RAIL REPORT MAKES CASE FOR CONSIDERING NEW COMMUNITY LINKS

Opportunities for future rail connections serving a million people with 14 new lines and up to 40 new stations have been identified in a new report by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC).
The rail links, which might be built over a five to ten year timescale, would serve: Cranleigh (Surrey)

Bordon, Hythe and Ringwood in Hampshire

Brixham in Devon

Aldridge and Brownhills (West Midlands)

Wisbech (Cambridgeshire).

Leicester to Burton (Derbyshire)

Fleetwood, Rawtenstall and Skelmersdale in Lancashire

Washington (Tyne and Wear)

Ashington & Blyth (Northumberland)


In the report, Connecting Communities, ATOC calls for the routes involved to be safeguarded, and for further detailed planning with Network Rail and local authorities to prioritise investment.
In addition to the 14 schemes listed above, ATOC believes that a further seven cases could be evaluated. They are: Madeley (Staffordshire), Stourport on Severn (Worcestershire), Ripon (N. Yorkshire), Norton Radstock (NE. Somerset), Portishead (N. Somerset) and Witney (Oxfordshire).

http://www.atoc-comms.org/dynamic/atocpress-story.php?atoc=997911

Please contact me if you have a view on this either by email or from the internal message facility on this forum. Personally I am for it.