Thousands of new train carriages to be introduced
The Rail Delivery Group has promised a boost in the number of new train carriages coming on track by 2021.
Last October Britain’s railway, a partnership of the public and private sector, published its plan to change and improve rail services, committing to delivering 5,700 new carriages by 2021.
Today’s figures reveal a further 1,300 carriages will be arriving on Britain’s railway by the early 2020s, bringing the total number to just over 7,000.
The new carriages represent an investment of at least £13.8bn by the private sector in rail. This is bolstering public investment in major upgrades to the railway infrastructure which, combined with new carriages, will enable the partnership railway to run more than 6,400 extra services each week by 2021, benefitting all parts of the country.
The partnership railway’s long-term rolling stock strategy, published later this spring, will say that the total number of carriages running on Britain’s railway is estimated to increase from 13,000 to 15,900 – an increase of 22 per cent.
Paul Plummer, Chief Executive of the Rail Delivery Group, which brings together train operators and Network Rail, said:
“With thousands of new, state-of-the-art carriages coming on track over the next three years, the partnership railway’s long-term plan is transforming journeys up and down the country. These new carriages will enable rail companies to work together to deliver on their commitment of at least 6,400 extra services a week, better connecting communities and helping to boost local economies from Aberdeen all the way to Penzance.”
Published: by Radio NewsHub