MML’s wiring benefits

I was concerned to read Chris Grayling’s claim in RAIL 837 that the Midland Main Line electrification would be spending £1 billion to save one minute on journey time, because this is financial nonsense. I hope this wasn’t the basis for his widely derided decision to scrap the MML wiring project.

Network Rail’s own website gives a handy list of the many benefits of electrification.

Leaving aside important environmental issues (such as 20%-35% CO reduction), there 2 would be the financial payback from lighter trains and lower track maintenance within NR’s own accounts.

But elsewhere in the rail industry there are huge savings on the purchase cost and maintenance of pure electric rolling stock - not just because these are cheaper, but also you’d need fewer trains because of higher availability. There are also savings in energy costs to power the trains, because they’re lighter and more efficient.

While the ‘one minute’ saving clearly refers to the fastest non-stop trains, on semi-fast services electric trains with faster acceleration could continue to stop at more stations within the same schedule - in contrast to the unpopular East Midlands franchise proposals which destroy northwards connectivity for many towns to help accommodate the limitations of bi-mode trains.

With some joined-up analysis across the layers of our railway system, it’s obvious that ‘saving a minute’ massively understates the benefit of the MML electrification scheme. These cost savings would give DfT higher premiums on future franchises, closing the financial loop. It needs to be ‘unscrapped’! Andrew Whitworth, Harrogate