London to Cardiff train line to be electric

Possibly the busiest railway line in the UK is set to become an electric line to help the UK becomer greener to the environment.

The Great Western Line which runs from Paddington in London all the way to Cardiff, Wales is set to become the first major line in the UK that will be transformed to electric in a move to reduce carbon emissions for transport in Britain. It also takes in the cities of Reading and Bristol along the way. Also the popular route for commuters from Oxford to London is on the agenda.

The UK is far behind their fellow Europeans in the electric railway stake with only around 40 per cent of the 20,000 miles of track that is electrified.

“Electrification brings with it the dual benefits of helping to make rail services more attractive to customers and drawing them away from cars and planes. It also relies on lower-carbon sources of energy,” said the chief executive of Association of Train Operating Companies, Michael Roberts.

The announcement could come as early as today from the government who has been in discussions, although the finances have yet to be agreed on. This all part of a government drive to reduce carbon emissions for transport by 14 per cent over the next 11 years.

Thanks to www.guardian.co.uk for the above quote, for more information on this article please visit their website.