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HS2 connectivity

Author: Chris Page - Published Fri 02 of Mar, 2018 16:53 GMT - (4788 Reads)
HS2 will create massive extra rail capacity, but unless it is integrated with local transport networks to create connectivity with city centres and their surrounding city regions, congestion not economic growth will result. Image: proposed colocation of HS2 platforms and existing city centre station at Leeds.

Why wiring went wrong

Author: Jerry Alderson (Source: Phil Smart) - Published Sat 09 of Sep, 2017 20:40 BST - (6424 Reads)
Railfuture has long campaigned for much of Britain’s railway to be electrified, not as an end in itself but because of the benefits it can bring to passengers (and also freight users). Electrification fell out of favour in the early 1990s but came back around 2009 partly thanks to the lobbying of Railfuture’s distinguished Vice President Adrian Shooter. However, Network Rail’s inability to deliver the government’s challenging programme of electrification, not least because vital skills and experience including project management had been lost, is a major set-back. Electrifying the Gospel Oak to Barking line has been a Railfuture aspiration for a long time. Pictured above is a stanchion minus overhead wires at South Tottenham station on the GOBLIN line, where the electrification work overran. Photo by Jerry Alderson.

Electric plug

Author: Ray King - Published Fri 08 of Sep, 2017 22:20 BST - (3597 Reads)
Ray King presents the Derbyshire Times report on a stunt by 10:10 and Campaign for Better Transport calling on the Transport Secretary to reverse his decision to cancel Midland Main Line electrification. Railfuture supports electrification but sees the way forward differently; our article Why electrify shows how this can be achieved.

Why electrify?

Author: Chris Page - Published Thu 31 of Aug, 2017 18:58 BST - (6872 Reads)
On 20 July 2017, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling shocked rail campaigners and stakeholders by announcing that planned electrification of the Midland Main Line north of Kettering, the Great Western Main Line west of Cardiff, and Oxenholme to Windermere is cancelled. Photo Network Rail.

Expanding the Railways

Author: Chris Austin and Chris Page - Published Wed 05 of Jul, 2017 18:34 BST - (10122 Reads)
This new guide was launched today. ‘Expanding the Railways’ will help local authorities, developers and communities develop plans for adding new stations and lines to the network.

Swanage back on the map

Author: Chris Austin - Published Sat 17 of Jun, 2017 17:31 BST - (5416 Reads)
Chris Austin was lucky enough to travel on the first public passenger train from Swanage to Wareham for 45 years, at the start of an experimental service running until September. The first public through train from Swanage at Wareham on 13 June 2017. From London, same platform interchange makes for an easy journey - photo Peter Milford.

Never-never railways

Author: Chris Page - Published Wed 28 of Dec, 2016 18:34 GMT - (12515 Reads)
Investment in new rail infrastructure is essential to provide extra capacity to deal with increasing passenger numbers and promote economic growth. However Network Rail has maxed out its capacity and budget for rail enhancements because the lack of skilled and experienced rail engineers has driven up NR costs, so the government is looking for innovative ways to finance, resource and share risk on more new rail infrastructure projects than Network Rail can handle. The government has given East West Rail the green light, whilst two other potential privately-financed projects, Heathrow Southern Railway and London and Southern Counties Railway, are also vying for government attention.

Fixing Network Rail

Author: Chris Page - Published Mon 05 of Dec, 2016 18:27 GMT - (7641 Reads)
Britain needs to invest in its transport infrastructure to promote economic growth, but further electrification delays show that Network Rail does not have the capability to deliver its expansion programme in the timescale needed. Railfuture analyses the cause of the problems at Network Rail and suggests a way forward.

HS1 lessons for HS2

Author: Chris Page and Ian Brown - Published Tue 04 of Oct, 2016 10:43 BST - (7892 Reads)
There were many objections to HS1 when it was being planned, but it now carries 80% of London – Paris travellers, whilst domestic HS1 services are full and standing during peak hours. The success of HS1 has lessons for HS2, on which construction is planned to start in 2017. Javelin domestic HS1 train at St Pancras. Photo by Ed Webster, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.

SUAWOOX campaign

Author: Fraser Pithie - Published Mon 13 of Jun, 2016 17:51 BST - (5893 Reads)
Fraser Pithie, the Secretary of the Shakespeare Line Promotion Group, explains why the Stratford-Worcester-Oxford (SWO) campaign deserves public and political support.

Cambridge North progress

Author: Peter Wakefield - Published Thu 14 of Apr, 2016 17:26 BST - (9554 Reads)
Cambridge North station is well underway to completion. It is due to open in May 2017.
Photos courtesy Network Rail

Keeping London moving

Author: Chris Page - Published Thu 24 of Mar, 2016 21:12 GMT - (7976 Reads)
By the 2030s London will be a megacity of more than 10 million people. Even allowing for planned investment and the imminent arrival of the East-West Crossrail line, the capital will grind to a halt unless significant further improvements are made. That’s why London needs Crossrail 2 as quickly as possible.

Garnett on Wight

Author: Stuart George - Published Fri 11 of Mar, 2016 12:08 GMT - (5564 Reads)
Stuart George, chairman of the IW Bus & Rail Users’ Group and a Railfuture member living on the Isle of Wight, reviews the report by Christopher Garnett on the future of the Island Line.

White NUCKLE ride

Author: Michael Tombs - Published Mon 18 of Jan, 2016 23:50 GMT - (8600 Reads)
Two new stations, Coventry Arena and Bermuda Park, opened today as the first step in the NUCKLE programe, which has been a white knuckle ride in railway planning. The line between Coventry and Nuneaton has been nicknamed the Bermuda Triangle line because trains will disappear when a match at the Ricoh Arena finishes. Photos by Michael Tombs for Railfuture.

Southern orange

Author: Chris Page - Published Thu 14 of Jan, 2016 01:00 GMT - (4577 Reads)
Turning South London Orange – a report published by Centre for London today recommends reforming suburban rail to support London’s next wave of growth.

Airport rail links take off

Author: Ian Brown and Chris Page - Published Fri 03 of Jul, 2015 10:33 BST - (7109 Reads)
The Airports Commission Final Report was launched on 1st July 2015 by Sir Howard Davies. It concluded that the new Northwest runway at Heathrow presents the strongest case, in conjunction with a package of measures to address environmental and community impacts. (Photograph from Heathrow Airport Sustainable Transport Plan.)

Rail development reset

Author: Chris Page - Published Fri 26 of Jun, 2015 11:01 BST - (7594 Reads)
The Government announced yesterday that the Network Rail development programme for the current control period will be cut back so that it can get back on track and be delivered within the £38Bn budget.

St Albans busway threat

Author: David Horton - Published Fri 26 of Jun, 2015 11:00 BST - (3485 Reads)
David Horton, General Secretary of the Abbey Flyer Users' Group (ABFLY) warns that this scene of a digger ripping up the Cambridge - St Ives railway line could be repeated on the Abbey Line between Watford and St Albans. Photograph by Steve Wilkinson.