The three main political parties have a more positive attitude to rail than for many years, campaigner Railfuture Chris Austin has found after studying their manifestos.
There is also a “surprising degree of agreement” between the parties, at least on the principles, if not on the detail, he concludes.
On high-speed rail plans, both Labour and Conservatives have committed to planning extensions.
They also agree, in principle, on fares regulation, electrification, continued investment in the classic network and on backing away from road pricing.
Labour’s plans, with its experience in Government, include more detail, while the Liberal Democrats show relatively little detail, considering the work they have put in on previous party policy papers.
There remain some questions over funding the proposals, although the Liberal Democrats do indicate how some of their rail investment proposals are to be funded, through taxation on flights and heavy goods vehicles.
Nevertheless, all three manifestos set out an encouraging and expansionist programme for rail.
Of particular interest is the reference to protecting the formation of closed lines (Conservative), and to reopening lines (Liberal Democrat) as well as to encouraging mutual or not-for-profit companies to enter the franchising market (Labour).
You can download a short summary of the three manifestos party manifestos 64Kb