5 new High Speed Lines by 2025, you're having a laugh...

[AlistairW]

Well according to the BBC, anybody know any more?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7467203.stm

Cheers,
Ali

[BR7MT]

I think 5 new high speed lines is being a bit optimistic in the medium to long term. I think that there would be a business case for a new London to Scotland High Speed Line, but I'm not too sure whether it should be west or east coast, but I suspect the latter would be cheaper due to the nature of the terrain and land usage along a possible route.

Regards,

Dan

[220389]

I am fully for the idea, But isn't it bad timing since the ecomany is going down?

but then we would be able to fund such a project if costs towards immagration and aid was cut down.



Chris.

[codrivermike]

But given the track record of this government does anyone think that so much as a mile of the stuff will get built? Like nuclear power it is too long term for a government that wants both the headline and the glory.

[enotayokel]

You could probably get a big boost in speed by enabling tilt West of Reading via the B&H

[45002]

Looks like they not heard of places like Swansea,Aberdeen and so on

Hang on its another pre-election gimmick

MARTIN

[AlistairW]

Studying the map in more detail I would love to see the business case for 4 High Speed Lines leaving London all heading North, particually the MML, WCML and Chiltern.

[JSReeves86]

Those shown are the existing lines

[arabiandisco]

Enabling tilt on the B&H might gain something, but there's not the volume of traffic to be worth the effort down that way (as it would require new trains too, if the existing trains were tilt capable then that would be worth it - remeber that IEP is non-tilting). More sensible would be a HSL to Bristol, then running over conventional routes to South Wales & Taunton etc. But I doubt that would work either, as Bristol isn't far enough away from London.

As for Swansea & Aberdeen - not enough traffic. There are only 200k people living in Aberdeen, and 220k living in Swansea. If they warrant HSLs, then you end up building lines that stop everywhere and are then clearly not "high speed" - we've already started by putting 3 intermediate stations on the 67 mile long HS1 (though admittedly only one gets what you might call a "decent service").

[AlistairW]

Those shown are the existing lines

Doh! Moment of genius there!

[rwaceyw]

Those shown are the existing lines

Nope, it's what they propose to build high speed lines alongside.

Dave

[6rdfar90]

Those shown are the existing lines

Nope, it's what they propose to build high speed lines alongside.

Dave

Yes, if you read the article, they are the lines which are already there - the ones pictured. The article says that the tracks will be laid alongside the existing tracks, which are existing lines as JSReeves86 pointed out...

[johncas]

Why are all the high speed lines going north because they need to anyware south is in easy traveling distance like Brighton dover and Southampton

The MML is slow not electrified what do you want HST'S still on the MML in 20 years time taking an hour and a half to get to London MML should become a high speed line the West Coast line has already been upgraded and East Coast is already Electrified get the MML electrified next it is already electrified up to Bedford for themslink so just extend it

You could even be running Eurostars from Sheffield Nottingham \ Derby or Leicester to Paris direct if you upgraded the MML using the CTRL

[ashgray]

A little punctuation would make this a great deal easier to read, John

Ash

[enotayokel]

Why are all the high speed lines going north because they need to anyware south is in easy traveling distance like Brighton dover and Southampton

Like the ~6hrs it takes to get to Penzance? That's south of London