Network Rail's £34 billion High-speed rail link outlined

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26th
AUG

Network Rail outline plan for £34bn London to Scotland line

Posted by Brian | Filed under rail

: Image via Wikipedia

Network Rail have outlined plans to build a high-speed rail line between London and Scotland which could see journey times cut to as little as two hours. The line would run from central London via Birmingham, Manchester, Warrington, Liverpool and Preston to Glasgow and Edinburgh reports the Telegraph online.

The new line could see journeys between London and Birmingham take around forty-five minutes, while Preston would take around one-and-a-quarter hours before the line splits further north to service both Glasgow and Edinburgh. The times projected for the two Scottish cities are Glasgow in two hours sixteen minutes, while reaching the Scottish capital from London would be a journey of two hours nine minutes.

The line comes with a projected cost of $34billion but Network Rail believes the scheme could generate around £55billion in revenue.

While a definitive route has not been planned, Network Rail claim the line could offer up to sixteen trains a hour to and from London, providing over 9,000 seats for passengers. Eight new stations with 400 metre-long platforms, more than 1,500 miles of track, 34 miles of tunnels and 32 bridges over motorways would have to be constructed, along with new terminal stations in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh to make the plans work.

However, Network Rail stressed they would not undertake the project themselves, but the feasibility of the project might appeal to a consortium such as the one which built the London to Folkestone rail link, says the Telegraph.

Of course, the times quoted are all subject to railworks, strikes and leaves on the track.