Strategic Authority must not derail improvement plans
December 4, 2002 12:00 AM
A West Midlands Euro-MP has reacted to suggestions that plans to improve rail capacity in the region are under threat.
The Financial Times announced today, that the Strategic Rail Authority is threatening to abandon a number of rail improvements promised in the government’s 10-year plan due to lack of investment.
These cuts come in addition to the SRA’s announcement earlier this year to postpone Phase 2 of the West Coast Main Line upgrade indefinitely.
SRA Chairman Richard Bowker is reported to have said on Tuesday that the rail industry must improve its performance or the government will not provide the necessary funding in the 2004 spending review.
The Liberal Democrat MEP Liz Lynne said:
“I hope that Mr Bowker is profoundly mistaken in his view that it is government policy to cut its nose off to spite its face. Blaming the train companies is all very well, but the bottom line is passengers, who are already enduring a poor service, are the ones who will be made to suffer.”
“Why is the government even considering lunatic plans to build multi-billion pound airports in areas such as Rugby, when it isn’t prepared to invest in the trains that will be needed to get people there. Their transport priorities are back to front.”
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