A green railway revolution (From Swindon Advertiser)

A green railway revolution

11:30pm Wednesday 22nd July 2009

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ON the day of the announcement of the electrification of the rail network between Paddington and Swansea, Prime Minister Gordon Brown tells the Swindon Advertiser why he believes this initiative will come as a major boost to passengers on the Great Western Railway.

ALMOST two centuries ago Britain’s greatest engineer began the enormous task of connecting London with the west of England and Wales.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s feat – and those of the men who laboured under him – remains an enduring symbol of the Industrial Revolution.

The Great Western Railway, or GWR, became affectionately known as God’s Wonderful Railway.

Now Britain is engaged in a green revolution, which will again transform our economy and society as we embrace a digital, low carbon, high technology age.

As part of this, Andrew Adonis and I have announced today that the entire line between London and Swansea will be electrified by 2017. Work will start immediately.

Passengers will notice the difference in faster journey times – London to Swansea will be 19 minutes quicker – quieter trains, more seats and improved reliability.

Electric engines are cheaper to buy and run – and they are lighter than their diesel counterparts and so do less damage to the track.

That should reduce the need for engineering work at the weekends and on Bank Holidays which I know infuriates travellers.

And, in some cases, capacity will be increased because the diesel engine can be replaced with an extra coach.

For commuters, the benefits of quicker, more comfortable and more reliable trips are obvious.

But there will also be enormous advantages to local economies, business and industry through more jobs, increased tourism and additional freight traffic.

And, importantly, electric trains do far less damage to the environment.

This is a critical element in our radical plan for recovery and beyond – Building Britain’s Future – because transition to a green economy will provide new growth, new jobs, new industries and new opportunities.

Last week we issued a low carbon transport strategy outlining how we will meet the world’s first legally-binding targets to cut emissions by a third by 2020.

It set out our vision to make low carbon travel a genuine and viable option.

And today’s decision to undertake the first major electrification of the network since the late 1980s is part of this wider strategy.

It is backed by a substantial investment from Government which will be clawed back over time through savings via lower train leasing, maintenance and operating costs.

Other major projects in the pipeline include the £16bn Crossrail scheme, which will also immediately benefit those people based to the west of London.

So, just as the Victorians industrialised Britain and reaped the rewards, so we can benefit from converting to a green economy.

Building a better railway is essential to building a cleaner, greener, more prosperous future for Britain.

What do you think of the scheme? Are you worried it will force up rail fares? Have your say below...

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