Important to do the same for disused canals, many of which could be re-opened and are a valuable amenity for boaters, walkers and fishermen in particular.

C Elliot, reigate, uk

This is a very good idea indeed: the closure of railway lines in the 1960s was a disastrously irresponsible and misconcieved exercise which is in desperate need of being reversed. All too many local railway trackbeds that were closed in the 1960s that could be of extremely great use to-day (such as the route between West Drayton and Uxbridge, or between Marlow and Beconsfield) have already been built over.

James E. Petts, Burnham, England

Please add the York to Beverley line as highlighted in the 0810 Slot on the BBC's Today programme last August to your list.

The Minsters' Rail Campaign is currently attempting to get key sections the route, plotted by the local authority's engineers Carl Bro Group, protected through the Local Development Framework process.

The East Riding is the third fastest growing area of the country so these sections around the towns need protecting from the very type of development the line might make sustainable on the congested A1079 Corridor.

The scheme is supported by Rt Hon Alan Johnston MP amongst others and Lord Haskins.

Philip Taylor, Pocklington, UK

A political leopard changes its spots - and not a moment too soon!

Chris Phillips, Bath, England

FINALLY!
Some common sense and an approach to Transport not based upon the 'Global warming Tax and Lie ' principle

Ben, London,

GOod luck with that. We found out the hard way in Massachusetts. Reopening a former communting rail line in the "south Shore" area ended up costing nearly $150ml after all the 'Not-In-My-Back-Yard' lawsuitso

RIchard, Boston, Massachusetts

What a welcome show of common sense by the Conservatives.
Anyone seeing the constant flow of HGV juggernauts over Woodhead would reopen that route immediately but a planned freight route was thrown out by Parliament some time ago including Tory MPs if I remember correctly.
The southern routes especially around Milton Keynes should also be given immediate action but when planning battles start we will wait years for any results.
The French mothball any line they close for about ten years but such an approach was anathema to Tory and Labour governments.
We wait in hope!

Tony Quirke, Laity, Helston, Cornwall

This reminds me of the rubber highway a company called HoldFast launched last year to turn old rail lines into reversible relief roads and light rail routes using waste rubber. They have been campaigning to save old rail lines - their site is at www.rubberhighways.com.

Natasha, Ager, UK