Kelly releases railway White Paper

The government today pledged to spend more than £10bn to cope with a 20% rise in passenger numbers by 2014 in its Delivering a Sustainable Railway white paper.

The document also sets out the government’s aim to double freight and passenger capacity over the next 30 years.

Transport secretary Ruth Kelly said: “Steady investment has given us a rail network which is in good shape for the first time in a generation and this means we can be ambitious for its future.”

Kelly announced £120m would be spent upgrading Birmingham New Street station and £425m would be set aside for track and station work to ease bottlenecks at Reading. She also announced £5.5bn for the transformation of the Thameslink line and the earmarking of £150m to upgrade more than 150 stations to be identified by Network Rail.

Kelly described the move as “the most ambitious strategy for growth on the railways in over 50 years”.

The Conservative Party attacked the announcement for containing “reheated announcements that are years later than promised” and described the white paper as another “false dawn” for the £15bn Crossrail scheme.

Meanwhile rail bodies welcomed the news. Network Rail chief executive Iain Coucher said: “For the first time in a generation there is consensus among politicians of all parties and business passengers and the wider public that sustained high levels of investment in the railway is needed.”

Office of Rail Regulation chief executive Bill Emery added: “We all welcome the importance the government attaches to improving the railway. It will be a big challenge to the industry to deliver what is needed for passengers and the wider economy.”