28.11.14
Lake District line to be electrified
The 10-mile line between Oxenholme and Windermere in the Lake District is to be electrified.
Transport minister Baroness Kramer confirmed £16m of funding for the project, which will be carried out by Network Rail as part of its electrification programme across the north.
The branch line, which runs between Oxenholme Lake District station on the West Coast Main Line and terminates at Windermere station in the National Park, will be upgraded to allow faster, greener and more reliable electric trains to run on the route. Once completed, the line will form part of a direct electrified route between key destinations in the region, including Kendal, Burneside and Staveley, and Manchester.
Baroness Kramer said: “Electrifying this key rail link will support the vital tourism industry in the area, and help us build a stronger economy in the Lake District and beyond.
“We are committed to building a world-class rail network. Over the next five years, more than £38bn will be spent on improving and running the system, with schemes like this helping to provide better services for passengers across the UK.”
Network Rail will now develop a detailed plan for the work, which could be completed as early as 2017. The National Park environment and the value of visitors using the railway will be taken into account as the work in the Lake District is carried out, the DfT said.
David Golding, strategic planner at Network Rail, said: “Confirmation of this funding is great news and will support the retention of direct services between Manchester to Windermere, as the rest of the route is electrified. Once complete, electrification will enable a faster, more reliable rail service. This is part of a wider investment by Network Rail in the electrification of key routes between towns and cities across the north of England.”
(Image: Oxenholme Lake District station c. mattbuck)
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