Agenda Item No COUNTY COUNCIL

ENVIRONMENT, PLANNING AND TRANSPORT CABINET PANEL 6

WEDNESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2016, AT 10.00 AM

WEST MIDLANDS & CHILTERNS ROUTE STUDY

Report of the Chief Executive and Director of Environment

Author: Trevor Mason (Tel: 01992 556117)

Executive Member: Derrick Ashley, Executive Member for Environment, Planning & Transport

Local Members: Ralph Sangster - Chris Hayward -

1. Purpose of Report

1.1 To consider the County Council’s response to Network Rail’s draft West Midlands & Chilterns Route Study.

2. Summary

2.1 The draft West Midlands & Chilterns Route Study has been published by Network Rail for consultation, with comments requested by 22 September.

2.2 Whilst the majority of the study area is outside of Hertfordshire, there are some implications for Rickmansworth and Chorleywood stations.

3. Recommendation

3.1 For the Cabinet Panel to acknowledge and comment on the draft consultation response as set out in Appendix 1.

4. Background

4.1 Network Rail produces a series of route studies as part of its long-term planning process. The route studies set out options for investment for the period up to 2043.

4.2 The purpose of the studies is “to provide an evidence base to inform funders considering rail industry investment for the medium and long term”. In this context the ‘funder’ is often, but not exclusively, the Department for Transport.

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4.3 Due to the radial rail network in the county, Hertfordshire is covered by five route studies. The Anglia and East Midlands route studies were published as final reports in March 2016. The studies for the East Coast, West Coast and West Midlands & Chilterns are all in various stages of development.

4.4 The draft study for West Midlands & Chilterns was published on 4 July, and is open to consultation until 22 September. The documents can be found on Network Rail’s website at http://www.networkrail.co.uk/long-term-planning-process/West-Midlands- and- Chilterns-Route-Study/ .

4.5 Following consultation, the final Route Strategy is expected to be published in Autumn 2016.

5. The Route in Hertfordshire

5.1 The Hertfordshire section represents only a small percentage of the area covered by the study, being restricted to the length of the to London Marylebone line running through Chorleywood and Rickmansworth.

5.2 This section of track is formally part of ’s infrastructure, but is used by Chilterns Trains and hence included in Network Rail’s route study. The current Chilterns franchise runs until 2021.

To Aylesbury

Watford (Met)

Chorleywood Rickmansworth Croxley

Moor Park

Stations and lines To London Marylebone covered by Route Study

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5.3 Current passenger numbers for Rickmansworth and Chorleywood are 3.2 million and 1.7 million respectively, of which 0.8 million and 0.7 million are on Chiltern services, and the remainder are on London Underground services.

6. Current Train Services

6.1 The Chilterns train service is approximately half-hourly to Aylesbury and London Marylebone. There is a total of 35 services per day in each direction Mondays to Fridays, 34 on Saturdays and 26 on Sunday (when there is an hourly service during the middle of the day). Journey time from Rickmansworth to London Marylebone is typically 29 minutes.

6.2 For comparison, Metropolitan trains from Rickmansworth to Baker Street take 37 minutes, with six trains per hour in the off-peak.

7. Predicted Growth

7.1 Peak hour demand into London Marylebone is predicted to grow by 22% by 2023 and 76% by 2043. For the two Hertfordshire stations, the current peak hour (07.59 – 08.59) seat utilisation of 100 -140% is expected to increase to 140% - 200% by 2043.

8. Implications for Hertfordshire

8.1 The Route Strategy has two issues which directly affected Hertfordshire: • Train lengthening; • Electrification.

8.2 Option ”S6 Train lengthening for the Aylesbury service group” proposes increasing the length of trains to provide additional capacity, but notes that “calling patterns at will have to be altered to avoid an infrastructure intervention to make the station 6-car capable”.

8.3 Electrification of the route includes the technical difficulty of the London Underground third rail section, which may require dual-voltage trains or other technical solution.

9. Hertfordshire County Council’s Aspirations

9.1 The County Council’s Rail Strategy sets out the following priorities in relation to this route: 3

• to secure commitments for the inclusion of longer trains and higher capacity rolling stock in the next Chiltern franchise (2021).

• To improve local connections and exploit Watford growth hub, develop plans for a future Aylesbury-Watford Chiltern diesel service via a reinstated Amersham Chord,

9.3 The longer trains aspiration is included in Option S6, but currently with negative implications for train services at Rickmansworth. The introduction of Watford to Amersham services is not covered in the Route Study.

10. Proposed Response

10.1 The proposed response is set out in Appendix 1.

10.2 The key points are: • Opposing train lengthening if this means that service levels at Rickmansworth are reduced;

• Seeking assurance that any future electrification will include the route through Hertfordshire;

• Raising the county council’s aspirations for a future Watford Junction to Aylesbury service.

11. Next Steps

11.1 Following comments from the Panel, the final response will be agreed with the Executive Member.

12. Financial Implications

12.1 The final Route Strategy will set out Network Rail’s options of infrastructure improvements for the rail industry to consider funding. There would be no direct financial implication for the county council unless it chose to sponsor a particular scheme.

12.2 The draft Route Study has no financial implications for the county council

13. Equalities Implications

13.1 When considering proposals placed before Members it is important that they are fully aware of, and have themselves rigorously considered the equality implications of the decision that they are making.

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13.2 Rigorous consideration will ensure that proper appreciation of any potential impact of that decision on the County Council’s statutory obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty. As a minimum this requires decision makers to read and carefully consider the content of any Equalities Impact Assessment (EQiA) produced by officers.

13.3 The Equality Act 2010 requires the County Council when exercising its functions to have due regard to the need to (a) eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and other conduct prohibited under the Act; (b) advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it and (c) foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it. The protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 are age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation.

Background

West Midlands & Chilterns Route Study – Draft for Consultation (Network Rail July 2016)

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Appendix 1 Proposed Response to the Route Study Consultation

The county council has particular interest in those parts of the Route Study that directly affect stations in Hertfordshire i.e. Rickmansworth and Chorleywood.

Train Lengthening

Aspirations for improvements to the Hertfordshire rail network are set out in the county council’s Rail Strategy. This includes a call for longer trains to provide additional capacity on the Marylebone to Aylesbury services. Therefore the county council welcomes in principle Option S6 which provides for train lengthening. However, it is concerned that the option as it stands would have an adverse effect on the number of trains serving Rickmansworth. The current service pattern of two trains per hour is below the county council’s general aspirations of four trains per hour at all stations on routes serving London.

The county council therefore opposes Option S6 unless the proposals can be modified to ensure that service levels at Rickmansworth are not reduced.

Electrification

The county council supports electrification of the Chilterns routes as this will provide a better comfort level for passengers. It is noted that the Hertfordshire section includes the existing London Underground third-rail route.

The county council therefore seeks assurances that any future electrification of the Chiltern routes would not exclude the Amersham route due to technical difficulties of having two electrical supply systems.

New Services

The Extension scheme will link Watford Junction to the Metropolitan Line by 2020. The county council has aspirations to use this new infrastructure to provide a new service from Watford Junction to Aylesbury via the Watford North curve.

The county council therefore requests that options for using the Watford North curve to provide future new rail services between Watford and Aylesbury are included in the Route Study.

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