East Midlands Route Utilisation Strategy February 2010 East Midlands Route Utilisation Strategy February 2010 Network Rail Kings Place 90 York Way London N1 9AG Tel: 020 3356 9595 www.networkrail.co.uk RUS136/February 2010 EMid Cover_Back_and_Spine12mm.indd 1 19/02/2010 16:25 Foreword I am delighted to present Network Rail’s Route Resignalling Scheme and journey time Utilisation Strategy (RUS) for the East improvements on the Midland Main Line. Midlands. This contains recommendations for a A number of ‘gaps’ were identified through key part of the rail network to 2019, and gives this process and options to address these an indication of the strategy after that date. gaps were then appraised. Those which demonstrated the best value for money are Publication comes at an important time for included in the strategy. passengers on this route following the establishment of the Network RUS: Whilst the issues vary across the RUS area, Electrification which set out the case for the an emerging trend has been identified on a electrification of the Midland Main Line, along number of key corridors where a combination with the ongoing work across the industry on of rolling stock allocation; the limitations of the the case for new high speed lines. existing infrastructure; growth projections for both freight and passenger traffic; and the It is also set against a background of continued desire for improved connectivity and reduced passenger growth, with every indication journey times are likely to drive significant pointing to even stronger growth in the longer change over the next 10 years. These include term. Demand forecasts produced for the RUS the Midland Main Line, and the corridors predict an average growth of 28 percent in between Birmingham, Derby and Chesterfield, passenger numbers between London and the and Peterborough, Oakham, Leicester and rest of the RUS area over the 10 years to 2019, Nuneaton. Between Lincoln and Nottingham, whilst the market for travel between the flat crossing at Newark represents a major Birmingham and the RUS area is expected to constraint to both the development of the local increase by as much as 40 percent over the passenger service and freight growth. same period. The RUS was initially published as a draft for Both the Midland Main Line from London to consultation in August 2009. The issues raised Sheffield via Leicester, Derby and Nottingham have influenced the final strategy in a number and, at the southern end, the core section of of areas and I would like to thank all those who the Thameslink route from St Pancras responded. Network Rail has led the production International to Blackfriars fall within the scope of this RUS, however it has been developed of the strategy, as well as other lines in the with the full input of the rest of the industry, East Midlands. including passenger and freight train operators, Development of the strategy has followed a Passenger Focus and others. I thank them all now well-established process. Initially, an for their contribution. analysis was carried out into the capacity and capability of the existing network and train services. Future demand was then analysed, Iain Coucher taking into account any major changes planned Chief Executive to the network or services over the next 10 years, including major schemes such as the Thameslink Programme, the East Midlands 2 3 Foreword I am delighted to present Network Rail’s Route Resignalling Scheme and journey time Utilisation Strategy (RUS) for the East improvements on the Midland Main Line. Midlands. This contains recommendations for a A number of “Gaps” were identified through key part of the rail network to 2019, and gives this process and options to address these an indication of the strategy after that date. gaps were then appraised. Those which demonstrated the best value for money are Publication comes at an important time for included in the strategy. passengers on this route following the establishment of the Network RUS: Whilst the issues vary across the RUS area, an Electrification which set out the case for the emerging trend has been identified on a electrification of the Midland Main Line, along number of key corridors where a combination with the ongoing work across the industry on of rolling stock allocation; the limitations of the the case for new high speed lines. existing infrastructure; growth projections for both freight and passenger traffic; and the It is also set against a background of continued desire for improved connectivity and reduced passenger growth, with every indication journey times are likely to drive significant pointing to even stronger growth in the longer change over the next 10 years. These include term. Demand forecasts produced for the RUS the Midland Main Line, and the corridors predict an average growth of 28 percent in between Birmingham, Derby and Chesterfield, passenger numbers between London and the and Peterborough, Oakham, Leicester and rest of the RUS area over the 10 years to 2019, Nuneaton. Between Lincoln and Nottingham, whilst the market for travel between the flat crossing at Newark represents a major Birmingham and the RUS area is expected to constraint to both the development of the local increase by as much as 40 percent over the passenger service and freight growth. same period. The RUS was initially published as a Draft for Both the Midland Main Line from London to Consultation in August 2009. The issues raised Sheffield via Leicester, Derby and Nottingham have influenced the final strategy in a number and, at the southern end, the core section of of areas and I would like to thank all those who the Thameslink route from St Pancras responded. Network Rail has led the production International to Blackfriars fall within the scope of this RUS, however it has been developed of the strategy, as well as other lines in the with the full input of the rest of the industry, East Midlands. including passenger and freight train operators, Development of the strategy has followed a Passenger Focus and others. I thank them all now well-established process. Initially, an for their contribution. analysis was carried out into the capacity and capability of the existing network and train services. Future demand was then analysed, Iain Coucher taking into account any major changes planned Chief Executive to the network or services over the next 10 years, including major schemes such as the Thameslink Programme, the East Midlands 3 i.2756 East Mids Book.indb 3 19/02/2010 17:38 Executive summary Introduction All passenger and freight services that use The rail network in the East Midlands serves a these routes for part or all of their journeys are diverse set of markets ranging from long considered, including those from London St distance and commuter travel into London, Pancras International and the West Midlands to commuting and leisure travel into the three the East Midlands and South Yorkshire; cities of Derby, Leicester and Nottingham, a between Bedford, Luton, St Albans and central mixture of long distance and commuter travel London; between the West Midlands and East on the interurban services that pass through Anglia via Leicester and Peterborough; from the region, and more rural, lightly used services Liverpool to Norwich via Manchester, Sheffield in the east. The Midland Main Line (MML) and Nottingham; and local services within the connects much of the East Midlands, one of the East Midlands. fastest growing English regions, along with the The East Midlands RUS considers the northern half of the Thameslink corridor, with interventions required to address the gap London. The network is also of vital importance between current rail provision and anticipated to freight, particularly as part of the intermodal future demand over a 10-year horizon between network, in supplying coal fired power stations 2009 and 2019. The longer-term vision over 30 and providing aggregates to the major years is also considered. construction projects in the south east, such as the London 2012 Olympic Games. Committed schemes Network Rail’s Delivery Plan for Control Period Scope and background 4 (CP4), from 2009 to 2014, sets out the plan This East Midlands Route Utilisation Strategy for delivering improvements in the safety, (RUS) recommends an industry strategy for reliability and capacity of the railway system accommodating the growing demands on the required by the Government’s High Level railway over the next 10 years and sets out the Output Specification and some other high vision for the route over the longer term. It value-for-money projects. presents a completely updated analysis of the rail network in the East Midlands, superceding The plan includes measures to increase the MML/East Midlands RUS published by the capacity through train lengthening, remodel Strategic Railway Authority in March 2004. In Nottingham station to improve performance, accordance with the agreed process, the enhance the capability of the infrastructure on strategy has been developed in conjunction the MML to deliver faster journey times, and with rail industry stakeholders and wider enhance freight capability. stakeholders have been consulted. It also includes major projects such as the This RUS broadly covers the geographical area Thameslink Programme which will deliver from London Blackfriars and London St 12-car trains on the Bedford – Brighton Pancras International via Leicester, Derby and corridor, with new rolling stock introduced Nottingham to Tapton Jn (Chesterfield). It also during CP4. includes the other lines in the East Midlands National initiatives such as the Seven Day Region that are not covered by other RUSs. Railway Programme and the Strategic Freight 4 i.2756 East Mids Book.indb 4 19/02/2010 17:38 Network (SFN) also form part of the CP4 Longer-term forecasts have been developed as Delivery Plan and those committed schemes part of the SFN process and incorporated into applicable to the East Midlands have also been the RUS analysis.