Post-Beeching Closures

[Drsatan]

For the 2012 olympics, an event of international importance, it shouldn't be too difficult to find a new alignment for a Weymouth - Portland railway, even if it means compulsory purchase orders. It's all too easy to underestimate demand: when the first LGV opened from Paris to Lyons in 1981 passenger numbers significantly surpased expectations after about three years. Don't forget that because the two towns are only about 7-8 miles apart lots of locals from Weymouth might want to watch the sailing events, not just 'Hooray Henrys' from further afield.

Once the Olympics are over, Portland would then have a new railway resulting in a modal shift from cars/buses to trains for journeys to Weymouth, Dorchester and further afield.

 

[furryfeet]

The sailing events will be held at Portland, yet the roads around Portland aren't going to accomodate the extra traffic for the Olympics.

So why did Ruth Kelly and Dorset County Council build the new bypass through two minute cutting then ?
Ostensibly to serve the Olypic sailing !

One thinks that the money spent on that road would be better spent on local public transport links, which would of course be of use to the public forever, not just for few weeks that the olympics is in progress.