“We still have key and political milestones to achieve,” Great Eastern Main Line Taskforce co-Chairman Chloe Smith told assorted MPs and members of the rail industry at a summit in Westminster on September 7.
Smith was talking at the East Anglia Rail Summit, which was the first meeting of stakeholders - including Network Rail, the Department for Transport and local MPs - since Abellio was awarded the long-term franchise on August 10 (RAIL 807).
Abellio will replace its entire fleet (1,043 new vehicles are on order) as part of the nine-year franchise, but Smith said: “These new carriages are a key piece of the jigsaw, but there is more to do that is just as significant.”
She highlighted that the recommendations from the Nicola Shaw report published in March need to be considered, as does the ways in which the East West Rail Link can benefit the region.
“We need to make plans,” she said. “I am never slow to make a ‘to do’ list, and today is a ‘to do’ list.”
- For more EXCLUSIVE reporting on this summit, read RAIL 810, oublished on September 28.
- For more on the Stadler fleet ordered for the Greater Anglia franchise, read RAIL 810, published on September 28.
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Andrewjgwilt1989 - 21/09/2016 10:28
Thats why East Anglia needs a better railway with new trains, new railway stations, investment in how to improve better journey times and to cut the 90 minute journey between London and Norwich to about 75 minutes or to increase the line speed to 110mph on the GEML. To close most of the level crossings that would be replaced by bridges and underpasses to improve better journey times. New 25kv overhead wires being replaced &/or to be replaced between Shenfield and Liverpool Street aswell on the Southend Victoria line.
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Philip Walker - 23/09/2016 11:11
Am I right in thinking that the new Norwich line EMUs will be limited to 100mph? If so, this is incredibly disappointing and a huge missed opportunity to have trains which, with infrastructure improvements to increase line speeds, to achieve regular journey times to Norwich of less than 90 mins. An hourly limited-stop express should be introduced to achieve such journey times. Indeed I like the comment above that something more like 75 mins should be the aim. Trains capable of 125mph are needed.
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