UK: The Department for Transport has awarded 15 rail schemes up to £50 000 each from the Restoring Your Railway fund to support the development of proposals for the reopening of lines and stations
A total of 51 bids for funding under the second round of the Ideas Fund were submitted by MPs and local authorities, and considered by panel including Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris and Network Rail Chair Sir Peter Hendy.
A further 28 bids will receive guidance to help develop and refine their ideas for assessment in future funding rounds.
Responding to the DfT’s announcement, General Secretary of the RMT union Mick Cash said ‘supporting new railway lines is always welcome but suggesting this will somehow reverse Beeching cuts is pure spin. There is no definite decision, funding or timetable to open new lines and instead of a national direction to begin railway reopenings this leaves local projects and councils to compete for funding.’
| Bid | Region | ||
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Reopened lines and new passenger services, Melton Mowbray – Nottingham |
East Midlands |
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Reopened lines and new passenger services, Alfreton – Ashfield (Maid Marian Line) |
East Midlands |
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Reopened lines and new passenger services, Stratford Upon Avon – Honeybourne – Worcester/Oxford |
West Midlands |
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Reopened lines and new passenger services, Consett – Newcastle |
North East |
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New station at Ferryhill |
North East |
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Enhanced passenger services Preston – Blackpool South |
North West |
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Reopened lines and new passenger services, Bolton – Radcliffe and Bolton – Bury |
North West |
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New station at Beeston Castle and Tarporley, Crewe – Chester |
North West |
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New station at St Anne’s Park, Bristol Temple Meads – Bath Spa |
South West |
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Enhanced existing passenger services, Truro – Falmouth |
South West |
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New station at Langport and Somerton, Castle Cary – Taunton |
South West |
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Reopened lines and new passenger services, Kemble – Cirencester |
South West |
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New passenger services, Wareham – Swanage |
South West |
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New passenger services, Gainsborough – Barton-on-Humber |
Yorkshire & Humber |
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Development funding of up to £400 000 each has been agreed for proposed stations at Haxby in Yorkshire and Deeside in North Wales. |
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