Bi-modes deliver almost all benefits of electrification

Opting for bi-mode diesel and electric trains will deliver almost all of the benefits of electrifying the Midland Main Line (MML) north of Corby and erecting wires from Cardiff to Swansea - at significantly lower cost, according to Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling.

Speaking at the Transport Select Committee hearing on January 22, Grayling said benefit:cost ratios (BCRs) claimed for full electrification of the MML assumed that High Speed 2 Phase 2 would not be built, and that with the new railway in operation electrification only would produce a BCR of just 0.77:1.

He also argued that capacity enhancements along the whole route were more important than electrification north of Corby.

“I could not see the rationale of spending a billion pounds and saving a minute on journey times to Sheffield, rather than spending the money on projects elsewhere on the network that would make a capacity difference… that’s why I took the decision.”

However, Grayling was repeatedly challenged on why he did not submit to the Select Committee the business case for abandoning the MML electrification programme in favour of bi-mode operation.

He described the business case as “misleading”, saying that the report included a bi-mode option plus full electrification. “It’s an invalid comparison,” he said.

Grayling also defended his decision to cancel electrification from Cardiff to Swansea, arguing that the project had a low BCR and that with low linespeeds on the route there would be no passenger benefits that could not be delivered by running bi-mode trains.

The cost of electrifying that stretch of line is estimated at £500 million. Grayling said that money could be spent on schemes elsewhere, such as on the Bristol Metro West plans.