Rail improvements in the UK to bring faster travel times and a better environment thanks to EU support

The European Union will co-finance with €5 million from the TEN-T Programme a project to electrify a 58 km section of British rail infrastructure. The project, which is part of the “Railway/road axis Ireland/United Kingdom/continental Europe” (TEN-T Priority Project 26), will bring considerable benefits to rail traffic in the area.

The project, which was selected for funding under the 2011 TEN-T Annual Call, will support the necessary works 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).

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

• Passengers: Additional trains thanks 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 Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency and is set to be completed by December 2014.

For more information: http://tentea.ec.europa.eu/en/ten-t_projects/ten-t_projects_by_country/united_kingdom/2011-uk-93069-p.htm or e-mail: [email protected]