"Bob" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Jul 21, 7:57 pm, allan tracy
wrote:

Every newspaper, every party and everyone are in favour of more
investment in public transport, it's converting it into action that
matters.
Quote
From The Sunday Times
July 22, 2007
Green light for Thameslink 2000
Dominic O'Connell Sunday Times
TRANSPORT ministers will this week give the go-ahead to the first
phase of the long-delayed Thameslink 2000 project, a scheme that
should boost rail capacity in London in time for the 2012 Olympics.
But in statements on rail policy expected on Tuesday, ministers may
also spark controversy by proposing the deregulation of "saver"
fares,
leading to more expensive journeys for millions of rail passengers.
The first of the two statements will set out spending priorities up
to
2014. The High Level Output Statement is likely to include
Thameslink
2000, some 1,300 new carriages, the redevelopment of Birmingham New
Street and Reading stations, and spending on signalling systems to
bring them up to the latest European standards.

I hope this mean cab signalling. Will we finally see 140mph on the
WCML and ECML?


It is also likely to give guidance on the amount of funding that
will
be provided to Network Rail to run the system over the period.
The second statement, a 30-year vision for the network, is expected
to
dash hopes of a commitment to a new north-south high-speed line.
Ministers are likely to say the plan needs more study to evaluate
the
benefits.

Because 3 previous studies showing 1:3 cost:benefit ratios are
obviously not clear enough.


A Department for Transport source said: "If there were to be such a
thing it would need to prove its worth to ministers both in cost and
environ-mental terms. It would need to make a strong argument."
Nor is there expected to be any commitment to Crossrail, the
east-west
London route, with no announcement expected before the comprehensive
spending review in October.

But only the northern half of the project will be given the
go-ahead,
because it can be completed in time for the Olympics. The decision
will also avoid redevelopment around Borough market and Southwark
cathedral.

Obviously that is a good reason to delay starting on the southern half
by 5 years.

Thameslink 2000 has a key role to play in the Olympic transport plan
because it calls at St Pancras, from which high-speed shuttles will
run to the games village at Stratford.
Plans for 1,000 new carriages have already been announced. The
additional 300 included in this week's statement are understood to
come largely from the extra rolling stock needed for the Thameslink
expansion.
The redevelopment of Birmingham and Reading stations will address
two
bottlenecks on the network. Reading will receive an extra platform,

For Crossrail?

D