Posted 19th March 2008 | 6 Comments
Cameron pledges boost for high-speed rail
David Cameron: “Our regional economies need big transport infrastructure improvements.”
A Conservative government would have a list of rail upgrades ready to be green-lighted on its first day, David Cameron has promised.
The party leader also told the British Chamber of Commerce that he wanted to boost high-speed rail – an area where the Labour Government has been very cautious.
Mr Cameron said Britain’s economy needed enterprise to thrive in all parts of the country, but he warned that business was being held back by the lack of regional transport infrastructure.
He said his job meant he travelled all over the country, and in many areas transport was the single issue that concerned business most.
“If you can’t get to London by train in under three hours, you won’t accept bland assurances from the Government that things are improving.
“The impact that transport decisions can have on regional development has been demonstrated very recently.
“Because of the new international railway terminal at St Pancras, much of Kent, previously an hour from London, will now be just 20 minutes away – a change which will have a massive positive impact.”
Mr Cameron warned of a postcode lottery over government transport spending, saying that since 2000 it had allocated just £577 per head in the North East, compared to £1,637 in London.
“That isn’t fair and it isn’t good enough. Our regional economies need big transport infrastructure improvements.
“We also need high-speed rail routes – that’s why I recently sent (shadow Chancellor) George Osborne to Japan to see how they do it.”
Mr Cameron said that, to get the economy firing, they had to get Britain moving, and he pledged: “We’ll give every region the infrastructure it needs to prosper, by developing the efficient and sustainable transport system that it needs.
“I want an incoming Conservative government to be ready to move on day one with a list of projects – bypasses, rail upgrades, toll roads – that can be green-lighted.
“If we are to encourage genuine hubs of enterprise across the country that are linked to the rest of the UK and beyond, we need an efficient, effective and sustainable transport system that includes harnessing the huge transforming power of high-speed rail.”
Reader Comments:
Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.
Philip, Tunbridge Wells
Too much is being made of what Cameron has said, note that he refers to "transport infrastructure", and more tellingly to "bypasses, rail upgrades, toll roads". Quite apart from the obvious favourisation of road transport, there is no sign here that new railway lines will be built (only "upgrades") - which is what this country needs; what is the good of having fast lines without the capacity to be able to ferry passengers around? The system is overloaded as it is.
In the meantime, its worth recalling Theresa Villiers, the Conservative Shadow Transport Secretary, comments: "New high speed rail lines could take 10 to 20 years to get off the ground." What she doesn't mention is that during the same time, the French will have built a further 6 or 7 lines and increased their speed to 450kph.
Finally, I don't understand why Osborne wasn't sent to Germany or France instead of Japan? The European countries have a rail structure far more comparable in size and usage than the high speed intercity Japanese rail network.
David, Derby, UK
Even if we start planning now, it will be the middle of the 2020s before we see second high speed line, and into the 2030s before another comes on stream. We can't wait that long for capacity enhancements. If lines like Matlock-Peak Forest, Harrogate-Northallerton & Bletchley-Oxford/Aylesbury are re-opened, a few new connections/spurs added & some rail cut-offs (such as a Wellingborough bypass) are built, longer trains run & more lines electrified, coupled with a new network timetable for passenger trains, there is tremendous scope for creating extra capacity by, say, 2015. This should be done immediately & at the same time as planning/approving high speed lines.
Chris, Longstock, UK
A far cry from the politicians 30 years ago who wished to tarmac over the railways and run down public transport to achieve the "Great Car Economy".
Perhaps this party's policy on transport has changed for the better and look forward to seeing quality low cost public transport and HS2, 3 and 4 built in my lifetime. This country needs a great engineering project we can all be proud of.
Richard Woodward, Leeds/London, UK
I'll vote conservative IF Cameron is serious and backs High Speed Rail. Very simple vote winner Mr Cameron! Invest in transport and social problems can be fixed as well as giving us all a worth while alternative to a pathetic 125mph system that the current government seems to think is fine!!!
125mph stopped being competitive on distances over 220miles or so when we hit year 2000 as low cost air travel really took off. I could go on but I won't. So Mr Cameron, if you read this - put rail at the centre of your several election pledges and I think you'll be surprised at how far it will go!
Geoff Steel, Northampton, England; UK
I have just returned from a trip to New Zealand and Australia via Hong Kong and Bangkok. What impressed was the huge amount of investment going into railways not just new lines but upgrading of existing routes to meet what appears to be a global surge in rail travel. The big difference is that despite this massive investment the cost of travel rail travel remains extremely competitive. For example a Zone 1-2 weekly pass in Sydney gives unlimited travel on rail; bus and ferries costing $Aus45 or £20 which is tremendous value. A single trip on the Bangkok sky rail a mere 40p. Why then do we have to continue to pay inflation busting fare increases to pay for the investment when other countries seem to be able to investment in their rail networks whilst keeping fares down?
Richard, Oxford, UK
Transport infrastructure should certainly get a much higher priority in terms of government spending. Any party that pledges to actually invest in some new infrastructure, rather than trying against all evidence to pretend that the present system is adequate, is much more likely to get my vote. That's especially if it is spent on high speed rail and light rail systems for the country, not just for London.