nearly a year into the New Labour era, everyone is waiting with bated breath for the promised White Paper on Integrated Transport.

There has already been a blizzard of papers, the Franchise Director's remit was revised in the autumn and the rolling stock leasing companies are being investigated. But what about real change?

Take reopenings: Alloa stalled, Brighouse stalled, Cranleigh consultants negative, Dunstable and St Ives at risk from busways.

If all these are getting nowhere in official evaluation processes, then it is time to re-examine the questions and criteria used.

Powerful rearguard actions are also being mounted by cyclists for example on Bodmin-Wenford, and by ramblers on the Welsh Highland line.

These, like buses, should be our allies in the sustainable transport movement, but regrettably all too often want to take trackspace from railways rather than from the motorist.

Other forms of rapid transit are not faring much better. Leeds in particular looks likely to be eclipsed by busways.

With the current concern about pollution and global warming, we should be promoting low-pollution modes such as trams and trolleybuses.

For the same reason we should be pressing forward with electrification of the heavy rail network, starting with some of the gaps in the existing electrified network.

But since privatisation the only electrification project under way is Heathrow. A resumption of the electrification programme is urgently needed.

One final thought for Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Secretary John Prescott, who is looking for places to put a projected five million or so new houses.

Instead of battling with already overcrowded counties such as Sussex or Hertfordshire to release land, why not develop houses and the rail service along the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, for example, which already links some of the fastest growing towns in the country, but also includes areas with considerable scope for more growth?

That really would be an example of integrated transport planning!

Note: contact details (postal and email addresses, along with telephone numbers) in old editions of Railwatch out of date. Click CONTACT US for latest contact details.


[Issue 75 Index]

[Railwatch Home] [Prev Issue (74)] [Railwatch Issues] [RIS Progress Reports] [SRUBLUK Progress Reports] [Next Issue (76)] [Railfuture Home]


Rail users are encouraged to join Railfuture to help us campaign for a bigger and better railway - membership for individuals is just £20 per year

Railfuture is an independent, voluntary group representing rail users in Britain with 20,000 affiliated and individual members. It is not funded by train companies, political parties or trade unions, and all members have an equal say.

Railfuture campaigns for cheap and convenient rail services for everyone; better links for buses, bikes and pedestrians; policies to get more heavy lorries on to rail; new lines, stations and freight terminals. In short, a better rail service and a bigger rail system for both passengers and freight.

Railfuture is pro-rail but not anti-road or anti-air. However, we campaign for a switch from road and air to rail. We do not interfere in the running of the railway - we campaign for the quality and range of services provided, not how they are delivered. We are the only champion of all rail users.


Railfuture is the campaigning name of Railfuture Ltd.

A not-for-profit Company Limited by Guarantee.

Registered in England and Wales No. 05011634.

Registered Office: Edinburgh House, 1-5 Bellevue Road, Clevedon, North Somerset BS21 7NP (for legal correspondence only).

All other correspondence to 14 Ghent Field Circle, Thurston, Suffolk IP31 3UP


© Copyright Railfuture Ltd 2024.

Railfuture is happy for extracts to be used by journalists, researchers and students. We would, however, appreciate a mention of Railfuture in any article, website or programme. Except with Railfuture's express written permission, no one should distribute or commercially exploit the content.


Privacy Statement

Click Privacy to read Railfuture's GDPR statement on how we treat your data.

08.03.2024

This site does not use its own cookies, although Google Analytics does. Hosted by TSO Host (cPanel) and maintained for Railfuture by Billing Specialists Ltd.