It really is a no brainer to electrify the Valley Lines. A self contianed system radiating out from a city to a densely populated hinterland where natural geography has meant that ribbon communities have developed causing frequent station stops at short intervals.
Superior acceleration will reduce journey times, the trains will be more reliable, cheaper to operate, and a more efficient use of our precious but dwindling natural resources.
To those like klambert who question whether the routes are high density, just pay a visit to any of the Valley branches. You will fidn off epak trains well loaded, even for short journeys like Hengoed to Caerphilly or Porth to Pontypridd. The only parts of the system that ar ehoruly are due to infrastructure issues which hopefully will be tackled in the enxt few years; it is not due to any lack of demand!
I would agree. For the >0.5M people who live in the valleys immediately north of Cardiff , you have the option of travelling into the city by car and getting snarled up on the A470 or you get an overcrowded train on a network whose increased capacity is not constrained by lack of demand but by limitations of the existing infrastructure. I still find it hard to understand that the UK government is still considering spending >£20Bn on HS2 when a fraction of that amount could transform the attractiveness and efficiency of a large portion of the UK rail network. I am convinced a much larger benefit can be delivered, more quickly and at lower cost by implementing schemes like:
GWML, MML, infill & Cardiff valleys electrification;
Enhance and electrify the Chiltern line to take pressure off the WCML,
Heathrow access from GWML,
ERTMS,
Northern Hub,
Bristol Rail improvements,
Etc.....
