“iF we started today, it would
taKe 13 years to get a high-spEEd
nEtwork planned and implemented.
tHe planning sHould start now”
John mcsheen
first in a series of Because Transport Matters publications – speed rail directly serves that tracking trends
suggests long-distance capacity could start to run out within population. we’re seeing elsewhere in the world, there
10 years unless new high-speed routes are built. urban regeneration and a shift are even more ambitious plans.
“passenger growth on the uK network is growing back into cities. i think high- plans in the middle east to
far faster than the official forecasts predict,” warns John speed rail suits that ideally.” develop the heavy rail network
mcsheen, project development director at atkins. “there are it’s a view that’s beginning to be include proposals for a gulf co-
all kinds of things that can be done to squeeze the asset. but more widely shared. “High-speed rail operation council (gcc) railway, with
once it has all been squeezed out, we’ll be back in the same has a huge amount to offer,” says high-level political support.
position we are now. if we started today, it would take 13 eurostar’s brown. “in terms of facilitating and “the project aims to achieve co-ordination,
years to get a high-speed network planned and implemented. spreading economic development across the uK, it would interconnection and integration among the gcc member
the planning should start now.” help take pressure off the south-east and london economies states in all fields,” said mohammed bin ubeid al mazroie,
and further boost the already strongly growing economies in gcc assistant secretary-general for economic affairs, at a
signals on green key regional cities.” lecture in abu dhabi last year. “this will enhance unity and
the tide now seems to be turning in favour of uK high-speed the atkins report also highlights the potential economic strengthen relations and co-operation among their peoples,”
rail. in June this year, the liberal democrats included an gains of agglomeration – or clustering. “you would get higher he added, in comments reported by the Khaleej Times.
extensive network in its manifesto pledges. their idea would density clusters of business working more closely together the scale of the network envisaged has huge strategic
see fast trains running from st pancras international station, because of improvements in accessibility and the implications for a region with almost no rail infrastructure. the
stretching out to Heathrow, birmingham, and manchester. it concentration of business in a particular location,” agrees network is likely to link the six gcc member states, from
 would all be paid for, they said, by emissions-related charges andy southern, managing director of atkins’ transport muscat to Kuwait, and will connect up the region’s
on road freight and internal flights. planning business. “and faster journey times enhance burgeoning ports and industrial zones. with the involvement
Following hard on the heels of last year’s rail white paper, a economic productivity, so industry and business operate far of turkey it could provide a direct rail link with europe.
government discussion document – Towards a Sustainable more efficiently.” “governments here have recognised that rail is the way to
Transport System – also flagged up high-speed rail as a analysis carried out by atkins reveals that construction of a go,” says paul abbosh, atkins development director for the
potential candidate for boosting travel capacity on the full high-speed rail network – with both east and west coast middle east region. “the drivers are inner city congestion,
strategic london- birmingham-manchester corridor. and the links – could unlock long-term gdp productivity benefits of closer co-operation between the gcc members, sustainability
House of commons environmental audit committee, approximately £44 billion. and it would reduce the need for and rail’s ability to support trade.”
reporting in march this year, recommended new fiscal road and air travel. south africa’s new gautrain rapid rail link, another
measures to encourage travellers to choose rail instead of air the report showed that if you try to put new rail in at atkins project, with links to Johannesburg and pretoria, falls
on short-haul domestic journeys. conventional speeds, you don’t get the abstraction from other between high-speed rail and hi-tech metro systems. as well
the atkins high-speed rail report builds a persuasive modes. so there’s no business case. High-speed rail would as improving transport in gauteng province, the 80km
business case for new north-south high-speed rail links. take a lot of patronage from conventional rail, but also from network is intended to spread wider social and economic
“our message is that high-speed rail has a massive positive air and road. a new high-speed rail network could also mean benefits. according to the gauteng provincial government,
impact on gross domestic product,” says mcsheen. “the uK is a brighter future for local transport, as it would release main the project has already created nearly 30,000 jobs, both
now driven by business rather than manufacturing, and high- lines currently used for conventional fast trains. directly and indirectly.
Fast track: predicted journey times for Uk high-speed rail
60MiNS 82MiNS 74-79MiNS
london to birmingham london to leeds london to manchester
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52