Electrification painted as boon for passengers and environment

The announcement of plans to electrify key rail routes was mostly greeted positively by the media, with only local papers on the Midland main line, which did not make the list, unhappy at the news.

On 15 July The Times reported that: “Thousands of miles of railway track will be electrified under a Government plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from transport. The Midland Main Line and the Great Western Main Line, currently used by diesel trains, are likely to be converted to electricity over the next decade.” On 23 July, when the Government formally announced its immediate plans for rail electrification, however, notable by its absence was any news on the immediate...

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