EU support for rail improvements in the UK to bring faster travel times

The European Union is to co-finance a project to electrify a 58 km section of British rail infrastructure with US$6.5 million from the TEN-T Programme. The project, which was selected for funding under the 2011 TEN-T Annual Call, is part of the Railway/road axis Ireland/United Kingdom/continental Europe TEN-T Priority Project 26, and will bring considerable benefits to rail traffic in the area. The project consists of the works necessary to install a 25kV AC overhead electrification line on a 58 km single
December 12, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The 1816 European Union is to co-finance a project to electrify a 58 km section of British rail infrastructure with US$6.5 million from the TEN-T Programme.  The project, which was selected for funding under the 2011 TEN-T Annual Call, is part of the Railway/road axis Ireland/United Kingdom/continental Europe TEN-T Priority Project 26, and will bring considerable benefits to rail traffic in the area.

The project consists of the works necessary to install a 25kV AC overhead electrification line on a 58 km single track railway line between Castlefield Junction in Manchester and Newton-le-Willows and Lowton Junctions (roughly halfway to Liverpool).  Works include establishing suitable electrical and gauge clearances along the concerned route, and the installation of 25kV overhead line equipment.

Once finalised, the electrification project will bring considerable benefits for:

• Passengers: Additional trains due to better route management plus an electrified direct route to Manchester Airport

• Rail freight transport: Enhanced capacity between Manchester and TEN-T Priority Project 14 (West Coast Main Line)

• Freight forwarders: Lower costs thanks to reduced costs of leasing, operating and maintaining electric trains

• The environment: reduced emissions as diesel trains are phased out in favour of electric ones

The project will be managed by the 6025 Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency and is set to be completed by December 2014.
Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Cusco airport concession to be awarded
    April 11, 2014
    Peru's private investment promotion agency ProInversión is set to award the US$658 million Cusco airport concession on 25 April. There are currently seven prequalified consortiums, including firms from the US, France, Germany and Korea. However, the names will not be released until the economic and technical bids are presented on 22 April. The 40-year, co-financed concession for Cusco's Chinchero international airport involves the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of the facilit
    Read More
  • EU regions urge adequate funding for sustainable transport
    April 21, 2015
    The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is concerned by the lack of investment by the EU in the transport sector. According to regions and cities, very little progress has been made also in integrating the European transport market in the last four years. These concerns were debated by CoR members at the 16 April plenary session, which saw the adoption of the opinion on the implementation of the 2011 European Commission White Paper on Transport, aiming to create a single European transport area. The
    Read More
  • Hard shoulder running aids uniform traffic flow and safer driving
    January 23, 2012
    David Crawford detects a market for European experience. Well-established now in at least three European countries, Hard Shoulder Running (HSR) on motorways is exciting growing interest in the US. A November 2010 Report to Congress by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), on the Efficient Use of Highway Capacity, notes the role of HSR in the European-style Active Traffic Management (ATM) strategies now being recommended for implementation in the US where, until recently, they were virtually unknown.
    Read More
  • Strabag to modernise Polish railway
    April 20, 2017
    Construction group Strabag, as part of a consortium including Krakowskie Zakłady Automatyki, is to modernise the 20 km long section of rail between Cracow and Rudzice and expand the suburban railway in Cracow. The project includes the construction of a new metropolitan rail line to serve Cracow’s suburbs, which will see new track and stations built and existing ones e modernised. A total of 55 bridges are to be erected, including two rail bridges over the river Vistula with a length of 234 m and 227 m. The
    Read More

Highlighted Content