HS2AA RAIL CAPACITY BRIEFING Why HS2 is not needed to solve capacity issues on UK’s railways 9TH September 2013 For more information please contact: Richard Houghton T: 07803 178 037 E:
[email protected] HS2AA Rail Capacity Briefing Contents Page 1. Summary 3 2. Introduction 4 3. Capacity arguments for HS2 fundamentally flawed 4 4. Future Demand 5 5. Scope to Upgrade WCML 6 6. Euston commuter capacity 7 7. Commuter capacity in Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds 8 8. Freight Capacity 8 9. Disruption 8 10. Capacity on other routes 9 Page 2 of 9 HS2AA Rail Capacity Briefing 1. Summary • WCML will not be full by the mid 2020. Network Rail figures shows that, expect for HS1, it is the least crowded main line into and out of London • Future demand on WCML will only come from growth in total transport market as switch from road and air has already happened post upgrade • Nationally number of rail journeys fell in the first quarter of 2013 • Commuter capacity issues into Euston can be solved immediately at no cost by allowing commuters to use Virgin trains • Commuter capacity in Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds will only gain two more trains, on just one route, into each city • HS2 will not provide additional capacity for freight • Disruption caused by 51 alternative would not be comparable with upgrade of WCML • HS2 delivers no benefits to ECML and MML until 2033 at the earliest Page 3 of 9 HS2AA Rail Capacity Briefing 2. Introduction The West Coast Main Line is the least crowded main line to London, and, unlike many other routes, its capacity can be significantly increased by lengthening and reconfiguring the trains, at a fraction of the cost of HS2.