Foster welcomes Government’s £9billion commitment to rail travel

Don Foster MP has welcomed the news that rail passengers in the South West are set to benefit from £9 billion pounds worth of investment in the rail industry.

The package announced by the Coalition Government represents £4.2 billion of new investment in 2014-2019 on top of the £5.2billion already committed to rail in the 2014-19.

Major upgrades and improvements that will benefit the South West include:

- Changing the fleet mix for the InterCity Express Programme (IEP) electric trains from eight carriages to nine carriages, meaning more seats for passengers on the Great Western Main Line.

- A new rail link to give direct western access to Heathrow Airport, which will reduce congested routes into Heathrow. Passenger journey times to the airport from the South West could typically be reduced by around 30 minutes.

- £200m for station improvements across the rail network with £100m of this for Access for All improvements that benefit older and disabled passengers and those with small children.

Commenting, Don Foster MP said:

“This is the biggest expansion in railways in over 150 years and it’s fantastic that Bath and the South West will benefit directly from this investment.

“While the Coalition inherited a deficit greater than any in our nation’s peacetime history, we knew that we had to give the country the boost it needs, to build great railways and make journeys better for the millions of hard working people who use the train every day.

“As a Liberal Democrat looking after the environment is a priority, so the opportunity to dramatically expand rail, a greener form of transport than aviation or road is very exciting indeed. This investment will help people to choose trains over cars, reduce carbon emissions and provide a rail system that is faster, more reliable and greener.”

Transport Secretary, Justine Greening, said:

“Investment across the Great Western Main Line shows how this coalition government is focused on delivering an affordable, reliable and fast-moving railway network that drives jobs and growth.

“These plans to increase capacity and shorten journey times on intercity, commuter and freight services are, alongside our plans for high speed rail, absolutely key to securing prosperity in the South West in the decades ahead.”