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NORTH EAST RAIL STATEMENT Our Aspirations for Rail Improvements and Investments Over the Next 15 Years

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NORTH EAST RAIL STATEMENT Our Aspirations for Rail Improvements and Investments Over the Next 15 Years NORTH EAST RAIL STATEMENT Our aspirations for rail improvements and investments over the next 15 years. Foreword The North East - the only area of the country with a The current rail infrastructure and levels of services fail to provide the capacity positive balance of trade - has the capacity and to meet demand or enable us to fulfil our economic aspirations for this area of the country. Our priorities therefore are to seek ways of achieving improved credentials to play a much greater role in UK growth. rail connectivity, better journey times, frequency, punctuality, reliability, quality Transport infrastructure, to include high quality, of rolling stock, station facilities and overall customer experience. We give reliable and efficient rail links, is at the heart of achieving focus to workable, practical interventions that will, or have the potential to, the North East’s economic aspirations and in helping address barriers and constraints and deliver tangible benefits and improved re-balance Britain’s economy. outcomes. We are keen to build on our existing relationships and ensure that we are in a strong position to work with the Government, Rail North, Network Rail, HS2, the We are committed to having real and meaningful influence over the provision rail industry and other partners to develop ideas and offer solutions that will of rail services in the North East, across the wider North and in relation to the rest deliver for the North East. We are confident that the experience, expertise and of the country. In this regard, the North East Rail Statement is an important knowledge we have of our local areas can add real value to the statement of intent and sets out our aspirations for future rail improvements and considerations of national policy and decision makers and help foster a positive investments, strongly linked to economic growth potential, over the next 15 year co-production approach. time horizon. 1 North East economy and the national context Britain needs to invest and export around the world. Through the North East LEP and Tees Valley LEP We recognise that frequent and reliable rail services The North East needs reliable and affordable Strategic Economic Plans there are clear proposals fulfil an important societal role in enabling access connections to external markets in order to for creating the right conditions for business growth to employment, education and training as well as maintain and improve its export performance - the and investment across their respective economic social, leisure and healthcare amenities - in many only area of the country with a positive balance of geographies, for developing skills and promoting cases linking areas of need with areas of trade. employment opportunities. They are working hard opportunity. The North East is renowned for its As highlighted in both the North East LEP to take forward ways of attracting new investment, cultural and tourist attractions of national and and Tees Valley LEP Strategic Economic supporting the start up of new businesses and international significance as well as for its wealth Plans, there is compelling evidence that supply chains, activity to develop research of natural assets, including areas of Outstanding transport investment will make the capabilities and learning, and the Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites. Fast, maximum impact on productivity, job commercialisation of new products and processes. efficient, affordable and reliable rail services play creation and GVA where it improves the Our credentials in innovation, new ideas, cutting a vital role in attracting visitors to the area, with North East’s strategic connectivity. edge technologies and industries make the North economic benefits to the whole of the North East as East the place to invest and do business in. We well as to the national economy. Improved links that connect major economic have secured some phenomenal developments in Through strong cross-party political leadership and centres and bring conurbations of strategic engineering and advanced manufacturing, support, we are adopting a strategic approach to economic importance closer together will stimulate chemical, automotive, new and renewable energy, making a compelling case for rail improvements further economic growth. digital industries, life sciences and healthcare. By and investment in support of our economic bringing together its competitive advantages, Internationally, there is substantial evidence that priorities, including tourism and business growth knowledge and expertise, the North East is supports the role of rail in underpinning growth opportunities. In this context, our engagement extremely well placed to make a significant and physical regeneration. Crucial to this, is with national decision-makers will continue to be of contribution to the economic prospects of the achieving synergies and a robust fit between the enormous strategic importance. characteristics and capabilities of rail and the nation. connectivity issues to be addressed. 2 The East Coast Main Line is a key piece of UK’s largest cities faster and in greater comfort and growth in services operating on the ECML. The infrastructure connecting economies along how they will capitalise on investment along the combined effect of these is that they make the the entire length of the route and is vital to route. The InterCity Express Programme provides planning of timetables for long distance services in the competitiveness of the North East - now a great opportunity to address the issue of ageing particular extremely complex. and unsatisfactory rolling stock and the investment and into the future. Over the next 5 year period, there is a desire to by Agility/Hitachi Trains in the North East is a deliver 7 long distance paths out of Kings Cross We are giving a strong focus to the new East Coast tremendous boost for the economy. facilitating improved services to the North East and Main Line (ECML) franchise and are taking forward The introduction of new trains with concurrent increasing capacity. Achieving higher speeds and opportunities to best position the North East to benefits for customer experience, performance, shorter end to end journey times, investment in benefit from investment in High Speed Rail. We are timetable and journey time improvements are all better service quality, punctuality, performance actively engaging with DfT, Network Rail and HS2 key priorities for the North East. Given the quality of and passenger experience are also key priorities. to highlight the importance of securing real and current rolling stock is reducing rapidly, it is critical tangible improvements to the East Coast Main The importance of the ECML as a key economic that new InterCity Express trains, due to come into Line, the inter-operability of HS2 and conventional driver cannot be understated. Improved links service in 2019, are introduced onto the North East rail and the benefits to the North East of released between the North East and Edinburgh and section of the ECML at the earliest opportunity. capacity to the classic network arising from the improved connectivity to the Leeds City Region proposed line of route for HS2 as far as Leeds. Capacity is a key issue given that on much and to the Midlands and London will bring major conurbations together and stimulate further Given the significance of the East Coast Main of the rail network freight and passenger economic growth. Supporting the development Line to the economy of the North East, ANEC has services share the same infrastructure. of freight to and from the region, including links entered into a dialogue with all three shortlisted Projected growth in both passenger with major ports in the North East, is also a key bidders for the next franchise period to outline numbers and in freight tonnage means priority. Connections to the East Coast ports are North East priorities including improved journey that investment in capacity is required to vital for international trade to support a variety of times, improved connections, increased capacity, support growth of the North East’s manufacturing and production sectors. infrastructure investment, station enhancements, economy. higher levels of punctuality, better passenger service experience and the importance of freight The next ECML franchise period can provide real services. We welcome the Government’s scope for the successful operator to increase statement that potential operators will need to capacity. Along the length of the route there are a consider how they intend to use the latest high-tech range of capacity constraints, some of which are trains to deliver more passengers to more of the long standing issues and others as a result of the 3 The East Coast Main Line has suffered from a lack of A growing biotech and life sciences sector in the Research shows that there will be a positive net investment, reducing levels of reliability and quality North East is also creating demand for a new benefit to the Tees Valley, both in terms of of service - which has been thrown into sharp business to business connection from the region passenger numbers and GDP impact, if these focus by comparison with the level of investment to the Cambridge R&D cluster. Important finance improvements for Middlesbrough and Darlington in the West Coast Main Line. The North East Rail and business service sectors also require good are delivered, based solely on existing levels of Statement supports the recent report business-to-business connections; these include demand. commissioned by the East Coast Main Line London, Edinburgh and the Leeds City Region. The case is made even stronger when Authorities Consortium aimed at encouraging Such improvements in connectivity are welcomed consideration is given to the significant investment and finding solutions that will deliver as enhancements to service provision and not at employment, housing and education investment real improvements. As highlighted by ECMA, local the expense of existing linkages. proposals planned across the Tees Valley. These economies served by the ECML rail corridor are We believe that there is an overwhelming are particularly pertinent developments, both in valuable to the UK.
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