Fully electrify the Midland Main Line to Leicester, Nottingham, and Sheffield — 6 signatures. Status: rejected.
The DfT has paused Midland Main Line wiring, leaving it 5 miles short of Leicester. This wastes millions and keeps Sheffield as the UK's largest city without electric rail. Bi-mode diesel is an expensive half-measure. We call on the DfT to fully fund the entire route to Sheffield now.
As a lot of people may know, the DfT paused Midland Main Line wiring just five miles short of Leicester at South Wigston. This short-sighted halt leaves roughly £30 million of already-installed infrastructure completely dead in a field. Furthermore, it forces train drivers to execute highly stressful, precisely timed on-the-move power changeovers at 100 mph. Relying on bi-mode diesel power is an expensive, lazy half-measure.
View this petition on the official UK Parliament website