Motion #08
Given the crisis we are in, we need to create an alternative to air travel. This motion would make it party policy to link HS1 to northbound and westbound railway lines and restart work on the Nightstar and Regional Eurostar trains.
SOC note: The below text has been removed from the motion text and added as background.
We are in a climate crisis. To reduce emissions we need to create alternatives in all sectors, especially transport. The Channel Tunnel is nowhere near capacity, yet when it was built a Night Train and a Eurostar service to the north were promised by the government. Good rail connections remove people from cars and aircraft, as seen in Europe, Japan, China and North America.
It makes commercial and environmental sense to link the ‘Channel Tunnel Rail Link’, also known as ‘High Speed 1’ to North/West bound railway lines (East Coast Main Line, Midland Main Line, West Coast Main Line, Great Western Main Line and possibly HS2).
Eurostar Group has said that its trains will not return to Ebbsfleet and Ashford International stations until 2024 at the earliest and Stratford International has no international services and could provide a London station for services bypassing London St Pancras. All of these stations and more could be served by EuroNight Trains.
It is crucial to create higher speed rail links with our European neighbours. A link between the CTRL and North/West bound rail lines is crucial to levelling up and reducing aircraft usage. Higher-speed, more numerous connections between Great Britain and Continental Europe would trigger a growth in ‘Flygskam’ (Flight Shame). A Night Train connecting Scotland, Wales and Northern England to Central and Southern Europe would create greater links, both economically and socially with the European Union and European Free Trade Association (EFTA).”
Conference Therefore:
· Inserts into the PfSS: ‘TR244’ “The Green Party also supports greater rail links with continental Europe, including linking any North-South High-Speed Line with the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.”
· Inserts into the PfSS: ‘TR245’ into the policy document, Stating “The Green Party supports the creation of international night trains linking Scotland and The North with Western and Central Europe and Scandinavia.”
· Inserts into the PfSS: ‘TR246’ into the policy document, Stating “The Green Party believes that the UK Government should regain its stake in Eurostar Group.”
· Inserts into the PfSS: ‘TR247’ into the policy document, Stating “The Green Party believes all new rail infrastructure should be built to European loading and structural gauge standards and major lines should be retrofitted with the larger European Gauge.”
· Inserts in the PfSS: “The Green Party calls on the Government to begin work on linking the CTRL to North and West bound main lines, and to work with Eurostar Group, European Union, State operators and Network Rail to create a Night Train between London and several European nations by 2030.”