HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : sSRA Plans Europe’s Fastest Railway- Chairman Calls on Industry to Win Back Customers [January 2001]
The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 19 January 2001.
The prospect of a new, purpose built railway, capable of running trains at 200-225mph (320-360kph) is being considered by the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority (sSRA), which today announced that it will be inviting consultants to work on a detailed feasibility study into a High Speed Line (HSL) concept. The announcement coincides with a call from sSRA Chairman Sir Alastair Morton to the industry to shake off recent setbacks and go on the offensive to win back passengers.
Such a line would provide very necessary capacity and would be the fastest railway in Europe, making possible dramatically quicker, more convenient, more comfortable and more reliable journeys between Britain’s major cities. Depending on route, travelling north from London, journeys to Manchester or Leeds could reduce to less than 1 hour 30 minutes, Newcastle to around 2 hours and Scotland to less than 3 hours.
sSRA Chief Executive Mike Grant said,
“Much work needs to be done to establish the precise nature, route and feasibility of such a project, but the technology is there and the demand is growing. The sSRA’s vision is to improve inter city rail travel dramatically in this country, boosting regional economies and providing a more comfortable alternative to relieve our overcrowded airspace.
“Preliminary work already undertaken by the sSRA has developed a better understanding of the potential costs and benefits of a dedicated High Speed Line running from London to the North. We are now inviting potential consultants to bid to develop the case for a new line, with the aim of determining the best concept by the end of March 2002, including destinations and corridor options. This stage of the study will need to assess the environmental issues relating to an HSL together with the implications for the existing rail network and franchises, which are unlikely to cope with demand expected 10 to 20 years from now.”
Welcoming the progress towards an HSL, sSRA Chairman Sir Alastair Morton said,
“It is now time for the rail industry to put the disruption of the last three months behind it and begin to move on from its ‘nervous breakdown’. The disruption has shown how important the railway is to its customers and to the economy. It is now the job of operators to win back the confidence and trust of passengers. Much of the network is now operating reasonably consistently, although a number of long distance services on the main East Coast, West Coast and Great Western lines will continue to be restricted for some time to come. Restoring public confidence in, and raising awareness of the growing regularity of the services is the urgent short term priority for the industry. On most routes the trains are there for the passengers.
“Meanwhile the SRA, which leaves its shadow status behind on February 1, is working hard to bring about real improvements to services in the medium term through franchise replacement and through the investment programme made possible by the Government’s 10 Year Plan. Today’s announcement on the High Speed Line shows our commitment to the longer term strategic development of the rail network. Britain got into this mess by underinvestment. We must get out of it by investment to deliver the ten year plan”.
The sSRA is now advertising for consultants for Stage 2 of the HSL concept study and will be meeting with bidders during February and March of this year.
