On Thu, 6 Apr 2017 14:05:31 -0000 (UTC)
Recliner wrote:
wrote:
has no such potential - it doesn't go to london and the towns it links
already
have commuter links to the capital so where's the growth to come from?
Perhaps
some extra gatwick traffic but thats about it IMO.


It's an orbital route, not a commuter route. That's the whole point. And if
you want an example of a successful, growing orbital route, look no further
than LO.

Its 1/4 of an orbital route and you can hardly compare an inner city metro
type railway to one thats pretty much entirely in countryside and has very
few stops. Also orbital railways don't have the same raison d'etre as roads
like the M25 and M60. In a car there's a severe time penalty driving into
a city centre and out again (and in londons case a financial one too) compared
to driving around it. This isn't the case in a train.

You could argue that changing at reading then changing again at redhill onto
a gatwick train is quicker that staying on the HST to paddington, hopping
around to victoria and getting a southern service but I doubt there's much in
it.

--
Spud