TRANSPORT Secretary Philip Hammond hailed a “new age of Rail in Britain” yesterday as Network Rail launched a 10-year, £5bn development plan for the Great Western Main Line, which links Oxfordshire with London, the West of England and South Wales.
Speaking at London’s Paddington station, where he unveiled a newly-restored section of the station’s roof, Mr Hammond said the aim of the Government and the rail industry was to create a “21st century railway for a 21st century future”.Network Rail and train operator First Great Western say investment is needed to cope with soaring demand for rail travel. The number of passengers from Oxford has risen by 65 per cent over the past decade.
A number of the developments are already under way, such as the £67m redoubling of the Cotswold Line between Oxford and Worcester, which is due for completion next month, and the rebuilding of Reading station.
The key element of the programme is the installation of overhead power supplies for electric trains from London to Oxford and Newbury, and from Didcot to Bristol and Cardiff, combined with the introduction of new InterCity Express Programme high-speed trains and new signals.
Electrification work will start in 2014, with the first electric trains between Oxford and London due to run in 2016. Electric services from Didcot to Bristol will start the same year, with Cardiff following in 2017.
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