UK high-speed plans revealed

Coming soon to the UK?

The British government are to unveil new plans for a UK high-speed network that will showcase trains capable of 250mph.

The plan will see a new line between London and Birmingham with a possible extension to northern England and Scotland. However work is not expected to commence until 2017 at the earliest, due to permission being needed for the proposed route.

The idea has been floated for several years now, and both opposition parties are committed to the scheme in principle however a final decision on the route should cause political divisions ahead of the general election.

Low-carbon economy

Speaking to the BBC, Michael Roberts, chief executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), said "The commitment that all three parties have shown to high-speed rail is a vote of confidence in the industry, and will help place train travel at the heart of a successful low-carbon economy.

"The plans must be affordable at a time of real constraint in the public finances and must show how high-speed rail will be paid for while continuing to invest in the existing network on which passengers make more than a billion journeys a year."

Affordability is definitely the key when it comes to high-speed rail. Currently, the train service in the UK is plagued by delays, expensive tickets and extensive journey times.

If the route is approved, it would cut journey times from Birmingham to London to just over 45 minutes. If the route was extended further north, passengers would be able to get from Glasgow to London in just two hours and 16 minutes, while also serving Manchester and Birmingham.

It was estimated that by 2020, three times as many passengers will be travelling around the country by train.

Whether such a project can be approved and sufficiently budgeted is another matter though.

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis' report, which is set to go public, will confirm the scheme's specific details, such as whether it would go via London's Heathrow airport.

Last year, Lord Adonis previewed a series of Japanese-built Class 395 Javelin trains, that can reach speeds of up to 140mph, on the line between Kent and London St Pancreas to showcase the benefits of high-speed rail.

Plans revealed (12/03/2010)

Yesterday, at a press conference Lord Adonis unveiled the new plans. The network project will see the construction of a new terminal in Birmingham as well as the possible extension of the network further north to Glasgow. 

"The time has come for Britain to plan seriously for high-speed rail between our major cities," Lord Adonis said to reporters. "The high-speed line from London to the Channel Tunnel has been a clear success, and many European and Asian countries now have extensive and successful high-speed networks. I believe high-speed rail has a big part to play in Britain's future."

However, there are already concerns about the environmental impact of the project. The Government has already stated that they will attempt to "minimise the environmental impact" of the project through a combination of tunnels and following existing rail and road corridors, but the county of Buckinghamshire has said it will fight to 'protect its precious countryside', not to mention the 440 homes that may be demolished to make way for the line.

While the initial phase of the project is estimated to cost GBP£17.4 billion, there are plans to expand the network if it proves to be a success. As well as going to Scotland, there are also plans for the network to split off in the Midlands, with a track going east to Sheffield and Leeds, and another going west to Manchester.

Relevant articles:

UK high-speed rail | High-speed trains in the UK?! | The need for speed

Timon Singh

Timon Singh is a graduate of Liverpool University where he received a degree in Social and Economic History. He has previously worked for BBC Magazines on BBC Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine, the publication for the popular genealogy show.

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