In an interview with the newspaper, Network Rail Chief Executive Mark Carne said that electrifying lines was “not necessarily the best way” to improve punctuality, cut delays and boost capacity. According to the article, he said that technology is advancing at such a pace that better reliability could be achieved without the construction of overhead cables. Transport correspondent Graeme Paton says that there are large numbers of hybrid trains being build and battery-powered trains are also being developed. He says other countries are pushing ahead with rolling stock run on hydrogen and liquefied natural gas as an alternative to diesel engines.
We've read it in: The Times, March 25 2017, Page 49
