Date: 09/02/2004

Following the opening of phase one of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link this commission was asked to look into merits of building a north-south link. The report asserts that establishing high speed links would be worthwhile. Compared with many countries Britain is poorly served by high speed links. One should remember that many mainlines lines were provided in Britain during the Victorian period; generally more than in other countries. Our situation is somewhat different therefore.

One has to hope that if the Government decides to establish new links this is not done by the usual cheap method; run faster trains on lines which were not designed for such high speeds. Lines with bends, steep gradients and multiple junctions. Further if new lines are not built local traffic must be removed from existing lines. Whilst arguably much of the West Coast Main Line from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Liverpool and Manchester could be upgraded, (there is less local traffic), the route from there on to the south is congested.

In Scotland an independent Motherwell to Glasgow link (perhaps two more lanes on the M74 and its controverial extension) would be worthwhile along with some form of North-South connection. A separate Kirknewton to Edinburgh section may also be required due to local traffic (or perhaps platforms at local stations should be put onto new passing loops as on much of the former GWR). Perhaps the greatest challenge is removing all the curves from Carstairs to Lockerbie and the English equivalents.

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