18 August 2010
Electrify rail lines north of Edinburgh rather than cutting rail services
Transform Scotland has written to the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Phillip Hammond MP, to protest at the
proposals floated recently to terminate ECML rail services from London at Edinburgh.
Transform Scotland has instead suggested the UK Government support the early electrification of lines north of Edinburgh, in line with the Scottish Government's stated plans in its
Strategic Transport Projects Review, as this would produce cost savings by negating the need to specify diesel or hybrid power trains as part of the Intercity Express Programme (which is
currently under review).
In the letter, Transform Scotland chair Paul Tetlaw states to the UK transport secretary:
"You will no doubt be aware that the Scottish Government set out in its Strategic Transport Projects Review a commitment to electrify the Scottish strategic rail network. It is our belief that this is the correct way forward and we would propose that the DfT work with the Scottish Government to programme the electrification of the Aberdeen and Inverness to Edinburgh rail lines so that electric trains can run through to Aberdeen and Inverness, and cost savings be made to the Intercity Express Programme by removing the need for specifying diesel or hybrid power trains."Indeed, we would further suggest that this should be an integral component of the East Coast franchise when it is re-let."