Independent News includes Skipton to Colne (paywall)
- David Foat
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
For those who do not want to pay to read the Independent Article about the Campaign for Better Transport's support for the SELRAP Scheme, here is the information from the CBT:
Under the Heading "Key Rail Projects and Priorities including Priority Reopenings and Upgrades (Top Tier Priorities)"
The Campaign for Better Transport has identified several priority areas and specific projects that should receive funding including:
Major Infrastructure Projects:
Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR): Supported as vital for improving connectivity in the North.
Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU): Advocated for to increase capacity and electrification.
Midlands Rail Hub: Backed to improve services and connectivity across the region.
Docklands Light Railway (DLR) Thamesmead extension: Supported as part of improving London’s infrastructure.
Priority Reopenings and Upgrades (Top Tier Priorities):
Portishead to Bristol: Reinstatement of the passenger line.
Henbury Loop (North Bristol): New passenger services on freight-only lines.
Oxford to Cowley: Reopening to passengers.
Uckfield to Lewes: Connecting the two lines.
Totton to Hythe/Fawley: Restoring passenger services in the South.
Skipton to Colne: Reconnecting the route for regional connectivity.
Matlock to Buxton: Reinstating the Peaks and Dales Line.
Leamside Line (North East): Long-term priority for capacity.
Specific Regional/Local Priorities:
Brentford to Southall (Crossrail Link): To connect with the Elizabeth Line.
Shirebrook to Ollerton: Extension of the Robin Hood line.
Leicester to Burton-upon-Trent: Reopening to connect settlements.
Welshpool to Oswestry & Shrewsbury to Stafford (Wales/Midlands): Priority reopenings.
Beddau to Pontyclun (Wales): Improving local connectivity.
Core Funding Recommendations
Beyond specific projects, the Campaign for Better Transport urges the government to:
Establish a long-term,5-year funding settlement to replace short-term "stop-start" funding.
Prioritize a rolling programme of electrification to decarbonize the network, rather than patching it.
Invest in Rail Freight Infrastructure: Including a fund for targeted electrification upgrades for freight.
Fund a National Reopenings Programme: Targeting the 33 priority lines identified in their research to bring 500,000 more people within walking distance of a station.
Improve Local Network Connectivity: Ensuring new housing developments are connected to the rail network and funding tram/light rail extensions.
The CBT also highlights that for every £1 spent on the rail network, £2.50–£4 is generated in the wider economy.