New government declaration/Queen's speech

[daikilo]

Did I hear correctly that high revenue high speed lines are protected? Did I not hear that any added value to low speed is not protected. Oh dear, I guess that 90%+ of her constituents fall into the latter category!

 

[yorksrob]

Mmm. To be honest, I'd be tempted to postpone high speed for the time being and protect some capacity enhancements on the classic network instead.

 

[j0hn0]

Mmm. To be honest, I'd be tempted to postpone high speed for the time being and protect some capacity enhancements on the classic network instead.

It won't start costing us for a while yet, maybe crossrail is the best thing to postpone.

But really, infrastructure improvements are the top priority for me in terms of spending. If the country cannot move, it cannot prosper.

I am sure that the capacity enhancements will still continue but really, that has to be achieved by running longer trains and building longer platforms.

make do and fix for the rail network is the single most profilgate way of running a railway.

Ringfence the HSR money, cut NR waste and middle management, continue with everything that has been happening (apart from some station improvements which have already been scrapped) But really, do we all really need a brand spanking new station?

Look at the new building at Rugby, It looks 50 years old already on the outside. Shocking choice of cheap materials. Identikit stations? no thanks

 

[adambro]

Mmm. To be honest, I'd be tempted to postpone high speed for the time being and protect some capacity enhancements on the classic network instead.

As j0hn0 has commented on, postponing HS2 isn't necessarily that worthwhile. The bulk of the spending will be in construction and so you could give the go ahead today and not be spending the billions involved for years, when of course the economy should be in a better position. It is currently suggested that construction could start in 2017/2018 with the line opening 2025/2026.

 

[yorksrob]

I am sure that the capacity enhancements will still continue but really, that has to be achieved by running longer trains and building longer platforms.

Indeed, although these seem to be the very things that are beginning to be cancelled - particularly the new carriages which would allow trains to be lengthened. Whilst they are often the cheapest capacity enhancements available (particularly in areas such as the North where many routes were originally served by longer trains) they still come out as pretty expensive. These seem to me to be the sorts of things which should be prioritised.

(apart from some station improvements which have already been scrapped) But really, do we all really need a brand spanking new station?

Look at the new building at Rugby, It looks 50 years old already on the outside. Shocking choice of cheap materials. Identikit stations? no thanks

I'm inclined to agree with you there. Unless there is some pressing operational reason to rebuild a station (for example expanding through capacity at London Bridge) a lick of paint can often be just as effective.

 

[Aictos]

I'm inclined to agree with you there. Unless there is some pressing operational reason to rebuild a station (for example expanding through capacity at London Bridge) a lick of paint can often be just as effective.

The comment about the lick of paint is very true, it just depends on the TOC supplying the paint in the first place,

Still, come July/August my station is slowly getting though a programme of repainting,

 

[WatcherZero]

Some of it wasnt just lick of paint, for NW for example it was retiling the subways, renovating the ticket offices (uneeded in my opinion as its the only bit of the station from this century and not the 70's, though private areas could be more needing of improvement perhaps?) resurfacing the platforms, expanding the toilets and doubling the size of the waiting rooms. But I can accept missing out on it short term if it improves the long term case for more extensive improvements.

Bransons already been quoted in local paper saying its a shame to lose the money, but give Virgin the power to make its own improvements and he would do it all himself.