Commuter rail route tipped to go electric (From Oxford Mail)

Commuter rail route tipped to go electric

5:41pm Wednesday 22nd July 2009 in News By Chris Walker

THE Prime Minister is widely expected to announce tomorrow that the main rail line between Oxford, Didcot and London is to be electrified, speeding up journeys and improving reliability.

The Great Western main line, which runs from London Paddington to Bristol and Cardiff, via Didcot Parkway, along with the Didcot-Oxford line, is one of two routes set to be earmarked to start a national programme of rail electrification, to help cut carbon emissions from transport.

The other route is expected to be between Liverpool and Manchester.

The Department for Transport and Network Rail, owner of Britain’s rail infrastructure, has been in discussions about electrifying the Great Western route since a national consultation paper on the issue was finished earlier this year.

About 40 per cent of Britain’s 20,000-mile rail network is electrified, including most South East commuter routes and the main lines from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The Government favours electric trains, as on average they cause 20 per cent to 30 per cent fewer CO2 emissions than diesel trains.

It could take more than 10 years to electrify the Great Western line, as the work is expected to be carried out in stages to minimise disruption to services.

The DfT refused to say when an announcement would be made, although Premier Gordon Brown appeared to let the cat out of the bag today, saying he would announce a “major investment” tomorrow in railway electrification.

The Cabinet is due to hold a meeting in Cardiff tomorrow morning.