Suppressed demand on the UK rail network.

Reading a few threads on this forum lately have got me thinking about this. The success of the Elizabeth line has created millions of new journeys and that is well-reflected in the station usage figures. The recent thread regarding the ORR's O-D matrix for passenger journeys has also been an interesting read that has gotten me thinking.

What rail journeys would be potentially very popular, but due to poor levels of infrastructure are not as well-used as they ought to be? I don't want this to turn into a fantasy re-opening thread, so I'd like to suggest a focus on existing railway lines (but if you think a traffic flow that would involve something new is sufficiently interesting then feel free to discuss it) that could perhaps be pulling their weight a lot more than they ought to be, and would (in an ideal world) benefit from a thorough upgrade. So for example, I might start off by saying that if you re-signalled and quadruple-tracked the Ayrshire Coast Line (and filled it in with some more stations) between Glasgow and Paisley, you could introduce a metro service proper along the route, and have something more akin to a suburban main line out of London.

So, what big infrastructure upgrades - or rolling stock upgrades - which would realistically not necessarily be at the front of the queue do you think, anecdotally or otherwise, could unlock some big new passenger flows?

just rolling stock would unlock significant suppressed demand on XC. Look how it did on TPE and Northern.

Bletchleyite said:

just rolling stock would unlock significant suppressed demand on XC. Look how it did on TPE and Northern.

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This is very true, I'll add a comment regarding this onto the original post I think! I don't think there are many services that wouldn't benefit from double voyagers, or a voyager instead of a turbostar!

I think small projects to increase capacity/line speed etc would help. Forget the unaffordable big projects.

Ones near me
Small increase in linespeed Guiseley - Ilkley
Raise line speed Skipton - Settle Jct from 60 to 70.
Fix the points for trains leaving Plat 1 bay at Skipton so they dont have such a long dawdle.
Put in a walking route from the low number platforms at Leeds to the old LMS concourse
Re-open the entrance to the platforms from New Station Street between M&S and British Transport police. Used to be a useful short cut to Boar Ln and Briggate, especially when your train drops you at the east end of the station.