Electrification beyond Newbury - study results
grahame:
An update from the Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group, circulated to their mailing list:
Quote
Dear All,
On Wednesday the passenger group, and other interested parties, met with the DfT and ARUP (the consultants appointed by the DfT to investigate bringing electrification beyond Newbury). The purpose of the meeting was for ARUP to present their draft report.
ARUP (rail consultants) were appointed to look into the Benefits Cost Ratio (BCR) of four options. For an option to be feasible the BCR has to be greater than 2.0. This relates to getting double the cost of investment back over a period of 60 years.
Option 1: Continue electrification beyond Newbury to Bedwyn
BCR 2.58
Option 2: Continue electrification beyond Newbury to Westbury
BCR 0.31
Option 3: Continue electrification beyond Newbury to Westbury and the Mendip Quarries
BCR 0.23
Option 4: Continue electrification beyond Newbury to Westbury and onto Batheaston Junction
BCR 0.21
Option 2 is surprisingly low and it turns out that the DfT instructed ARUP to do the Westbury study on a comparison with the existing timetable (i.e. Westbury and Pewsey retaining stops on the long-haul diesel trains ^ currently the HST rolling stock). This is in contrast to option 1 which was made on the comparison of the results of electrifying only to Newbury (i.e. Bedwyn, Hungerford and Kintbury being on a diesel shuttle service to Newbury).
In conclusion the likely scenario is that Pewsey and Westbury will stay as they are (i.e. direct diesel Reading/Paddington services) and Kintbury, Hungerford and Bedwyn will be electrified. The timing is a worry as currently there is no spare money for electrifying to Bedwyn. Thus electrification to Bedwyn might not happen until the next period (2019 to 2024). This gives cause for concern in how Kintbury, Hungerford and Bedwyn will be served between 2016 (when electrification comes to Newbury) and 2019 (or later). I understand that Claire Perry and Richard Benyon will be raising this.
From the Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group^s point of view our campaign has always been to maintain our direct services to Reading and London Paddington. Our campaign was always based on using diesel stock to form an hourly Paddington to Westbury service calling at Reading, Theale, Thatcham, Newbury, Kintbury, Hungerford, Bedwyn, Pewsey and Westbury. We never wanted to be the ones that were seen to bring overhead gantries and replacement rail bridges through an AONB. However, electrification now appears to be the only deal on the table to save our through services.
In terms of the parking issue at Bedwyn what is being proposed will not alter the frequency of trains (and calling patterns) of the current situation. Therefore we don^t envisage an increase in the Bedwyn parking issue as a result of electrification.
Best wishes
Steve Smith
Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group
Network SouthEast:
The group say they don't see an increase in parking at Bedwyn, but with a BCR of 2.58 I can't help but think that extra capacity on the trains and faster journey times will surely lead to some kind of increased patronage, ergo more parking issues at Bedwyn station.
Southern Stag:
The case for electrifying onwards to Bathampton Junction should be considered as part of the overall electrification scheme, it has a great strategic value as a diversionary route from the main GWML. The service pattern would more than likely change with electrification to Westbury as well, it's unlikely a shuttle to Bedwyn would continue with new stock.
Network SouthEast:
When the main GWML electrification works are completed, I'd like to think we'll see a rolling period of electrification.
For example, if you electrify to Westbury and on to Bath, you might as well electrify the line from Westbury to Redbridge to enable an electric service on the Portsmouth to Cardiff route. You have electrified one route through Salisbury, so might as well electrify Exeter to Basingstoke. Then electrify the rest of the B&H route to Exeter. Then in two/three decades time we see all lines in the West and South West electrified!
Wishful thinking perhaps.
anthony215:
I wouldnt mind seing the GW network electrified as it should have been years ago.
If the wires are extended beyond Newbury to Bedwyn/Westbury and onwards to Bath/Swindon, perhaps a Westbury - Swindon shuttle using an emu might be possible.
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