Saturday 21 July 2012

dinosaurs spotted!

A road building revival?

In a week when the Government announced a multi-billion pound investment programme in the railways, it may seem strange to discuss the fortunes of road building, but there are signs of renewed interest in increasing the nation’s supply of highway capacity. A number of Highways Agency schemes have been accelerated in recent months; Scotland is progressing a new Forth crossing and launching a multi-billion pound dualling of the A9; and councils are once again beginning the lobbying...blah blah blah

No, I'm really not making this up! Spotted on a nostalgia transport site. It's amazing how some dinosaurs still struggle along, gasping for breath, unaware that their world has been destroyed by an asteroid, or the looming end of fossil fuels to be more precise!

better than bus - so why are we waiting?

Pop music impresario Pete Waterman hopped on board an East Lancashire Railway locomotive with transport minister Norman Baker – and called for the line to be opened up to commuter trains. The chart-topping record producer and steam-train enthusiast met Mr Baker at Bolton Street station, Bury, before they caught the train to Rawtenstall. He told him it was time to 'stop talking' and restore commercial services to the line for the first time since 1972. Bosses at the railway - which reopened as a tourist attraction in 1987 and is run by volunteers - had earlier met the minister to discuss the issue, as well as plans to extend the line to Castleton in Rochdale. Currently there are no commuter trains linking old stops in the Irwell Valley, including Ramsbottom and Rawtenstall, to the Bury to Manchester line. Mr Waterman said: “I think it's time to stop talking and start doing it. We've talked about it for at least 15 years. It makes perfect sense to me. The infrastructure is here. We would have to put more signalling in. “To run a steam railway is expensive. If you can use the railway for more than that, it works out for everybody's benefit.” Studies by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) have estimated that the line would cost £30m to restore. Mr Baker said it was now down to the railway, Rossendale, Bury and Rochdale councils, TfGM and Network Rail to come up with a business case for the scheme. He said: “Clearly it has to stack up economically. We haven't seen the hard figures to see if it is going to work. We will give what help we can to try and make that case.” Junior minister Mr Baker, a Liberal Democrat, also announced £1m improvements to disabled access for Victoria Station in Manchester - as well as a new scheme to force utility companies to cut disruption caused by road works in Greater Manchester's 10 boroughs. The so-called 'joint-permit scheme' will allow TfGM to set conditions for the timings of works - with companies fined up to £5,000 if they overrun. It is the first time the scheme has applied across more than one council. Buy Concert Tickets on Eba

Read more at: http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1584019_pete-waterman-calls-for-east-lancashire-railway-to-be-opened-up-to-commuter-trains

Sunday 15 July 2012

14 July 2012 Last updated at 17:19

'Multi-billion' rail cash investment to be announced

David Cameron visits rail depot in Manchester in November

The DfT would not confirm reports that Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg would make a joint announcement

The government is expected to announce a plan of rail investment costing billions of pounds on Monday.

The programme will amount to £10bn during 2014-2019, the Guardian reports.

It includes a £500m scheme to electrify the Midland Main Line route between St Pancras, the east Midlands and Sheffield.

BBC political correspondent Louise Stewart quoted a government source as calling the rail investment programme "the biggest since the Victorian era."

Our correspondent said ministers wanted to "create growth and cut carbon".

Ministers say electric trains are lighter and more energy efficient, cutting the running cost and environmental impact of train services, and have faster acceleration.

AnalysisLouise StewartBBC political correspondent

It has been a tough week for the Transport Secretary Justine Greening.

She was again forced to delay the publication of her long awaited aviation strategy due to Coalition tensions, particularly over the possibility of building a third runway at Heathrow.

She and the government are hoping for better headlines with the announcement of what is being billed as "the biggest investment in the railways since the Victorian era".

A source at the DfT said this major programme of investment in rail, estimated to be £10bn, will help by "creating growth and cutting carbon emissions".

But at a time of fiscal tightening it could be the fare payers who end up picking up the cost with inflation busting fare increases.

Read more from Louise

The Department for Transport (DfT) has refused officially to confirm the report in the Guardian, which says PM David Cameron and his deputy Nick Clegg will join forces to make an announcement. The Press Association reported that Transport Secretary Justine Greening would set out the plan.

The Guardian reports that further plans include electrification of the Great Western Line from London to Swansea via Cardiff; a "northern hub" of new projects around Manchester; and an upgrade of parts of the East Coast Main Line from London to the north of England.

BBC Radio Derby political reporter Chris Doidge, meanwhile, said the Varsity line linking Oxford and Cambridge could also be reopened; most of it was closed to passengers following the Beeching Report in the 1960s.

The expected announcement follows the news on Thursday that a new £500m rail link to Heathrow Airport - which will cut journeys by up to 30 minutes - had been given the go-ahead.

A new stretch of track will be built from Slough to Heathrow which means that, from 2021, passengers travelling from south Wales, the west of England and the Thames Valley on the Great Western main line will no longer need to travel via London Paddington.

Industry 'wish list'

An announcement on rail investment had been expected as the government publishes an outline of future plans every five years. The proposals are based on the rail industry's recommendations and Network Rail - in charge of the infrastructure - and the train companies themselves also contribute to the funding.

Labour's shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle said rail investment was needed to deliver jobs and growth now - not after 2015.

"The Tory-led government cut the rail investment plans they inherited by more than three-quarters of a billion pounds and have presided over two years of dither and delay over vital rail projects and train procurement," she said.

"Setting out plans for way beyond the next election helps the industry to plan ahead, but does nothing to boost the economy now."

Passengers' group the Campaign for Better Transport said it welcomed more investment in rail but that this should not be funded by "massive fares increases".

"We are also concerned that any rail investment is likely to come alongside increased funding for roads and road schemes," it said. "A coherent transport policy, as opposed to a list of schemes, looks further away than ever."

At last even this government is beginning to appreciate the reality of our future although this is only a tiny step in the right direction. The most interesting point for me is the almost certain reinstatement of Oxford-Cambridge, an extraordinary closure and one that has never been accepted.

And I suspect the nod to the dinosaurs in the form of a direct link to Heathrow from the west is part of the deal to introduce this incremental reversal of Beeching, does anyone seriously think this will be needed in 2021, let alone afterwards? Air travel will be in very sharp decline by then. Hopefully a different use for Heathrow will be viable by then so the line will still have a purpose.

Hopefully this presages the abandonment of the crazy HS2 route, a vanity project for the 20th century if ever there was one! We won't be interested in speed in the future, but reliability and ease of access.

Wednesday 11 July 2012

stonehenge solution

At last one of the roads which deface the Stonehenge site is to be closed permanently. The picture above shows the road concerned, which is the one on the left in the picture. Yet the A303, on the right, will still pass far too close to the site.

A couple of questions - if the A344 is to close where are the parking facilities going to be? And, more importantly, how are people going to reach the site?

The solution is so simple iit's ridiculous. Create a park and ride in Amesbury and link to Stonehenge by tram. A fleet of shuttle trams (perhaps 5 or 6) could easily handle the one million visitors a year. There could be excellent facilities built at the Amesbury end - food, souvenirs etc, but also visitors should be encouraged to visit the town itself, spending money and supporting local businesses.

Now what the government and local authorities should do is buy the right of way then offer the build to a local consortium or local company to build and operate the route. I find it hard to believe that this isn't already happening as without the trams surely there will still be cars and buses approaching the site?

And whilst they are at it why not rebuild the Amesbury branch so that people can come all the way by train and tram via Salisbury? It's going to have to happen eventually so why not get ahead of the pack and get building now?

Monday 9 July 2012

Bradford 1972 ... a long wait

I just about remember trolleybuses in Bournemouth, it seemed crazy to me even when I was ten that ELECTRIC public transport systems were being closed whilst diesel buses were spreading everywhere.

Whilst trolleybuses aren't trams, they are a step in the right direction. And a trolleybus route can be easily converted to trams. Leeds did of course have a tram system up to 1959, and a supertram was well off the drawing board until the insane Labour government scrapped it a few years ago.

There are hundreds of trolleybus networks worldwide, until quite recently (1984) Switzerland even had a rural trolleybus line. They are certainly a bridge between dying bus networks and flourishing tramways. It will be nice to see trolleybuses in the UK again, but they have to be regarded as a precursor to trams, rather than an alternative.

Go-ahead for Leeds trolleybus network

Massive boost for region's economy as government announces £173.5m funding to enable the Leeds New Generation Transport (NGT) trolleybus network, the first modern trolleybus network in the UK, to go ahead.

5 July 2012

How an NGT trolleybus might look in Leeds City Square

“I’m delighted to announce that Metro and Leeds City Council have been given approval for their job-creating, economy-boosting, environment-improving, time-saving, carbon-reducing, congestion-busting NGT trolleybus scheme,” said Metro Chairman Cllr JamesLewis responding to the government’s announcement of £173.5m funding to enable the Leeds New Generation Transport (NGT) trolleybus network, the first modern trolleybus network in the UK, to go ahead.

“This is great news for our region, by speeding up journeys into and around Leeds, improving local connectivity and preventing the growth of congestion, NGT will provide a £160m per annum boost to the local economy and the creation of 4,000 permanent jobs.

“Transport is a key driver of productivity and investment in local transport infrastructure is investment in the long-term economic future of the Leeds City Region,” he continued. “NGT will speed up our recovery from recession, boost our economy and enhance our ability to compete on the national and international stage,”

Cllr Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council’s Executive Member for Development & the Economy said, “This is a huge injection of cash to the City Region, which will finally enable us to deliver a high-quality rapid transit network that is essential for a city of Leeds’ calibre. It will mean that Leeds becomes the first city in the UK to join the growing number of cities across Europe adopting this technology which is vital for our future economic growth and for the needs of our growing population.”

Having now gained ‘Programme Entry Approval’ Metro and Leeds City Council can now begin the formal process of obtaining the legal powers needed to operate a modern trolleybus network. These powers will be sought through a 'Transport and Works Act Order' in Spring 21013, followed by a Public Inquiry later that year, and construction could then begin in 2016 with the UK’s first new trolleybuses operating by 2018.

Details of the planned NGT trolleybus network can be found at

http://www.ngtmetro.com

Time to revisit Sussex reopening study

Monday, 09 July 2012 10:52

With no practical long-term solutions on the horizon coming from Network Rail or the Department for Transport, London is on the fast track towards a major transport crisis on southern routes into the capital.

A warning over the looming predicament was recently sent to both co-chairmen of the Conservative party, Baroness Warsi and Lord Feldman by a Tunbridge Wells supporter of BML2. Seeking advice, the DfT has offered nothing, apart from lengthening some services using the additional fleet ordered by the last Labour Government.

Defending the coalition Government’s weak stance, DfT spokesman John Ashley said: “A promoter of BML2 will need to address the challenge of how additional trains could reach central London stations. The promoter will also need to demonstrate that the project is deliverable, affordable, value for money for the taxpayer and identify sources of funding for the capital cost of construction.”

Only last Friday, BBC TV and Brighton’s Argus newspaper reported that train overcrowding in Sussex and Kent is worsening, as revealed by new figures from the DfT, although commuters hardly need telling this. Rail watchdog, Passenger Focus, acknowledged that trains are increasingly operating above their capacity with overcrowding remaining a daily struggle for commuters into London, whilst a spokesman considered: “Significant, sustained, long-term investment is necessary to not only reduce overcrowding, but to ensure that it doesn’t get worse if passenger numbers increase as predicted.”

Unfortunately, those given charge of managing the rail network seem completely incapable of providing answers, whilst Network Rail’s Sussex Strategy offers no hope: “By around 2020 high peak crowding will still exist in the area at roughly today’s levels - the interventions [train lengthening] mostly absorbing growth rather than substantially improving existing crowding.” Informed sources believe this to be a serious under-estimation as rising demand accelerates beyond predictions.

A Southern spokesman said: “We appreciate passengers’ desire for a seat on what are very busy services and we are doing everything that we can to provide additional capacity where it is most needed, bearing in mind we have a finite amount of rolling stock and the very high demand at peak times.”

However, Labour’s Lord Bassam was distinctly unimpressed, saying: “Sussex commuters don’t just need extra seats on longer trains – we need additional route capacity across the south.”

An increasing reliance on just one core route between London and Brighton is at the root of the problem and the strain is becoming ever more evident. Without a phased plan to restore the parallel Uckfield mainline, which spiralled into decline following the axing of Brighton connection in 1969, there can be no meaningful rail expansion south of London. Redoubling of restrictive single-line sections, infill electrification and reopening southwards for more capacity between the South Coast and the capital are urgently needed, as Norman Baker said quite recently. However, all the while the DfT refuses to listen; people will railhead across to the Brighton Line.

The DfT argues “longer journey times” are reason to do nothing, but this is entirely unfounded. Furthermore, even if journeys were marginally longer, by five or ten minutes, the benefits far outweigh any misconceived disadvantage.

Only last Saturday, Tim Worstall writing for the right wing Adam Smith Institute, questioned the economic case for high speed rail. Whilst we have no strong opinion either way on this issue, we were struck by some of the valid points he made with regard to ordinary train travel – which is what most people can afford and have to endure every day.

Interestingly, Mr Worstall criticised those cost benefit analyses used by the DfT to assess rail projects, commendably pointing out that the case technology has changed. “Time spent stuck in a car really is unproductive; on a train, not.” he argues, suggesting that with on-train wireless internet and WiFi equipped carriages, the whole analysis changes and the Government really does need to catch up. “If people are productive while in a train then the benefit of getting them there faster disappears.” He concludes: “I have a feeling that doing these calculations properly will lead to something of a change in how we think about rail transport. It could well be that this all makes more local, regional, commuter, lines viable while reducing the case for high speed long distance passenger lines.”

Quite obviously, we want train journeys to and from work to be as speedy as possible, but here in the crowded south-east corner we face many problems such as the sheer intensity of services which have to operate on a very complicated network, insufficient seating (even standing room), as well as the rapid descent into chaos when something goes wrong.

Four years on, we hear that some Network Rail managers consider the 2008 Lewes-Uckfield Reinstatement Study is out of date. This claimed that, with the introduction of the ‘Seven Day Railway’, planned closures of the Brighton Line south of Croydon in excess of 8 hours would occur only twice a year. Because of this, it deduced: “no such benefit has been accrued to the business case for diversions resulting from planned engineering works”. No allowance was made for other circumstances, such as the calamitous occasions we’ve recently witnessed when unforeseen incidents at Croydon, Horley, Gatwick, Balcombe, etc, have closed the vulnerable route with no practical alternative.

Unquestionably, substantial amounts of additional capacity into London remains the principal reasons for BML2, but it gives us huge opportunities to expand and strengthen the network for the 2020s. As Lord Bassam said, following the latest chaotic incident last Friday involving a failed train north of Brighton, “BML2 would help take some of the pressure off BML1 and ensure that when there are disruptions to the network there is at least one extra pathway through to the south.”

Time for Network Rail to look again at its Study? An increasing number of people think so.

Hmmm. Why is it that the dinosaurs can't see the obvious solution staring them in the face? Of course there needs to be extra capacity into the London stations, but perhaps it's time to build a couple of new routes and stations in London itself?

I suspect that once Uckfield-Lewes is rebuilt (obviously it will be) the route will soon reach capacity. Then it will be time to look to the Horsham-Shoreham line, another excellent alternative line which was double tracj throughout and would have the advantage of serving a number of good sized commuter towns, currently without modern transport links. And the Eridge-Polegate line should also be reopened ASAP as then many London-Eastbourne trains could be diverted this way, easing at least some congestion south of South Croydon.

It's clear that south of London into Sussex there needs to be a complete culture change by the wimps who currently decide things. A proper electrified rail network with plenty of alternative options using state-of-the-art trains - which will not only ease commuter traffic into London but will provide loads of traffic in between towns on the new network.

Tuesday 3 July 2012

north devon - time to get building!

Instow Signal Box 24.6.2012

'Tarka Trail' near Barnstaple 25.6.2012

We had a long weekend away in Barnstaple last weekend. The thing that strikes me most about North Devon is its terrible public transport. This should be a hotbed of railways, both Network routes and heritage lines. But apart from the Exeter-Barnstaple line and the Lynton and Barnstaple mile or so at Woody Bay the rest of the area is firmly stuck in the past.

But it should be so different. Why on earth was the Barnstaple-Taunton line ever closed? This provided a much quicker link to London and the Midlands. And how can Ilfracombe and Bideford seriously be off the rail network in 2012??

Fortunately the Torrington-Barnstaple-Ilfracombe route is protected, currently forming the 'Tarka Trail', so rebuilding of these routes should be straightforward. They will be needed soon enough! The Lynton and Barnstaple line is well organised and will gradually return, finally reaching Barnstaple (possibly tramway-style as at Porthmadog). I think it was the crazy loss of this line that launched the preservation movement worldwide, with a break for World War 2. As for the Taunton-Barnstaple - come on, get it open!

Near Instow 14.5.1985

I actually caught the last few days of the line as a physical entity back in 1985 when I took the above shot near Instow. A bit further along track was being lifted. Bideford needs to get back on the railway map soon - as a mixed S&D style modern/heritage route this would make millions!

Eggesford 30.8.1972

It's good that the Barnstaple-Exeter line is thriving, but it needs expresses, through trains and freight to realise its potential. People in Barnstaple are so desperate that they're trying to get stations closed to speed up the service, but this is a backwards step. Doubling and introducing a lot more trains would do the job far more effectively!

Watergate 24.6.1980

And back over Bideford way, south of Torrington, the line used to be a light railway, rejoining the network at Halwill Junction. The line closed to passengers in 1965 but there was a freight service over much of the route for a good while afterwards. Watergate was one of the tiny halts on this most rural of railways. Notice the ungated crossing and tiny platform. Will this route reopen? I suspect it will eventually, but the major routes need building first! This was a classic example of a line years ahead of its time, bringing modern transport to a very rural area, keeping costs down by being built using a light railway order. Parry People Movers would no doubt operate this route efficiently in the future. This line didn't even open until 1925, having an amazingly short life.

sussex progress

Laying out the Points

Later in to June the second of the turnouts was laid.

Prior to that second laying out.

(SG)

located to the east of Oak tree siding.

The running road curves to the left of these points. The spur to the engine shed continues to the right.

(AS)

(AS)

Source. Photos are copyright.

Excellent work going on down in East Sussex on the formerly 'lost' section of the KESR thanks to the ROTHER VALLEY RAILWAY! A lot of fools said this would never happen but slowly and surely the KESR is being linked backed to the Network, essential if the line (and of course the towns/villages en route) are to survive Peak Oil.

East Lincolnshire progress

Train buffs want to reopen Ludborough to Louth railway line

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Grimsby Telegraph

RAILWAY buffs are full steam ahead to take the low road to Louth.

It will cost about £1.6 million to rebuild the track between their station at Ludborough and the outskirts of Louth's Fairfield Industrial Estate.

Maurice Lynn, of Lincolnshire Wolds Railway, on the end of the line which is hoped will stretch as far as Louth

And the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway (LWR) owners have launched a fundraising appeal to buy track and materials for the eight miles of railway line.

The restoration of the Grimsby to Louth railway was the long-term objective of the preservation society that was formed when the line was closed by British Rail more than 30 years ago.

Ludborough station became the group's base and then the long haul began to rebuild this historic line as a heritage railway.

It will take eight miles of track to link the village with the outskirts of the town and appeal organisers estimated it will cost about £200,000 per mile.

They have obtained structural engineering reports stating the three bridges over which the track will run between Ludborough and Louth are sound.

LWR's managing director Frank Street said: "The bridges are basically sound, but they will need some maintenance."

He said the company also aims to extend the track northwards towards Holton-le-Clay.

"It is going to be a steady trickle than a flood of money for the work," he added.

He highlighted the progress that had been made since the group took over the railway line.

In 2009 a milestone was reached when steam trains started running to North Thoresby. The link to Louth will increase the current track by more than four times its current length.

Maurice Lynn, of LWR, said: "Our first target is to reach Utterby Halt, but there is much enabling work, such as clearing undergrowth and scraping and preparing the trackbed, which needs to be done before we can extend the line. It costs more than £200,000 to lay a mile of track so you can see the scale of the challenge.

"We need to raise funds to purchase materials such as ballast, rails and sleepers before we can progress."

Call 01507 363881 for more information.

East Lincolnshire was quite disgracefully relieved of its modern transport network when a whole tranche of lines - most of them double track - were closed in 1970. As well as the main line south of Grimsby the important branch to Mablethorpe also closed, as did a couple of other routes.

At last part of this network is reopening. It's good that Louth is the target, as it's a large town that really can't afford to be off the network for much longer.

Hopefully over the next ten to twenty years these idiotic closures will be fully reversed. The alternative is unthinkable!

the wrong approach

Cheddar Gorge cable car idea panned by National Trust

A cable car at the gorge was first suggested more than 20 years ago

The National Trust has said it would object to plans to build a cable car across Cheddar Gorge in Somerset.

The Longleat Estate, which manages the gorge, has said the project would help make it more accessible to visitors and support conservation work.
Longleat Estate owns much of the land on one side of the gorge with the National Trust custodians of the other.
Allan King from the National Trust said the attraction would be a negative impact on the limestone gorge.
"We've looked at the benefits the cable car will bring and we've looked at the impact it's going to have," he added.
"We think that the impact is a negative one. Cheddar Gorge is a very specific area.
"It's a small, compact area and you wouldn't be able to see Cheddar Gorge in its true beauty with a cable car across it.
"There are benefits it's going to bring, we just feel this visual impact... is too much in an area that's a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
"It's a world renowned, iconic landscape."
Spectacular views
The idea of a cable car at the gorge was first suggested more than 20 years ago.
Although no planning application has been submitted the trust has made it clear it would object.

David Bradley from the Longleat Estate said he was "disappointed" with the trust's stance having previously consulted with it.

He said the objection was not the end of the plans and added he had the support of many local traders keen to increase visitor numbers - something the National Trust was also keen on.
"It doesn't necessarily mean we have to scrap our feasibility of looking at this," he added.
"It's always possible to reroute. There are various ways that you can get up to the top.
"One of the ways would have involved oversailing a very small part of the National Trust land and that would have probably afforded the best visual route for the people in the cable car.
"At the moment what we're doing is looking at alternative options."
Mr Bradley added that the primary objective of the attraction is to get people to the top of the gorge to see some of the spectacular views.
He added that the second public consultation into the attraction was due to take place as planned in September. The first was held in April.

Hmmm. Now cable cars have their place - I've been on enough of the things when getting around the Alps! But surely a much more radical approach is needed?

Why not CLOSE the road through the Gorge at the point where the shops end and build a tramway to take visitors into the Gorge? The tramway could also continue down into Cheddar through the town and to the new railway station on the Cheddar Valley line. That would ensure that Cheddar continued to see tourists after roads. The line could perhaps even double back on itself to the point where the cablecar is proposed so visitors could see the view. And I'm sure there are enough powerful underground streams in or near the Gorge to generate the power to run the tramway. This would be a far more profitable and sustainable piece of infrastructure for the Longleat Estate who already have experience of rail in the form of the excellent Longleat Railway.

Monday 2 July 2012

freight progress

Time to re-open old line to take advantage of freight boom claims Centro boss

by Cillian OBrien, Birmingham Post
Jun 25 2012

Geoff Inskip

The West Midlands should take advantage of the UK’s booming rail freight market by re-opening the Walsall to Stourbridge railway line, according to the regional transport authority.

Get Your Free Copy of Investment Times

Geoff Inskip, chief executive of Centro, has called for the relaunch of the Black Country line after the latest figures revealed that the volume of UK rail freight has grown 10 per cent in 2011/12 - generating £6 billion of economic benefits per year.

Mr Inskip said the West Midlands was “perfectly poised” to take advantage of the growth and enjoy the economic and environmental benefits, claiming congestion costs the regional economy £2.2 billion per year.

“This is great news for our region and highlights the importance of re-opening the Walsall-Stourbridge railway line for freight,” he said.

Centro, through the emerging rail strategy and freight strategy, the Black Country LEP and the West Midlands Regional Rail Forum have all highlighted the re-opening of the line as a key priority to support the regional economy and provide additional capacity for rail freight growth.

The line would encourage new or existing companies to build new freight terminals, at potential locations such as Bescot, bringing jobs and investment into the Black Country.

The Walsall-Stourbridge freight line would form a key link in a strategic UK freight network and provide a realistic alternative to the M5 – M6 / M42 corridors, helping to reduce congestion on core roads through the region.

Centro is also working on plans to use stretches of the line for so-called Tram-Trains - specially designed passenger vehicles capable of running on both heavy and light rail tracks. This could link Stourbridge with Wednesbury with the option of Tram-Trains connecting with the existing Metro line.

The reopening would also provide the opportunity to divert rail freight services away from central Birmingham, releasing capacity for new passenger services on routes such as the Camp Hill line in south Birmingham and the Tamworth line through Castle Bromwich.

Mr Inskip said HS2 will release significant capacity on existing lines for an increase in passenger and freight services.

“The West Coast Main Line carries more than 50 per cent of all rail freight in the country,” he said.

“More capacity is required to manage the ongoing growth forecast in rail freight.”