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Need for speed
Reporter: ALAN SALTER
Date online: 12/03/2010
250mph rail link gathers pace
OLDHAM East and Saddleworth MP Phil Woolas is looking forward to the time when he can reach the House of Commons from his house in Lees just as fast as from his home in London.
The Immigration Minister was speaking after the announcement of a high-speed rail line which will zoom travellers between Manchester and London at 250mph in 80 minutes.
On the platform at Manchester Piccadilly, Mr Woolas said: “Once this line is built, I will be able to get to my office in the Commons from Lees just as quickly as from my place in London.
“Our short-term priority is to get extra carriages for our commuters but long-term, is the capacity of our routes to London.
“The more comfortable and reliable our trains become, the more likely people are to ditch their cars.”
The line will split at Birmingham with one branch heading to Manchester and the other to Leeds. Building would start in 2017.
Transport Minister Sadiq Khan said “it can happen” after travelling to Manchester following the Government’s “Command Paper” response to the High Speed 2 report.
As part of the next stage, the Government has asked for a full public consultation to be held in the autumn.
Anthony Smith, chief executive of the Passenger Focus watchdog, said: “Passengers will welcome this bold plan. In the long-term, more and more people are going to want to use the railway.
“So, a step change in the ability of the network to handle more trains, longer trains and more reliable trains — all key passenger priorities for improvement — is needed now.
“This plan represents an important first step in unlocking this potential, that should also free up more space on the rest of network to handle more regional and local trains.
“More trains arriving on time are now helping to attract more passengers. Add higher speeds to that and a whole new group of passengers could be tempted to use rail.
“The ability to turn up and travel remains a key attraction of Britain’s railway — this new line, with fast frequent services could, with attractive fares, start to revolutionise intercity rail travel.
“The other commitment, that funding will not be diverted from the existing network, is also welcome.”
Comments
Lets hope that there is no need for you to go there, Phil.Or live in lees
Im sure Phil will still be an MP come mid May !
'Once this line is built, I will be able to get to my office in the commons from Lees as quickly as from my place in London'. Surey this mean then that you will be able to give up your place in London and save us constituants some money..!!!!. On another point, it's such a shame that he's no longer supporting his constituants who are being 'economically cleansed' from Derker.
Phil, I doubt very much you will require this service. If by some miracle you are still an MP when it is built, you and the rest of the freeloaders will no longer need your second homes in London.
Will Phil be using Metrolink to get to Manchester? Just where in London is his place if it takes nearly three hours to get to the Commons?
Funny how the only all new high speeed line built in this country was under the Tories whose plans Labour has plagiarised to come up with this pre-election PR stunt.
Coming to a station near you in 15years, or have you forgottent to mention this Phil??
Cheeky blighter taking it for granted he will be an MP after the election. He's a typical arrogant New Labour disaster and the sooner he's out of office the better.
Don't you think Phil looks well on his £400 a month food allowance. He used to be really thin, but the new diet must suit him.
Well we can only hope he never needs the train to the commons based on the botched attempts he has made on every project he has/is involved in
I thought that Useless Phil had moved to Delph? I would like to see a high speed track to somewhere like timbuktoo where we could send Useless Phil on a one way ticket.
hahaha! this really made me chuckle! yes phil! i too look forward to high speed trains to get me around! i remember this promise way back when you and your labour party first got voted in. you've had had plenty of time to sort this out! and where are they? oh sorry only now with the election looming do they seem like they are on the horizon.
what you must be meaning is that when the tories take over these trains will really be arriving!
It'll take him as long to get to Manchester as it will to London. Or longer ??
Forget the Woolas knocking, look at the issue. Whether its Woolas, Meacher or any one of the umpteen Greater Manchester MPs of whatever party, the point about being able to reach London as quickly as that clearly means that any of them can find more time to be in their constituencies and may be more mid-wek than being stuck to weekends only.
sorry to say phill you wont be going to the house of commons no more ! your times up jus stick to the taxi now! think!
Speed! What for, we most of us cannot afford a train trip to London to start with. If anything, drop the price of the fares so more people can actaully make use of the trains, then have them run on TIME!
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"OLDHAM East and Saddleworth MP Phil Woolas is looking forward to the time when he can reach the House of Commons from his house in Lees just as fast as from his home in London."
That would mean it would have to be built in about 2 months which is roughly how long he's got left as an MP.
By adwilliams134 @ 12/03/2010 12:51:04
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