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| £1bn plan to electrify rail line | £1bn plan to electrify rail line |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A £1bn plan to electrify the main rail route between London and Swansea has been announced by the government. | A £1bn plan to electrify the main rail route between London and Swansea has been announced by the government. |
| A second line between Liverpool and Manchester will also be converted from diesel to electric. | A second line between Liverpool and Manchester will also be converted from diesel to electric. |
| Ministers say electric trains are lighter and more energy efficient, cutting the running cost and environmental impact of train services. | Ministers say electric trains are lighter and more energy efficient, cutting the running cost and environmental impact of train services. |
| In the next eight years, overhead power lines will be installed and many tunnels and bridges will be demolished. | In the next eight years, overhead power lines will be installed and many tunnels and bridges will be demolished. |
| Upfront investment | Upfront investment |
| Transport Secretary Lord Adonis told the BBC the massive investment involved would be worth it. | Transport Secretary Lord Adonis told the BBC the massive investment involved would be worth it. |
| "With the electric trains you get a quieter, cleaner, more reliable and much cheaper train which benefits passengers and it also benefits the taxpayers because it's much cheaper to keep an electric railway going," he said. | |
| "But you've got to put that upfront investment in. Governments historically have been very adverse to making long-term investments. | "But you've got to put that upfront investment in. Governments historically have been very adverse to making long-term investments. |
| It's making the railways fit for the 21st Century and encouraging more passengers to use the railways Gordon Brown Prime Minister | |
| "We've taken the decision that the right thing for the country is to have an electrified railway across the principal main lines and that's why we're going ahead with electrifying the Great Western Main Line." | "We've taken the decision that the right thing for the country is to have an electrified railway across the principal main lines and that's why we're going ahead with electrifying the Great Western Main Line." |
| He said the investment would pay for itself over a 40-year period and that there would be no impact on fares. | He said the investment would pay for itself over a 40-year period and that there would be no impact on fares. |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown, at London's Paddington station for the announcement, said improving the rail network was important for the country | |
| "This is the future. It's greener, it's cleaner, it's faster, it's more reliable. It's making the railways fit for the 21st Century and encouraging more passengers to use the railways," he said. | |
| Major benefits | |
| The move means an electric version of the new Super Express intercity train unveiled last year will be introduced on the Great Western line. | The move means an electric version of the new Super Express intercity train unveiled last year will be introduced on the Great Western line. |
| The government and rail industry agree electrification will bring major benefits. | |
| Electric trains do not carry their own fuel - weighing around six tonnes for a non-electric intercity train - and have lighter engines. | Electric trains do not carry their own fuel - weighing around six tonnes for a non-electric intercity train - and have lighter engines. |
| Lord Adonis: "With electric you get a quieter, cleaner, more reliable and much cheaper train" | |
| This makes them more than 35% cheaper to operate than diesel trains, according to the Department for Transport. | This makes them more than 35% cheaper to operate than diesel trains, according to the Department for Transport. |
| The electric engines also require less maintenance and the trains are around 20% cheaper to buy. | The electric engines also require less maintenance and the trains are around 20% cheaper to buy. |
| There are also major environmental benefits. The production of electricity for trains creates up to 35% less carbon than burning the equivalent amount of diesel. | There are also major environmental benefits. The production of electricity for trains creates up to 35% less carbon than burning the equivalent amount of diesel. |
| Network Rail will carry out the work and has assured the government that lessons in the installation of overhead power lines have been learnt following a fiasco last year when work on the West Coast Main Line over-ran. | Network Rail will carry out the work and has assured the government that lessons in the installation of overhead power lines have been learnt following a fiasco last year when work on the West Coast Main Line over-ran. |
| The company says it is buying specialist electrification trains capable of automating the installation job. | The company says it is buying specialist electrification trains capable of automating the installation job. |
| League table | |
| The Campaign for Better Transport is concerned the investment will lead to an increase in fares but ministers say electrification will mean cost savings in the running of trains. | |
| Britain went through a period of electrification between the 50s and 80s in which two other main lines, the East and West, were converted. | Britain went through a period of electrification between the 50s and 80s in which two other main lines, the East and West, were converted. |
| EUROPE'S ELECTRIC RAIL COVER Switzerland: 100%Sweden: 77%Netherlands: 73%Italy: 69%Germany: 56%Spain: 56% UK: 40% Source: UIC | |
| Many commuter lines into London from the home counties are also electrified, using a third rail system rather than overhead cables. | Many commuter lines into London from the home counties are also electrified, using a third rail system rather than overhead cables. |
| But Britain still has proportionally less electric railway than most European countries and is below Macedonia in the league table. | But Britain still has proportionally less electric railway than most European countries and is below Macedonia in the league table. |
| The latest announcement means electric trains will come to Wales for the first time - not a single mile of the principality's railways is electrified. | |
| Between Manchester and Liverpool a smaller project to electrify the line via Newton-le-Willows has also been given the green light. | Between Manchester and Liverpool a smaller project to electrify the line via Newton-le-Willows has also been given the green light. |
| This will have the added benefit of allowing Transpennine trains between Manchester airport and Glasgow to run on electric power. | This will have the added benefit of allowing Transpennine trains between Manchester airport and Glasgow to run on electric power. |
| The government is still considering electrifying another major diesel route, the Midland Main Line between London and Sheffield, but has not committed the proposal. | The government is still considering electrifying another major diesel route, the Midland Main Line between London and Sheffield, but has not committed the proposal. |