Trainstorming - Liberal Democrat plans for Britain's railways

9.23.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 4th Jun 2008

Examples of potential rail improvements

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of improvements the Liberal Democrats would seek to make, but provides examples of particularly neglected rail links. Please see the rail section of the transport paper for information on how individual improvements would be funded.

Electrification:

Great Western

Midland Main Line to Kettering (Corby) as Stage 1. To Leicester as Stage 2.

East Coast Main Line diversionary routes

Trans-Pennine routes including Manchester, Liverpool (via Chat Moss) and Blackpool via Preston

Edinburgh - Aberdeen

Edinburgh - Glasgow via Falkirk

Hastings - Ashford

Wrexham - Bidston (Merseyrail)

Felixstowe - Ipswich

Barking - Gospel Oak

Eastleigh - Romsey

Romsey - Redbridge

Barnt Green to Bromsgrove on Midland Line

Hitchin-Cambridge line power supply upgrade (starting with Hitchin Flyover)

Doubling:

Exeter - Salisbury (Yeovil)

Swindon - Kemble (Gloucester, Cheltenham and South Wales via the Severn Tunnel)

Oxford - Worcester (Hereford)

Ely and Ely North

Glasgow South West route (Dumfries)

Eastleigh - Romsey

Reinstate four tracks between Tyseley and Lapworth on the Chiltern Line to separate stopping and non-stopping trains

Reinstate third track between Leicester and Wigston Junction on Midland Main Line

Reinstatement of double track from Dore West Junction to Dore Station Junction on Midland Main Line and doubling towards Sheffield

Four tracks between Huntingdon and Fletton (Peterborough) on the East Coast Main Line

Reinstate four tracks between Aldwarke and Swinton junctions on the Transpennine line

Reinstatement of four tracks between Tottenham Hale and Broxbourne and substitute level crossing with bridges (Lea Valley Line)

Trent East Junction

.

Line re-opening:

Oxford - Milton Keynes - Bedford - Cambridge and Aylesbury to Milton Keynes

Lewes - Uckfield

Burscough Curves (providing Southport - Preston services)

Glasgow Crossrail

Olive Mount line (Liverpool)

Waverley Route

Penrith - Keswick

Colne - Skipton

Exeter - Okehampton

Plymouth - Tavistock (with developer contributions)

Matlock - Buxton

Upgrade to Leam Valley Line and Stillington to Ferryhill to provide a diversionary route between Northallerton and Newcastle (E)

Extension of London Overground from New Cross to Clapham Junction to create orbital route

.

New lines:

New spur line linking Arun Valley Line and West Coastal to provide an alternative route between London, Brighton, Hove and Worthing

Construction of Airtrack at Heathrow

York Holgate Junction

Southport, Wigan Ormskirk Preston Link

.

Station re-openings - (these are just examples there will be many more)

Kidlington

Corsham

Wantage

Corby

Ilkeston

Tavistock

.

New stations:

East Midlands Parkway (new station)

Corby (new station in association with electrification)

.

Station re-development:

Extra platform at Cambridge

Salford Crescent (relocate)

.

Platform reinstatement:

Salisbury

.

Urban developments:

Centro scheme for Birmingham area including re-opening Moor Street and the Camp Hill Chords together with 16 stations, many with Park and Ride

Kirkby (Headbolt Lane)

Merseyside Rail Strategy including electrification of Wrexham - Bidston and about 20 new stations in the Merseyside area and around

Leeds area plan including the electrification of many lines and the opening of 4 new stations

Bristol area - the wholesale revitalisation of local services in the Bristol areas including the introduction of Tram Trains and extra tracks

Provision of a fully signalled turnback facility in down platform Wokingham

Accessibility works Clapham Junction

.

Mainly Freight:

Increase the loading gauge from ports to inland freight terminals

Barking - Gospel Oak - Willesden: increase capacity and electrification

Upgrade goods lines between Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace on the East Coast Main Line and reinstate platform at Finsbury Park

.

Signalling/infrastructure

Signalling improvements on route from Peterborough via Lincoln to Doncaster on the East Coast Main Line (Diversionary Route)

Flyover at Slade Junction in West Coast Main Line

Additional line from Platform 0 at Stockport to Hazel Grove line at Edgeley Junction No. 1 on West Coast Main Line

Construct dynamic loop east of Chelmsford

A grade separated junction between Clapham Junction and West London Junction to allow more trains to use former international station

High speed crossovers at Chesterfield

Construct single flyover at Croydon (Windmill Hill) to separate London Bridge and Victoria Services

Turnback facility at Todmorden allowing extension of Rochdale trains