Published: Thursday, 5th November, 2009 9:00am

Letter: Short-term pain for long-term train

by Correspondent

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RE reports and correspondence in The Chronicle recently on Purley residents' anger at proposals to demolish the Brunel-designed bridge as part of its route upgrade, it would appear that the complainants are more upset at Network Rail's apparent lack of consultation, rather than the overall environmental and economical benefits of transferring onto rail some 50,000 heavy lorries annually off the country's roads - a view voiced by many except those who might be (only) temporarily affected by relatively brief engineering works in their own backyard.

This attitude typically illustrates the short-sightedness of objecting to a wholesale rail improvement scheme intended to offer long-term benefits already delayed for far too many years: think 'short-term pain for long-term gain'. No wonder Europe has more electrified high-speed routes.

While English Heritage can be congratulated on its efforts in preventing the demolition of many worthy structures throughout the country, especially those unaffected by the operational railway, can it really be justified to prejudice such long-awaited rail improvements?

Further up the line Maidenhead folk are objecting to electrification masts on Brunel's famous arched bridge over the Thames, but residents near Durham's railway viaduct live with such 'embellishments'!

Network Rail has just announced the enlargement of a small-bore tunnel under Southampton over Christmas, to enable larger shipping containers to be conveyed from Southampton Docks to strategic depots throughout the country. These containers carry a variety of products which we all buy, and rail transit would be six times less polluting than the equivalent lorry loads, and have a less debilitating effect on roadside buildings and population.

Such facts are seemingly ignored by English Heritage and local objectors. Had this opposition been evident in the 19th century, we'd still be riding Brunel's 60mph broad gauge trains across his timber viaducts.

Stephen Derek, Fairford Road, Tilehurst

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