New Rail Route

GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES DECISION ON THE CENTRAL RAILWAY FREIGHT LINE

Department For Transport News Release 2004/0031:
25 March 2004

After almost four years of concern for Merstham residents Transport Minister Kim Howells announced on Thursday that the Government has decided not to support Central Railway’s proposal for a Parliamentary Bill for a dedicated freight line that would link the Channel Tunnel with the North West of England.

The Bill would have sought powers to build a Ł10 billion freight line that would have run from the Channel Tunnel to Liverpool, routed through Merstham adjacent to the M23 & M25 Motorways (see map below).

The main reason for the decision is that Central Railway has not demonstrated to the Government's satisfaction that it would be able to gain the necessary financial backing to build and run the line.

Central Railway have argued that the line could be totally privately funded. But if the project ran into difficulties the Government would come under intense pressure to intervene with taxpayers’ money.

Kim Howells made clear that the Government is committed to development of the rail network. Improvements to the West Coast Main Line and the building of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link will both provide substantial extra capacity for freight traffic and will support further investment and regeneration in the South East and North West.

In a statement to the House of Commons, Kim Howells said:

"While such a scheme could make a contribution to increasing the carriage of freight by rail, Central Railway has not substantiated the likely financeability of the proposals.

"The promoters have received expressions of interest from a number of possible debt providers but these are generally substantially caveated. Neither have they demonstrated that the significant amount of equity finance would be forthcoming.

"Central Railway has claimed that no call would be made on the public purse. However once the Government agreed to promote a Bill, inescapably it would be taken to be backing the project.

"Should initial finance not be raised, or the project run into financial difficulty once work was under way, the Government of the day could not escape intense pressure to intervene. The Government has therefore concluded that it cannot promote a Bill against such risks."

A copy of the full written statement is available on the Department's website www.dft.gov.uk

Merstham Residents were up in arms as it was announced on Wednesday 12^th July 2000, that a new rail line is being proposed which will cut through the village following the route of the M25 & M23 motorways (see map below). The proposal will be put before the House of Commons early next year.

Central Railway hope to begin work on the project in 2003.

The planned route will emerge from a tunnel near Gatton Bottom, follow the M25, running just north of Radstock Way, before heading south on the west side of the M23.

Local MP, Crispin Blunt, has said that he will ‘do anything in his power to obstruct the plans’ and Local Merstham Councillor Sue Merritt will be opposing the proposal.

It is important to get the views of local residents please take time to fill in the comments form (Click Below) or Email: railroute@merstham.co.uk . Suitable replies may be published on the site and passed on.

The company is proposing a section of new railway running westwards to and under the M23 and then parallel to the west and south sides of the M23 and M25 towards a tunnel portal west of Merstham. From this point westwards the railway is proposed to run in tunnel for approximately 12km underneath the North Downs as far as a point next to the M25 near Leatherhead. Locations of tunnel portals and the route of the tunnel are merely indicative and may alter as a result of continuing consultation.

The mapping shows the route (or route alternative) along which Central Railway may propose new, rebuilt or adapted overhead bridges or structures, new or restored under-bridges, viaducts and earthworks, resignalling and power systems, reinstated or additional track in places new, road rail terminals, new or improved stations and other works. For most of the route these works would take place within existing or former (still extant) rail corridor boundaries, for almost all of the rest of the route the railway would run directly alongside existing railways, or motorways. The project does not involve establishing a new transport corridor through the countryside.

The company is investigating alternative route designs and alignments in places along the route. A complete Environmental Statement including a discussion of noise impacts and route alternatives, is required under the TWA, will be prepared as part of the application and consulted on before its submission.

While this route, through the west and south of London is feasible, Central Railway's preferred route is via the M25, in line with its strategic objective of providing an environmentally sound long-distance lorries-on-trains service.