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Cities and regions unite to bring high speed rail to South West
and South Wales
09 March 2010
A new partnership of local authorities and regional development
agencies is launching its bid to campaign for a High Speed Rail
(HSR) line from London to South Wales and South West England.
The Great Western Partnership (GWP) is an HSR action group which
is promoting the economic and environmental benefits of
establishing a HSR line west of London.
HSR would reduce the journey time from London to Cardiff to
around 70 minutes, and the time from London to Bristol to around 60
minutes, bringing significant connectivity and economic benefits to
the cities of Bristol and Cardiff and their surrounding city
regions. HSR will build upon the welcome programme of
electrification of the Great Western Main Line from London to
Bristol in 2016 and to Cardiff and Swansea in 2017, which will
improve current journey times but not achieve HSR speeds.
By significantly cutting journey times between cities, HSR has
the potential to help improve the UK’s economic performance and
make a significant contribution to the UK Government’s carbon
reduction objectives. By transferring long distance services to a
new dedicated line, HSR will also release capacity on the existing
rail network, which can then be used for commuter travel and
freight.
Major cities and their city regions are the drivers of the
country’s economic prosperity. The development of a Great Western
HSR line would enhance the economic competitiveness of South West
England and South Wales and ensure neither region gets left behind
other regions on a UK HSR Network.
The GWP is particularly focussing on the benefits HSR will bring
to the knowledge-based employment sector and employment growth in
general.
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis will shortly announce proposals
for the UK’s second HSR line ‘High Speed 2’, connecting London with
the West Midlands, North of England and Scotland. The GWP’s
campaign seeks to secure the Government’s commitment to build the
UK’s third HSR line (‘High Speed 3’) along the Great Western
Corridor.
Bristol City Council Leader Barbara Janke said: "I am delighted
to endorse this initiative to improve rail connectivity between
London, via Bristol to South Wales. I believe that high speed rail
is absolutely essential to grow both our regional economies in the
future. We have clear examples from Europe and elsewhere of the
benefits this can bring. Indeed, if we fail to secure this
investment I believe our economies will suffer in relation to other
UK regions.
"I also welcome the chance to forge closer links with South
Wales in general and Cardiff in particular. We are two major
international destinations with many similar ambitions, problems
and challenges, and we are the economic drivers of our respective
regions. We are forging closer links through a range of initiatives
and I hope and believe that this is the beginning of much closer
collaboration on many shared issues in the future.”
Cardiff Council’s leader Rodney Berman has been pressing the
case for HSR and the benefits it will bring to the economy.
He said: “The Great Western Partnership is lobbying the UK
Government to invest in an HSR line to serve South Wales and South
West England.”
“It is essential that the UK’s core cities stand
shoulder-to-shoulder to campaign for a transportation system fit
for the 21st century and I am fully committed to persuading the
Government to develop a High Speed Rail line from London to South
Wales.”
Cllr Peter Greenhalgh, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member
for Sustainability, Transport and Strategic Planning, said: “A High
Speed Rail Link to Swindon and beyond would provide not just
economic benefits but social improvements.
“We would urge the Government to consider for once linking the
West to the capital city and allowing those who live outside London
to the west to enjoy the benefits of those in the South East.”
South West RDA Board Member Nick Buckland is emphasising the
need for a network approach so full benefits are realised from HSR
investment.
He said: “The Great Western Partnership is lobbying the UK
Government to invest in an HSR line to serve South West England and
South Wales.
“It is essential that we come together to campaign for a rail
system which helps us to compete in a global economy. Increasing
the competitiveness of the UK economy as a whole means we need a
nationwide HSR network which includes a line from London to Bristol
and Cardiff which also makes direct rail links to Heathrow
possible. While this will be a long term programme, with steps such
as electrification helping along the way, the planning and
commitment has to start now. ”
Ends
Cardiff Council Press Officer Steve Edwards Tel: 029 2087
2451
Email: stedwards@cardiff.gov.uk
Notes to editors
Who are the Great Western Partnership’s members?
The members of the Great Western Partnership are:
Bristol City Council, Cardiff Council, Swindon Borough Council,
South East Wales Economic Forum, South West Regional Development
Agency, the West of England Partnership, South West Wales Economic
Forum and South East Wales Transport Alliance.
What is the Partnership’s goal?
The partnership’s goal is to secure the UK Government’s
commitment to early investment in a ‘state of the art’ HSR route
serving South West England and South Wales as part of a future UK
HSR development programme.
The Partnership’s aspiration is for a HSR route built to the
specification of at least 320km (198 miles) per hour.
Why is high speed rail so important to South West England and
South Wales?
Journey times on Great Western Main Line (GWML) inter city
express services have increased by around 20 minutes in the last 30
years. The main line west of London is becoming increasingly
congested and passenger demand for intercity services continues to
rise annually. At the same time, travel conditions on the M4
motorway are becoming steadily worse.
Projected population growth and planned developments in both
regions are set to further intensify these problems over the next
two decades.
A HSR line along the Great Western Mainline Corridor could
reduce journey times from London to Cardiff to 74 minutes and from
London to Bristol to 60 minutes. A Great Western Corridor HSR link
will enable the South West England/South Wales regions to build
upon their knowledge sector base and realise the potential
agglomeration benefits of rapid speed connections with London,
Heathrow Airport and the UK's other major cities. These links are
essential to ensure we are not left behind other regions on a
future UK HSR network.
By transferring long distance services to a new dedicated line,
HSR would also release capacity on the existing rail network, which
could then be used for local commuter travel and freight.