ITEM 1 TRANSPORT COMMITTEE NEWS 07 MARCH 2000 This report may be of interest to: All Members and Parish/Neighbourhood Councils RAIL UPDATE Accountable Officer: John Inman Author: Stephen Mortimer 1. Purpose 1.1 To advise the Committee of developments relating to Milton Keynes’ rail services. 2. Summary 2.1 West Coast Main Line Modernisation and Upgrade is now in the active planning stage. It will result in faster and more frequent train services between Milton Keynes Central and London, and between Milton Keynes Central and points north. Bletchley and Wolverton will also have improved services to London. 2.2 Funding for East-West Rail is now being sought from the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority (SSRA) for the western end of the line (Oxford-Bedford). Though the SSRA have permitted a bid only for a 60 m.p.h. single-track railway, excluding the Aylesbury branch and upgrade of the Marston Vale (Bedford-Bletchley) line, other Railtrack investment and possible developer contributions (yet to be investigated) may allow these elements to be included, as well as perhaps a 90 m.p.h. double- track railway. As this part of East-West Rail already exists, no form of planning permission is required; however, Transport and Works Act procedures are to be started to build the missing parts of the eastern end of the line. 2.3 New trains were introduced on the Marston Vale line, Autumn 1999. A study of the passenger accessibility of Marston Vale stations identified various desirable improvements, for which a contribution of £10,000 is required from this Council. 2.4 Local and country bus services in Milton Keynes are being increasingly transferred from the Central Bus Station to the Central railway station forecourt. Through rail- to-bus ticketing on to MK Metro, and possibly Arriva and Red Rose contract bus services in Milton Keynes, are to be introduced in 2000. ITEM PAGE 1 D:\1999-00\enl_Report_199366_NEWS_ITEM_1.doc 3. Recommendations 3.1 That the contents of this report be noted. 3.2 That officers pursue the possibility of redeveloping Bletchley station as part of the Bletchley town centre regeneration project, and press Railtrack and Silverlink for improvements at Wolverton station. 3.3 That Milton Keynes Council continues to be a member of the East-West Rail Consortium, at an annual cost of £5000 for the next three years, the money to come from within an existing budget. 3.4 That a contribution of £10,000 be made in financial year 2000/2001 towards the cost of implementing the passenger access improvements recommended for the Marston Vale railway stations in Milton Keynes. 4. Background 4.1 The following rail projects have implications for Milton Keynes; (a) West Coast Main Line Modernisation and Upgrade (b) East-West Rail (c) Marston Vale Railway Development (d) Bus-Rail Integration Each of these is dealt with in turn below. 5. Issues and Choices A. West Coast Main Line Modernisation and Upgrade 5.1 The proposals from Virgin and Railtrack would result in a sequence of trains calling at Milton Keynes Central in the same half-hour period during each hour for most of the day. This would give Milton Keynes improved services to/from the West Midlands, North-west England, North Wales and Scotland. However, the increased number of Virgin trains and the apparent requirement to leave a few fast track train paths free for new operators (including Eurostar) means that Silverlink’s fast Euston-Milton Keynes Central-Northampton trains would have to transfer to the slow tracks. This would result in fast, semi-fast and stopping trains using the same tracks, with consequent increased journey times for the fast trains. With the increased number of trains on the slow tracks, there would also be little scope to cater for any growth in demand, and little flexibility to allow for late- running. This Council has therefore joined with Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, ITEM PAGE 2 D:\1999-00\enl_Report_199366_NEWS_ITEM_1.doc Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire County Councils in backing Silverlink’s campaign to retain its existing paths on the fast tracks. This would necessitate Silverlink acquiring new fast trains speed-compatible with Virgin’s fast trains; an add-on to the Virgin tilting train order could provide them. To put Silverlink in a position to fund these trains would require an extension to their franchise, which they are now negotiating. 5.2 Railtrack’s recent Strategic Capacity Review outlined alternative scenarios as to how the increasing demand would be catered for by the Upgrade. Only one scenario (Scenario3), by incorporating a grade-separated flying junction for the Northampton loop line at Hanslope, plus two additional fast track platforms at Watford Junction, enables Silverlink fast (new tilting) trains to remain on the fast tracks without restricting the expansion envisaged by Virgin and other north-of- Rugby services. With the fast Silverlink services not needing to use the slow tracks, the capacity freed would give the flexibility and potential for growth required by the increasing demand for travel to/from places between Milton Keynes and Watford. A November 1999 meeting in Milton Keynes of local authorities and others along the Watford-Rugby stretch of the main line demonstrated general preference for Scenario 3. On 15-12-99, Railtrack announced that they would now be planning to retain Silverlink fast trains on the fast tracks. A 20-12-99 Silverlink press release confirmed this, and also stated that Siverlink would be buying fast Virgin-compatible tilting trains as well as paying for the Hanslope flying junction. 5.3 Prior to modernisation and upgrade, Railtrack have carried out remedial improvement work at Bletchley and Wolverton stations. Thus, for example, Bletchley has received a new footbridge and platform facilities; and the car park and platforms have been improved at Wolverton. As this work is only intended to make good existing infrastructure, additional improvements continue to be asked for, e.g., for a station building and improved access to Stratford Road and to the northbound platform at Wolverton. A recent meeting between Silverlink’s Managing Director and representatives of Wolverton Partnership and Wolverton and Greenleys Neighbourhood Council reviewed further desirable improvements at Wolverton station. (Other possible developments at Bletchley station are noted at paragraph 5.10). 5.4 At Milton Keynes Central, track reorganisation will be required as part of the upgrade. To accommodate the additional trains, the current bay platform will become a through platform, which means that trains terminating from the south will no longer need to cross the through southbound tracks, with consequent increased capacity made available. Ahead of the upgrade, a new Virgin waiting area is being installed. B. East-West Rail 5.5 A series of high level discussions between the East-West Rail Consortium and officials of Railtrack, the D.E.T.R. and OPRAF have resulted in a revised business case being prepared for the project. This recommends implementation being phased, with the western section (Oxford/Aylesbury-Bedford) being brought into use first, because no Transport and Works Act procedures are needed, this part of the route already being an operational (albeit in parts mothballed) railway. A pre- qualification application to OPRAF for Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) funding for this section was submitted by the consortium Summer 1999. In September 1999 ITEM PAGE 3 D:\1999-00\enl_Report_199366_NEWS_ITEM_1.doc OPRAF (which by then had become the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority, or SSRA) indicated that the project was eligible for RPP funding by inviting the Consortium to make a formal bid. However, the SSRA stipulated that the bid should be for a single-track 60 m.p.h. railway Oxford-Bletchley, excluding the Aylesbury link and not incorporating an upgrade of the Bletchley-Bedford (Marston Vale) line. Though not the Consortium’s preferred option, if approved, this could pave the way for subsequent improvements ultimately resulting in the full East-West Rail scheme. The developments outlined in paragraphs 5.6-5.8 below, plus possible developer contributions, may allow the Consortium to use the RPP money (if approved) to obtain the preferred full two-track 90 m.p.h. option, including the Aylesbury branch and upgrade of the Marston Vale line. 5.6 In the meantime, Railtrack are proceeding with a project to reactivate the wartime sidings at Swanbourne as a ballast distribution centre. It is intended that a single track, laid to 60 m.p.h. passenger standard will replace the existing disused track between Bletchley and Swanbourne, positioned so that any second track required for East-West Rail can be laid alongside it. Railtrack expect this to be in place by March 2000, so that a ballast train can be parked there daytimes from that date on. The next stage will be to relay eight of the sidings so that Swanbourne can become a major ballast distribution centre for the West Coast Main Line between London and the West Midlands. Railtrack are already discussing this with Buckinghamshire and Aylesbury Vale District Councils’ planning departments, though as the sidings are legally operational railway land, permitted development applies. Four-to-five train movements each way per day are anticipated, almost invariably being during normal working hours. This Council’s planning section is being consulted on the environmental implications of this, particularly as affecting West Bletchley. 5.7 The third stage of the development is to introduce additional facilities, including ballast-cleaning. This necessitates acquisition of part of an adjacent field, and negotiations have already started with the farmer. Transport and Works Act procedures would be required. If all goes to schedule, the project should be completed by 2002. It would provide East-West Rail with some of its required infrastructure, i.e., the new track between Bletchley and Swanbourne, and by virtue of Swanbourne’s location would make reconstruction and maintenance of East- West Rail easier to carry-out.