Transform Scotland respond to Network Rail’s plans for WCML

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Transform Scotland has today submitted its response to Network Rail’s consultation on the future of the West Coast Main Line. In its views on the draft Route Utilisation Strategy (“RUS”), Transform Scotland have called for journey time upgrades so that rail can capture a greater market share of travel from aviation.

Transform Scotland have specifically called for action to tackle the slow line speed through Carstairs Junction, describing it as akin to a “Medieval cart track”.

Transform Scotland spokesperson Paul Tetlaw said:

“The West Coast Main Line offers tremendous potential for modal shift to rail from both the plane and the car. It is a telling fact that people in the UK fly more per head of population than anywhere else in the world – including the US. This is dramatically borne out by the Glasgow to London route where only around 20% of journeys are by rail.

“Longer, more frequent trains are required on the Scotland to London, Manchester and Birmingham routes, accompanied by journey time improvements. European experience suggests that a journey time of around 4 hours should be capable of capturing approximately 50% of the market share for trips between Glasgow and London.

Transform Scotland have called for urgent action to tackle very slow line speeds at Carstairs Junction, raising concern essential upgrades appear to fall between the Scotland RUS and the West Coast Main Line RUS. Paul Tetlaw said:

“The 15 mph speed restriction at Carstairs is quite appalling. Here we see 125mph trains reduced to a crawl. This is akin to a motorway suddenly being interrupted by a section of Medieval cart track.”

Transform Scotland propose that consideration be given to remodel the route from Edinburgh to the south for high speed running through the area by re-use of the trackbed of the former spur from Float Junction to Lampits Junction. As regards the East to North route it appears possible to use a portion of the freight yard to create a high speed curve whilst retaining the existing Carstairs Station for stopping trains.

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