Posted 9th August 2010 | 2 Comments

Rail cuts 'threaten economy'

CUTS in rail investment could damage the British economy, the government is being warned. Business leaders are increasingly concerned about the threats to such projects as electrification and the building of more rolling stock.

The British Chambers of Commerce have written to business secretary Vince Cable and transport secretary Philip Hammond, urging caution.

The director general of the BCC, David Frost, said rail transport is essential for supporting the country, and warned: “In tackling the deficit, the government must be careful not to damage future growth and prosperity.

“Government must support initiatives that enable the free and easy movement of people and goods.”

He is also concerned about the lack of progress on proposals for improving services in the north west, centred on Manchester.

He said: "The Northern Hub, one of the BCC’s twelve regional business transport priorities, is the most critical rail project for the north of England and a national priority, allowing greater connectivity between the cities of the north and with the rest of the country."

A number of major rail projects are currently under review, but the transport secretary Philip Hammond has already cancelled the remaining rolling stock orders planned for this year, and signalled that official enthusiasm for early electrification of the Great Western Main Line is waning.

Reader Comments:

Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.

  • Lance W Austrang, Colne Lancashire, England

    One of the most important projects in the North West is the reopening of the Colne to Skipton Rail line which will once again re-link the East and West Coast Main lines.

    Providing direct trains between Manchester and Leeds Via Blackburn, Burnley and Nelson, and Skipton, and also via Rochdale, Todmorden, Burnley and Skipton, out of all the Transpennine rail line this link would be the cheapest to run.

    It should be the case that rail projects of this nature should be funded via private finance and not Government money, this should be done via the New Francises which I hope will be at least 20 to 30 years.

    Our Railway where built using private investment in the first place including the rolling stock, we should go back to this method, no more splitting the railways up. Track and train should be under the same owership.

  • Llion Wynne Jones, aberdare

    I agree, if we want to have a better economy I think rail is something that should be invested in, as more people and freight are now taking to the tracks. This spending cut will only drive more away as they think that saftey will decrease as the maintenance does. In fact, rail created more jobs than the bigger road transport sector.