It’s full steam ahead for the 7th May General Election, and rail travel features in the manifestos of each of the main parties.
So, presented without prejudice and in alphabetical order, here is nationalrail.com’s summary of which parties have pledged what, in their manifestos this spring.
Conservative:
The Conservative manifesto has indicated that present railway electrification projects would be extended to south west England and more lines in East Anglia if the party forms the next government after the election on 7 May,
More than £100 billion has been earmarked for infrastructure schemes, including ‘the biggest investment in rail since Victorian times’.
The manifesto reaffirms Conservative backing for HS2 and HS3, and also promises to ‘push forward’ with plans for Crossrail 2 in London.
The real-terms freeze on regulated train fares is also included, and would apply throughout the life of the next Parliament. The basis for any increases would continue to be the Retail Price Index, but train companies would not be allowed to go beyond that.
Green Party:
The Green Party in England and Wales is proposing an average 10% cut in rail and bus fares.
The general election pledge would be paid for by a £1.8bn-a-year increase in public investment in fares.
The move – costed at £9bn over the lifetime of the next parliament – would be funded by scrapping the coalition’s £15bn roads programme in England.
Labour:
The Labour Party has published its manifesto, and it includes plans to reform the way the railway industry is organised.
Key points include a review of passenger rail franchises as well as the creation of a ‘new National Rail body’ which will ‘oversee and plan for the railways and give rail users a greater say in how trains operate’.
The law will be changed to allow a public sector operator to compete for franchises, while rail fares will be frozen in 2016.
Lib Dem:
The Liberal Democrat manifesto has promised that the ‘overwhelming majority’ of the rail network will be electrified under their plans for transport.
The Lib Dems are backing widespread redoubling of routes which have been singled in years gone by, the reopening of smaller stations and progress with HS2 as the first stage of a high speed rail link between England and Scotland. The East West rail link will be extended east of Bedford to provide a through route between Oxford and Cambridge. Light rail will also be extended, and councils will be encouraged to ‘consider trams alongside other options, and support a new generation of light rail and ultra-light rail schemes’.
Rail franchises under the Lib Dems will have a ‘stronger focus on customers’ and be better integrated with other transport modes, alongside a programme of investment in lines and stations. Freight will also be encouraged on to rail with further private sector investment in railfreight terminals, while planning laws will be amended to ensure that new developments provide good freight access to retail, manufacturing and warehousing sites.
UKIP:
The Ukip manifesto gives no indication of any plans for rail transport, apart from saying that ‘HS2 is an unaffordable white elephant and, given other, far more pressing calls on public expenditure, such as the NHS, social care and defence, not to mention the need to reduce the deficit, it must face the axe’.
While the parties bicker, and we await the outcome of the election, remember you can always book your train tickets from nationalrail.com
