RAIL experts today called for a rail tunnel between Liverpool and Ireland. They also proposed a high-speed 200mph line linking the city to London and Scotland in their vision for the next 50 years of Britain’s network. Industry expert Jim Steer produced The Billion Passenger Railway report on behalf of the Association of Train Operating Companies And it proposes ways train travel could be improved to handle the UK’s growing population and reduce car and lorry journeys over the next 50 years. Mr Steer called for a second Channel Tunnel and three new high speed rail lines connecting London with the north and south west, as well as a high-speed link over the Pennines. Rail links over energy-harvesting tidal barrages in the Severn, Solway and Morecambe are also proposed. He sees Liverpool connected to the rail network as part of a London to Glasgow fast line and the start of the Pennine high-speed link with Sheffield. Mr Steer said the Port of Liverpool deserved better freight links with Europe and an Irish Sea tunnel. Engineering consultancy Atkins last month published a study of the costs and benefits of two high speed lines between London and Scotland, which estimated the lines would cost £31bn to build, but would deliver £63bn in economic benefits. With population levels expected to increase by 18m in the next 50 years, Mr Steer said it was implausible for the south east to accommodate them all, meaning that better travel was essential. The overall report predicted trains would be much lighter, allowing faster acceleration and braking. Improved signalling should allow more trains to run closer together, increasing capacity. And high-speed rail should help reduce dependence on domestic air travel. The government outlined a 30-year rail strategy last year which only committed to modest expansion up to 2014. Last year 1.2bn rail journeys were made, a rise of 7.8% and more than at any time since World War II. | 
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