Why the 20-year plan

Peninsula Rail Task Force Programme Manager John Hillman acknowledges that a 20-year plan for improving the region’s railways could be viewed as perhaps too conservative. But he explains the rationale:

“Yes, it is too conservative, but the reason is that we are very, very alive to the fact it could be kicked into the long grass, and we cannot afford that. We need a commitment for funding, and we have to realise when the money is available.

“We have done a number of studies, including looking at the Borders Railway. We noticed then that there was a political will, and that is what we need.”