A new company is planning to run electric buses and battery-powered trains.<\/p>\n
Go-op, which recently formed as a co-operative, previously received permission to run diesel rail services<\/a> in Somerset and Wiltshire but was unable to secure the necessary funding.<\/p>\n It has now said it wants to create charging hubs for electric buses that serve train stations before developing trains powered solely by batteries.<\/p>\n Operations director Alex Lawrie said the co-operative had “not been ambitious enough” with its previous plans and was committed to developing a service “fit for the 21st Century”.<\/p>\n The co-operative said it intended to convert either former diesel or electric trains to battery power but that the charging hubs had to be established first.<\/p>\n “We had to go back to the drawing board and ask ourselves some very serious questions,” said Lawrie.<\/p>\n “We came to realise we were not being ambitious enough.<\/p>\n “It’s a case of saying, ‘What are the key railway stations in Somerset and possibly Wiltshire’ where we can establish these charging hubs with large scale lineside batteries suitable for a range of public transport options, not just rail.”<\/p>\n He added the co-operative would now begin building a business case to present to Network Rail and the Office of Rail and Road.<\/p>\n Previously, Go-Op said it wanted to “compete with Great Western Railway”<\/a> and offer more stops at stations such as Taunton, Weston-super-Mare, Westbury, Swindon and Frome through use of diesel rolling stock.<\/p>\n For its new venture, Go-op is collaborating with green energy company Ecotricity.<\/p>\n Ecotricity founder Dale Vince said: “We’ve been advocating battery-powered trains for some years now \u2013 by using them we could electrify all of Britain’s train lines and journeys, without the usual incredibly high costs of overhead lines.<\/p>\n “Hopefully, we’ll be able to demonstrate the potential this idea has, working with Go-op and others on this very exciting project.”<\/p>\n Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook<\/a>, X<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630<\/a>.<\/p>\n More on this storyRelated internet links