Electric Train Sets

That was quick. Having blogged on Friday about the need to electrifiy transport in the light of peak oil, today - the following Monday - it has been announced that Network Rail are to to fund a £1bn scheme to electrify the rail track between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8204902.stm

The scheme, of course, is reported as increasing the speed and frequency of the service rather than addressing the strategic issue of peak oil which it just happens to do rather conveniently as well.

The project has a completion date of 2016.

There will be a new rail and tram interchange station at Gogar and the Dunblane and Cumbernauld lines are also to be electrified as part of the programme.

Of course, the Edinburgh trams are another example of electric transport and therefore contribute to the resilience of our transport infrastructure in the light of peak oil. Try telling that to an Edinburgh taxi driver!

The other line that is being electrified and upgraded to double track at present is the Edinburgh - Bathgate - Airdrie - Glasgow line.

http://www.airdriebathgateraillink.co.uk/

There is a form of social silence around the subject of peak oil. The transport concultants I dined with earlier in the year were fully aware of the issue. But Network Rail, Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government should be praised for these strategic investments.