Randomer
Member
- Joined
- 31 Jul 2017
- Messages
- 317
Has the £2.9 Billion figure for the Transpennine route upgrade actually been committed to by central government yet?
I can absolutely see the new high speed scheme whatever it is called absolutely cutting the legs off the funding for short to medium term improvements and then getting cancelled at the whim of the next couple of governments after the HS2 cost overruns inevitably start to bite.
All the talk of a new faster link with greater capacity is a little bit pointless if we are not already running sufficiently long trains (i.e. 10 or 12 car) through the central most congested part of the route rather than the current 3 or eventual 5 car units. This absolutely requires continuous electrification and enabling works at terminal stations to permit longer trains to be accommodated on platforms. All of which could be accomplished a decade before the tentative new high speed line even begins construction.
I can absolutely see the new high speed scheme whatever it is called absolutely cutting the legs off the funding for short to medium term improvements and then getting cancelled at the whim of the next couple of governments after the HS2 cost overruns inevitably start to bite.
All the talk of a new faster link with greater capacity is a little bit pointless if we are not already running sufficiently long trains (i.e. 10 or 12 car) through the central most congested part of the route rather than the current 3 or eventual 5 car units. This absolutely requires continuous electrification and enabling works at terminal stations to permit longer trains to be accommodated on platforms. All of which could be accomplished a decade before the tentative new high speed line even begins construction.