Rail industry welcomes commitment from all major parties to electrification
Following the publication of manifestos last week, the rail industry has welcomed the commitment from a number of major national political parties to rail electrification.
Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), said: “It is really encouraging to see a commitment to rail electrification in the main UK political party manifestos. This shows there is now considerable and widespread support for electrification, which will be essential if we are to decarbonise rail by 2040. It will also help us deliver real benefits to passenger and freight services, and boost connectivity across the UK, bringing jobs, investment and economic growth.
“The Railway Industry Association’s Electrification Cost Challenge report, published earlier this year, shows electrification can be delivered at up to half the costs of some past projects.
“For the political parties to deliver these benefits in future, they need to commit on taking office to a long-term rolling programme of electrification. Doing this allows the rail industry to deliver cost-effectively, and maintain expertise and capabilities whilst continually extending the frontier of electrified railway across the country.
“We look forward to working with whoever enters Government after 12 December, to deliver this ambitious electrification agenda.”
