Media centre

Monday 31 Mar 2014

More trains and fewer delays for Great Western passengers as Network Rail kicks off five-year, £7bn investment programme

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Rail passengers in the south west of England and the Thames Valley can look forward to more trains, more seats, reduced congestion and better stations as Network Rail today embarks on the largest capital spending programme on the rail network since Victorian times.

The ambitious five-year plan will see the busiest parts of the Western route transformed by more than £7bn of investment, making a tangible improvement to people’s lives and providing a significant boost to the economy. To do this, Network Rail and its industry partners will deliver a programme of investment to tackle the severe problem of congestion on the busiest parts of the Great Western main line, providing more than 10,000 extra commuter seats at peak times.

Growing cities and towns, including Bristol, Oxford and Reading, will benefit from capital expenditure projects aimed at relieving overcrowding by building new tracks, uncorking bottlenecks, increasing capacity and upgrading outdated stations. Amongst these projects is a £700m Western Hub programme in Bristol, where passengers are set benefit from more trains, better connectivity and improved performance by 2019.

Patrick Hallgate, route managing director, Network Rail Western, said: “Britain’s railways are a vital part of our national infrastructure. They connect homes and workplaces, businesses with markets, they create jobs, stimulate trade and support the growth of a balanced economy.

“Passenger numbers in recent years have grown far beyond even our own industry’s predictions, so it’s vital that this investment over the next five years helps meet the continuing increase in demand for rail travel. Bigger, better stations, more tracks and longer platforms, electric powered trains, reopened railway lines and fewer level crossings – all will help deliver more frequent, more comfortable, more reliable journeys and a safer railway for everyone."

The next five years will also see Network Rail committing itself to furthering its environmental sustainability and resilience in the face of extreme weather and changing climate. Besides boosting the resilience of the railway with a £31m intervention plan, Network Rail will also be publishing its first ever Western route climate change adaptation strategy. The strategy sets out the long-term plan to battle against the impact from changing climate and extreme weather at vulnerable sites, including Dawlish, where sea level is forecast to rise.

In addition to this capital expenditure, around £400m will be invested in replacing 625miles of track and £200m will be spent on upgrading structures on the route. From 1 April, Network Rail will also be directly managing Reading and Bristol Temple Meads stations, with an aim to significantly improve passenger experience by offering better services and facilities at these stations. – end -