06.11.14
Clegg pledges more money for electrification and Pacer replacement
Nick Clegg has dropped clear hints that money will be found for more electrification in the north and replacements for the Pacers in the upcoming Autumn Statement.
In media interviews this morning promoting the Northern Futures Summit, the deputy PM said he could not spell out explicitly what will appear in the Autumn Statement on 3 December. But he said the requests from people and councils in the north for transport infrastructure improvements are “perfectly reasonable” and that he is “very confident” that an announcement is on its way.
Clegg said: “I want a fully upgraded and electrified network between Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield by 2025.
“We also need to improve commuter services on lines that are not electrified. I want significant improvement – government money to buy better rolling stock to improve commuter routes in the north – also by 2025.”
He denounced the Pacers as “ancient” and “decrepit” and said: “They would not be deemed acceptable on London commuter lines, and they are not acceptable in the north.”
The DfT has recently rowed back on what had been thought guarantees to replace the Pacers, by referring to plans to “modernise” them instead. They were built in the mid-1980s as a stopgap but are still in use today, and making them compliant with disability access standards will be an expensive engineering commitment.
Pacers also remain in service on some First Great Western and Arriva Trains Wales routes.
Stephen Joseph, the chief executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said: “The government needs to use both the autumn statement and the re-franchising of the north’s rail network to show it means business. That means upgrading services not just between Sheffield, Leeds and Manchester, but right across the north. We’ll also be looking for an expanded programme of electrification and a firm timetable for getting rid of all the ageing Pacer trains.”
(Photo of Nick Clegg: Crown Copyright. Courtesy Cabinet Office, Creative Commons).
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