Absolutely.
I think there'd be more demand on the Forum for a train service linking two villages in the Highlands/ Dartmoor/ rural Norfolk (or linking places hundreds of miles apart like Brighton - Liverpool) than the clear need to link two decent sized cities that are relatively close to each other.
And it's not only Leicester - Coventry passengers but also a much better connectivity beyond them (and more services from Leicester/ Coventry to the WCML at Nuneaton).
I appreciate that the layout at Nuneaton doesn't suit a Leicester - Coventry service but I think that this seems a fairly obvious pair of cities to try to link if feasible.
One potentially unfair thing being suggested here is that the enthusiasm for a branch is more than the enthusiasm for a service from Leicester to Coventry (potentially also encompassing the likes of Nottingham and Leamington and therefore obviously being extremely beneficial).
Some ‘old branch’ is probably easy to do. It’s got to go from an existing major rail junction or station to a town of reasonable size.
This scheme however is obviously difficult.
1) Should it serve Nuneaton ‘proper’ or avoid it.
2) If it avoids Nuneaton, does it warrant a new station or to just use Bermuda as a Park & Ride.
3) Should it be hourly or half-hourly, and what impact does that have on capacity and BCR.
4) Where should it stop, giving due consideration to the main Leicester <> Coventry journey time and also local journey opportunities.
5) To what extent does it then ‘shaft’ Leicester, capacity-wise, and how can you potentially integrate a northbound extension and what impact does that have on capacity again.
6) Can the service be effectively patched through Coventry to Leamington.
7) Can the service use the existing infrastructure to reverse at Abbey Jn, therefore reducing cost but adding journey time and opportunities. How acceptable is this?
8) Should the route be electrified
9) Is it worth giving an opportunity for cross-country freight from container ports etc in the South to get to Yorkshire and the East Midlands via an ‘avoiding curve’ and therefore adding value to the whole lot.
Theres probably more questions.
The reality is that this country does new infrastructure badly, but envisioning daft new ideas well. As a result, we end up with stuff like Ordsall Lane that most predicted as a disaster from the start.
There is clearly a need for this service to commence, but it would be much more ideal for improved planning etc. And a clear desire to establish the priorities to come first, therefore negating most discussion as certain things take total precedence.