Dual railway plan back on track (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Dual railway plan back on track

8:20am Friday 25th April 2008

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TRANSPORT chiefs have brought plans to build an extra railway line from Kemble Station to Swindon back on track this week.

Cotswolds MP Geoffrey Clifton Brown and Peter Luff, MP for Mid Worcestershire, met with senior representatives from Network Rail to discuss the re-doubling of both the Cotswold and Swindon to Kemble railway lines.

"There may finally be some news to hearten my constituents who get frustrated on a daily basis by the Governments failure to improve our inadequate transport network."

Cotswold MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

Network Rail had been considering the multi-million pound project last year but announced a postponement to discussions in January.

The MPs were informed that an in depth feasibility study had been undertaken on both lines.

On the Cotswold line the improvements to the line where it enters Oxford and to dual the section between Evesham and Charlbury could begin early next year, subject to approval by the Office of Rail Regulation.

Both MPs gave this a guarded welcome as they are keen to ensure that the developments are the beginning of a scheme to re-double the whole of the line from Oxford to Worcester to deliver a half hourly service.

Mr Clifton-Brown reported that Network Rail were emphatic that the scheme is as important as that on the Cotswold line. However, this stretch presents a bigger engineering challenge as the line has never been dual track.

He said: "Were the scheme to be given the green light, it would enable a service of four trains an hour in either direction, produce savings on £300,000 per year at the Minety level crossing and provide a diversionary route were there to be service problems around Bristol or in Wales.

"Following the disappointment of my adjournment debate on the A417 on Monday, it seems there may finally be some news to hearten my constituents who get frustrated on a daily basis by the Governments failure to improve our inadequate transport network."

Mr Clifton-Brown is also hoping his constituents will write letters of support for the scheme to pressure Network Rail into proceeding with the plans. Letters should be sent to Bill Emery, Office of Rail Regulation, One Kemble Street, London, WC2B 4AN.

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