14 December 2011
High Speed Rail Plans can Knock Out Short-Haul Aviation
Sustainable transport alliance supports high-speed rail plans as way to shift
short-haul flight to rail
Transform Scotland [1], the sustainable transport alliance, has today (Wednesday 14) expressed its support for the 'Fast Track Scotland' high-speed rail plans being launched by the Scottish Government. Transform Scotland is a signatory to the document.
Transform Scotland spokesperson Paul Tetlaw commented:
"We support the case for high speed rail links from England to Scotland. This could bring about significant modal shifts from the car and the plane to the train.
Anglo-Scottish high-speed rail services could help us meet important environmental targets by knocking out carbon-intensive short-haul flights from Scotland to London.
"The clear challenges posed by climate change and depleting world oil supplies means
that we need to improve both capacity and journey times by rail. We need rail
investment as climate change targets start to bite and oil becomes more scarce and
more expensive.
"The existing rail network does not have the capacity for the growth that will be
required in the future for journeys from Scotland to London, the Midlands and the North of England. New lines and upgrades to existing routes are clearly required. "
ENDS
Notes to Editors
[1] Transform Scotland is the national sustainable transport alliance, bringing
together rail, bus and shipping operators, local authorities, national environment
and conservation groups, businesses and local transport groups - see
<http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/members.aspx> for details.
[2] The 'Fast Track Scotland' document is being launched by the Transport Minister at 10:30 today during a speech to the 5th Annual Scottish Rail Conference at the Barcelo Hotel, North Bridge, Edinburgh.
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