Thursday 10 February 2011

Ok the economic recovery and investment in rail development over the past nineteen years has developed this sector into one where now with public sector investment cuts the way to sustain investment and offer a return for hard pressed savers in this country is UK and devolved government bond / guild issues listed on the stock exchange to augment the revenue stream for government and build on the work of groups such as Passenger Focus and Rail Future. The UK state has the experience with the opening and re-electrification of lines in Scotland and Wales, trams in Birmingham and Manchester as well as a new one in Nottingham. The TfL area has had investment that has delivered new rolling stock (the London Overgound 378 and 172 / 372 inner london services).

Such investment mechanisms could deliver more of these trains for improved services on existing routes around the Thameslink development and on local lines such as Chingford-Stratford and new services such as Gospel Oak to Grays (using more class 172s) and further extension of East London line services to Camden Road for interchange with the Northern Line at a reopened South Kentish Town station and a Balham / clapham Junction overgound route as well as an Outer Circle Overground line.

This could occur if the class 378s are fast enough to use the HS2-1 link line or it is built so it can be later adapted for their use after the a more direct link is later built. Hence passive provision for teh travelator, linked escalators may be needed in the design phase now.However with the abolition of the regional assembly quangos for inter agency schemes such as Croxley Rail link to occur there may need to be an English Parliament or regional grand cttes in the reformed second house if one county council by itself cannot offset the costs or return to investors. This requires a qualified financial opinion and is why TfL take the lead in the development of the rail scheme as they have the infrastructure experience.

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