The
West Midlands region is at the centre of the railway network but
CPRE believes there has not been adequate investment in improving
the rail system across the region.
Railways
cannot provide all our transport solutions and the workhorse of
our local transport will always be the bus, however they are important
both for regional and local, particularly commuter, travel.
Investing
in our railways can also improve the image of the places they serve.
We
would like to see railways in the region run to a high level of
punctuality and safety with modern rolling stock, but we would also
like to see significant expansion of services and the reopening
of disused lines.
We
are concerned that the local rail network should not be seen solely
as bringing people into Birmingham. We would like to see a renaissance
of the rail network through the Black Country (revitalising the
Walsall and Wolverhampton hubs) including a new strategic route
from Lichfield-Walsall-Stourbridge reducing pressure on Birmingham
New Street.
Electrification
of lines such as Birmingham-Nuneaton and expansion of lines such
as Worcester-Hereford (to two tracks) and reintroducing through
services (for example from Shrewsbury to London) could also play
a key role in making our railways better.
20/09/07
|
