A discussion
elsewhere on this forum set me wondering about how mid-Somerset compares with the Scottish Borders:
The Borders Railway, from the point where it branches off at Newcraighall, is about 40km long and serves the following populations:
Shawfair | ? |
Eskbank | 12342 |
Newtongrange | 5341 |
Gorebridge | 5777 |
Stow | 718 |
Galashiels | 12600 |
Tweedbank | 2101 |
| ----- |
Total | 38879 |
The Cheddar Valley line, from Yatton to Cranmore, was about 32km. If reopened, it could serve the following populations:
Congresbury | 3497 |
Banwell | 2919 |
Winscombe | 4500 |
Axbridge | 2057 |
Cheddar | 5755 |
Wells | 10536 |
Shepton Mallet | 10369 |
| ----- |
Total | 39633 |
The Borders Railway cost about £300 million to re-build. Rebuilding the Strawberry line would probably cost something similar. The Borders line is currently one-ended - it connects the Borders with Edinburgh. The Strawberry Line would connect at both ends, giving access to Bristol, Bath and Westbury. It's not the most direct route to Bristol or Bath, but decent line speeds ought to be possible.
The scheme cost for the A358 scheme, for comparison, is
£250-500 million and, for Jct 18a of the M4,
£428 million.How would
you spend the money?