Why no electrification for East West Rail?

[Glenn1969]

I would build EWR but think if you are prioritising Manchester should have been sorted first. Transpennine capacity and Castlefield are at least 10 years overdue. The way things are going it looks like EWR will open before you get any shovels in the ground for Manchester infrastructure works

 

[Ianno87]

I would build EWR but think if you are prioritising Manchester should have been sorted first. Transpennine capacity and Castlefield are at least 10 years overdue. The way things are going it looks like EWR will open before you get any shovels in the ground for Manchester infrastructure works

But Manchester hasn't exactly had no investment- electrification via Bolton has transformed its capacity and journey times, as has the new TPE stock (pre-Covid) on the trans-pennine route.

 

[Horizon22]

I would build EWR but think if you are prioritising Manchester should have been sorted first. Transpennine capacity and Castlefield are at least 10 years overdue. The way things are going it looks like EWR will open before you get any shovels in the ground for Manchester infrastructure works

Plus Manchester has had investment, it's just been mis-advised (i.e Ordsall Chord)

 

[Bletchleyite]

I would build EWR but think if you are prioritising Manchester should have been sorted first. Transpennine capacity and Castlefield are at least 10 years overdue. The way things are going it looks like EWR will open before you get any shovels in the ground for Manchester infrastructure works

Transpennine capacity has been sorted, unless all those new bi-modes and LHCS is all a myth?

NPR is more about speeding it up, really, plus improving local services.

 

[WAO]

...but it's a drop in the ocean. They might have had rail links but with pacers? ......between large connurbations?

When I first moved South I remember comparing the 2-car DMU rattling from Leeds to Sheffield via Barnsley (connecting over 1M people) to the 8 car class 421's I then travelled in. Time has moved on but the qualitative difference hasn't.

WAO

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Feb 2021 ==

Transpennine capacity has been sorted, unless all those new bi-modes and LHCS is all a myth?

NPR is more about speeding it up, really, plus improving local services.

Good. But where's the wires?

WAO

 

[Bletchleyite]

Good. But where's the wires?

I agree they are needed but I would definitely put opening a new, much needed railway over electrifying one that's already there. Cross-country connectivity in the South East is appalling, whereas in the North you've got a web of interconnected lines that can come very close to completely substituting for car ownership.

 

[WAO]

Cross-country connectivity in the South East is appalling, whereas in the North you've got a web of interconnected lines that can come very close to completely substituting for car ownership.

Absolutely agree with you about connectivity. Once had to return from Luton to Berkshire via Icknield way (without SATNAV) because M25 closed!

While rail might technically substitute for car ownership in some parts of the North, there is neither the quality nor capacity of the services to be competitive. As others have said we could do both.

WAO