The railway does not cater for entertainment and theatre goers in Bristol but I agree it could more so do. I can walk in 10 mins from TM to Broad Quay on a very pedestrian-friendly route along Portwall and Queens Square*. TM's location is no longer a real impediment. The lack of a fast transit system is.
None. They have mentioned East-West and Portishead, which are happening anyway, and have suggested that local authorities (whose budgets have already been cut by 40% or something and have to worry about how they are going to fund care of the elderly) might develop schemes, or "bid" for funding. As the day goes on I get more and more angry with the duplicitous shower that pretend to govern while they shut down anything they can get away with, or transfer responsibility to another body or even a charity, cut its money and then pretend the closures are nothing to do with the government...
Good point, it's just that Beeching is a convenient short-hand for a line closed at some time in the past, but he's also a bogeyman (or windmill to tilt at) and a bit of credit might be gained by conning an inexpert or non-specialist public into believing that old wrongs are being righted.
Plymouth to Exeter trains could run over Dartmoor for first time in 50 years
Transport chief Jesse Norman backs re-opening line between Okehampton and Tavistock
- Trains from Exeter to Plymouth could bypass the picturesque Dawlish coastline and cruise over Dartmoor as part of long-term aspirations to overhaul the nation's rail network.
Transport minister Jesse Norman said during a visit to Exeter St Davids today that reopening the line between Devon's two cities via Okehampton and Tavistock is a 'very important potential idea' as demand for efficient travel grows.
But he said any proposals would not put the future of the picturesque Dawlish line under threat and would instead complement it.
"I think that's obviously a bone of particular local interest and it is something that the Secretary of State has taken a personal interest in," said Mr Norman.
"We think it's a very important potential idea and we want to see more evidence though the consultation process.
How the train line could look if services were able to run again via Tavistock and Okehampton
"It would obviously have the strategic advantage of removing the reliance on the Dawlish line and therefore the natural elements that we have at the moment.
"There is a lot of demand so we don't see why it would be prejudicial to Dawlish at all - quite the opposite - in many ways it will allow more connectivity and more passengers to flow.
"We hope that the service will continue to improve and grow over time.
"At the moment rail has been a huge success. Enormous numbers of people are using it and that's putting huge constrains on the system.
Exactly. This is a real scandal and has been lost amongst the rest of the unfunded bluster, which was no doubt the intention.
That's a heck of a long way for a tram-type vehicle, tunnel or not! The diesel aspect wasn't the only reason Huddersfield was shelved as the destination of the tram-train pilot- it was also considered too long a distance for such a service. There may not be much chance of Woodhead coming back as heavy rail, but there's even less chance of it being a tramway!
I reckon that half the journeys on the Manchester tram network are too long for tram-type vehicles anyway - and far too slow for conurbation communications.. Most of the outlying areas need a proper train service reinstating (including Altrincham not via Stockport.)That's a heck of a long way for a tram-type vehicle, tunnel or not! The diesel aspect wasn't the only reason Huddersfield was shelved as the destination of the tram-train pilot- it was also considered too long a distance for such a service.
As an Environmentalist I'd support the reopening of such lines as an alternative form of transport. However I do agree with much of what has been said relating to this not completely happening in reality, particularly in light of electrification stuff being cut back, which like many I was furious at the cutback there (again for environmental support reasons)
In other political news of recent times, the Conservative MP Johnny Mercer, who represents a marginal Plymouth seat, is threatening to resign his seat if the new Defence Secretary brings in the mooted cuts to the Royal Navy at Devonport, and is leading a backbench revolt against the (denied by the government) plans. It is also noticeable that Mercer has recently criticised fellow local Tories for campaigning to get the M5 extended from Exeter to Plymouth, which he sees as a fantasy, and is urging them instead to get behind the 'realisable' aim of better rail connections to Plymouth, so forgive me if I don't see this as an attempt to appease him!
Ooh, that'd be genuinely useful for me, especially if routed via the likes of Chelford and Knutsford, allowing connections into the existing NE-SW orientated routes.
Having to travel via Stockport for such short straight line distances is a real drag.