Railway line on track for £5bn boost
MORE than £5bn will be spent on maintaining the tracks and upgrading signalling on the West Coast Mainline between London and Manchester over the next five years, Network Rail has announced.
Its five-year plan for the London Northwestern route between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool includes the ‘phasing out’ of old school signalling to be replaced by digital rail control.
Network Rail says this will allow for more trains. It’s part of a £47bn national scheme of upgrades.
But this plan does NOT include any major infrastructure projects.
This means the TransPennine and Hope Valley Manchester-Sheffield electrifications, for example, are not included.
Such major projects, included in a separate £10bn pot of cash, are to be managed by the Department for Transport.
These, according to transport leaders, ‘may be delivered by Network Rail or others.’ This means Network Rail could have to bid against other firms to carry out this work.
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester council, said: “The Manchester-Leeds line is a railway not fit for purpose.
“In terms of the Northern Powerhouse this is the biggest and most important one. If it’s in a plan that’s yet to come out that’s fine – but it’s got to be included.”
Network Rail says the plan, announced yesterday, will cut delayed trains by 15 per cent – ‘driving economic growth, jobs and housing by delivering a better railway for the millions of people who rely on it.’
It will also reduce carbon emissions and, they claim, ‘reduce mental health absence by 30pc’ in their workforce.
The Office of Rail and Road will now review the plan and make a draft determination of Network Rail’s funding needs in June, and a final decision in the autumn.
Martin Frobisher, London North Western managing director, described the London North Western route as the ‘backbone of Britain,’ adding: “By moving our major cities closer together, notably with HS2 and the Great North Rail Project, we will continue to create new possibilities and new opportunities for the taxpayers and customers who pay our wages.”
Mark Carne, chief executive of Network Rail, said: “Passengers’ journeys will be transformed in the next few years as thousands of new trains enter service. By 2021 there will be almost 350,000 more services per year than today – an average of an extra 1,000 services a day, better connecting communities and driving economic growth across the country.”
The plan marks a funding increase of 25pc since the last period, 2014 to 2019.