Transform Scotland has called for journey time upgrades so that rail can capture a greater market share of travel from aviation.
The transport alliance was responding to the Department for Transport’s consultation on the future West Coast rail franchise.
Transform Scotland’s Director Colin Howden 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.”
Amongst various detailed views on the DfT’s proposals, Transform Scotland has called for the next West Coast franchise period to be used to prepare the way for the time when HS2 services will continue north to Scotland.
Colin Howden said:
“Some of the infrastructure on the northern part of the West Coast Mail Line is in need of replacement. It is essential that renewal work is not merely replaced on a like-for-like basis thereby locking in the 1970s constraints. The work must include improved line speeds and capacity, bidirectional signalling and additional freight loops.
“If this work is not undertaken during this franchise then HS2 services on the West Coast Main Line are likely to be restricted to 100 or 110mph as well as operating in non-tilt mode. Under such a scenario Scotland would be condemned to a second class service from the outset of HS2.”
