Latest news: £9billion boost to UK railways

The government announced this week that £9.4billion will be set aside to improve railways in England and Wales. 19/07/2012

This is potentially excellent news for engineering and manufacturing graduates, as more skilled workers could be required nationwide.

The upgrades include a rebuild of London’s Waterloo platforms, which will cost around £350million, a series of projects around Manchester worth £322million and a high-capacity ‘electric spine’ connecting Yorkshire to the south coast.

Prime minister, David Cameron called the proposal 'the biggest modernisation of our railways since the Victorian era’.

He added, ‘This investment means faster journeys, more seats, better access to stations, greater freight links and a truly world-class rail network.’

Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said, ‘This is going to be an improvement across the whole network. It will also lead to improvements in railway station infrastructure, new carriages and new rolling stock.

‘That in turn of course will boost British manufacturing as well, because British companies will be able to bid for the thousands of contracts that flow from this announcement.’

Secretary of transport, Justine Greening, echoed that statement, saying that the investment will ‘deliver an affordable, reliable and faster railway network that will drive jobs and growth’.

Construction work on the rail projects will not start until 2014 and plans for redevelopment run until 2019.