One billion pounds has been pledged to improve two key railway routes in the United Kingdom. The government plans to electrify the main line between London and Swansea, Wales, and the route between Liverpool and Manchester will also be converted from diesel to electric.

Transport experts say that electric trains are lighter and more energy efficient, cutting the running cost and environmental impact of services.

About 33 per cent of the UK network is electrified, including most of south-east England, and the main lines from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as the Merseyrail network around Liverpool and the Glasgow suburban network.

The Liverpool-Manchester electrification is expected to be completed within four years and the London-Swansea upgrade within eight years.

Electrification, combined with other improvements to track and signalling on the line, will mean that minimum journey times between Liverpool and Manchester will be reduced from 44 to 30 minutes and between London and Swansea by 19 minutes.

The Great Western electrification will include the lines to Oxford and Newbury and allow the ageing Intercity 125 fleet to be replaced by electric Super Express intercity trains and by hybrid diesel/electric Super Express trains.

There are also plans to consider further electrification of the network, particularly the Midland main line (between London, Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield) and routes between Manchester and Preston and Liverpool and Preston.

The government also announced a new rolling stock deployment plan, taking into account the electrification proposals.

The Welsh Assembly government has welcomed the decision to electrify the entire Great Western mainline between Paddington and Swansea.

Wales’s first minister Rhodri Morgan described the announcement as “great news for Wales” and when the new line is completed in 2017 it will provide a speedier and more reliable service between south Wales and London, and onwards into Europe.

“Faster links to and from London and mainland Europe will vastly improve our ability to persuade investors to move to Wales or expand further in Wales,” said Rhodri Morgan.

“Electrification of the whole mainline to Swansea is crucial in improving accessibility across the whole south Wales region and in encouraging modal switch from private to public transport.

“The use of electric trains and greater use of the train system by passengers and freight will also help reduce carbon emissions. The service from Paddington to Bristol and south Wales is one of the last diesel intercity services in Europe. This announcement means we will be joining the electric intercity mainstream,” he said.

“Any high-speed trains continuing off the new line should include running on to Chester and north Wales to offer faster journey opportunities from north Wales to London and on to Europe,” he added.

Railway company First Great Western’s managing director Mark Hopwood said: “The electrification of these routes is a key investment in the region’s rail infrastructure and we will be working closely with the Department for Transport and Network Rail to help put these plans into action.”

And Network Rail has unveiled a 34bn  pounds plan to link London to Scotland by a new high-speed track from 2030. The UK rail infrastructure operator said the 200mph (320kph) line would almost halve the time it takes to get from London to Edinburgh to just over two hours.

The proposal is the result of a 12-month study by Network Rail into the long-term need for increased rail capacity. The UK government said it would carry out its own study into capacity taking into account costs and any environmental impact. Network Rail could take up to five years to decide the proposed routes.

Notes for Editors

First Great Western, FirstGroup plc, 50 Eastbourne Terrace, Paddington, London, United Kingdom W2 6LG
Tel: +44 (0)20 7291 0512. Fax: +44 (0)20 7436 3337

Web: www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk

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