last updated: Thursday 26 June 2008, 14:29pm

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Plans for new high-speed rail

Train

Rail chiefs have opened up the prospect of five new lines to cope with rising passenger demand.

Infrastructure company Network Rail (NR) said it will be looking at five routes north and west of London - Chiltern, East Coast, West Coast, Great Western and Midland Main Line.

It is likely that most, if not all, of any new lines will be high speed in what would amount to the largest track building programme since the 19th century.

In the last decade passenger numbers have soared by 40 per cent, with 1.13 billion journeys a year now being made - the greatest number since 1946 when the network was twice the size.

Today around 22,000 services run on weekdays - up from 17,000 at the time of privatisation. In that time too, the amount of freight carried has rocketed by 60 per cent.

NR said all credible current projections point to similar growth over the next decade.

Chief executive Iain Coucher said: 'By 2025 many lines will be full-up, especially those running to and from the north and west of London. This will happen even after we have implemented the investment to boost current capacity.

'With popularity for rail growing, we have to start planning for the medium and long-term future today. We have to see how we can meet the capacity challenge and see what solutions - including potentially, that of new lines - are deliverable and affordable.

'This review, working in partnership with other players in the railway industry, will kick-start this process.'

Mr Coucher went on: 'We are uniquely positioned to take a network-whole approach in planning the railway of the future. We have a thriving railway today and that must continue and grow to meet the economic and environmental needs of tomorrow's Great Britain.'

NR said it has launched a tendering process to appoint a consultancy to assist its new-line study.

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