01 02 East Coast Foreword We’re pleased to present these Railway We’ve worked with colleagues from Main Investment Choices for the East Coast across the transport industry and also Main Line railway. The ECML, as we call it, the wider infrastructure planning world is a great British railway – at the cutting – with devolved transport bodies, local Line edge of new rail technologies and steeped and combined authorities, and local in tradition. It’s a national asset vital to enterprise partnerships – to shape a range Route Study the economy of the UK, and investing in of railway improvements that support the its growth is the same as investing in that communities and economies along the economy. length of the ECML route. These are choices Railway investment designed to meet the expected growth From small but effective changes to in demand for rail services, and which choices the current network, to large-scale new promote economic growth – we know that developments, the improvements to the the ECML has untapped potential. rail service set out in this study are all designed to facilitate economic growth. It’s a virtuous circle where the ultimate We plan for the long term, and you’ll find beneficiary is the UK. So we’d encourage all large-scale investment options in this those who want to see an improved railway document that can keep the ECML growing to review these choices and find out more to the 2040s and beyond. But in a world about the improvements that benefit them where public money is in short supply, we and the UK. also need to be able to draw on a range of different funding approaches, and target investment in the near term to set us on the right path for long term growth. That’s why the options we’ve developed here are investment choices. Rob McIntosh Managing Director, Network Rail London North East and East Midlands Route King’s Cross Jo Kaye station front Managing Director, System Operator Network Rail June 2018 ECML Railway Investment Choices ECML Railway Investment Choices June 2018 03 04 Exec summary Summary of choices The East Coast Main Line – ECML – is a It is supported by more detailed analysis The strategy for Over the coming years, in addition to the ‘internal’ challenge of providing reliable fast, high yield route connecting London that can be accessed via links in the pages the ECML can be 41% UK infrastructure and timetables in the face of with the North and Scotland. A third of the that follow. summarised as an ever-growing railway, the ECML will have % UK population lives within 20 minutes of an follows: to respond to two main ‘external’ factors that GDP: ECML station; together they produce 41% The options presented range in scope define the investment choices presented in this of the UK’s GDP. 1 This sort of reach and from relatively small changes to current 1. Evaluate demand study. £570bn economic value means that train operators train services, through to proposals for and define options and local stakeholders are keen to increase new, large scale civil infrastructure that to meet it The first is a steady and constant growth in passengers wanting to commute into major journey opportunities and improve journey can enable new services. The key option urban centres by rail. The second is the experience for their customers. Network types are: 2. Respond to a full introduction of high speed rail connections London Suburban Passenger Growth Rail economic forecasts also show that this range of customer between London and the North, with the trend for increased demand on the ECML • making the best use of the current and funder needs advent of HS2 phase 2 from the 2030s. will continue through to the 2040s.2 system through changes to existing The first forms a challenge that will require near- 2012 to 2023 train services; 3. Invest in a safe and term action in order to meet demand. Options • improvements at hub stations along the In parallel with the resilient railway to increase suburban passenger numbers into need for growth • recommendations that show the need route to make the most of the ECML A third of the UK London are presented below. These include links with the wider network, and to allow requirements, the to complete enhancement schemes 4. Consider using long distance services to help with peak better interaction between local and population lives less ECML infrastructure is already in development; affordability; define demand, and options to provide additional mainline services; ageing, and much of it improvements trains on the Hertford and Moorgate suburban is at, or near capacity • near term solutions supporting in steps branches. • a package of major infrastructure than 20 miles from investments that can unlock: (in terms of the number passenger demand and better New forms of digital train control technology an ECML station of trains per hour able journeys through digital train control 5. Apply digital will be key to enabling these additional trains to • a step change in service provision to use it). Investment technology and the provision of more technologies fit on the network while maintaining timetable across the North, linking the trans- and together they is needed to create reliable infrastructure; including train reliability. Pennine route with York, the Tees Valley, a resilient ECML that control Durham and Newcastle; these form On the other hand, the introduction of HS2 produce almost half can grow in line with • longer term infrastructure options part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail presents long-term opportunities. By providing programme of the UK’s GDP the demands of its that can unlock unexploited 6. Remove bottlenecks fast regular travel from London to Leeds, York customers. And the opportunities, new markets and and the constraints and beyond, HS2 will free up significant overall • journey time savings of over range of rail customers provide a step change in service of mixed traffic capacity. That means that the ECML route can 10 minutes between London is growing, with an increasing number levels. be used to drive better connections and more and Scotland. of devolved transport bodies being 7. Enable higher more journey opportunities. Here, the focus will be Also presented for consideration are proposals established to specify rail services and To shape the investment landscape and uniform speeds on identifying how those opportunities can be for new and improved stations that could unlock commission improvements at a local level. provide a strategic direction to guide developed to encourage economic growth. new markets and drive growth in revenue. the rail industry and local investment 8. Broaden funding 1 Office of National Statistics The role of devolved transport bodies will be These sorts of enhancements get to the heart Gross Value Added So it is in response to changing railway community, the ECML Route Study opportunities, important in this respect: Transport for the of the need to align railway improvements with landscape that the ECML Route Study highlights key strategic themes that need including private North, Midlands Connect, and the combined a broader range of funding streams. Whether 2 Link to Network Rail local authorities whose communities use the Market Studies has been developed, in consultation to be addressed on the route. sector it is in the form of housing development with the rail industry and wider ECML all have visions for how best to promote contributions and commercial returns, or The Department for Transport, infrastructure planning stakeholders. Chief among these are the need for resilient transport improvements to shape growth in through devolved government bodies unlocking as part of the 2017 HLOS, has infrastructure that is reliable, and the use their regions. The TfN Strategic Transport the benefits of growth on local economies – published its expectations for Plan identifies East Coast to Scotland Rail passenger growth over the It builds on the Route Studies previously of digital technology to unlock capacity investment in rail needs to evolve as part of period 2019-2024 and beyond. Connectivity as a Strategic Development published as part of the established and improve customer experience. an innovative future that targets increased These forecasts differ from Corridor; this Route Study is an important part productivity and growth. These and other those used for this route study, Long Term Planning Process, but the of the process of planning future infrastructure but also show continuing objective here is to provide a simpler These are components of a wider issues mean that the investment strategy growth in passenger numbers investment along that corridor. published in this Route Study needs to evolve across the whole network summary of investment choices that a strategy that has been developed and reflect developments that affect the throughout the period. The wider range of potential funders and as part of the consultation process. And to support such aspirations, a range rail industry will continue route: for example the progress of HS2 plans; promoters can use to shape how the railway The need for the ECML to respond to of options that promote economic growth to review growth forecasts through better connections are presented in development of local and regional rail services; and incorporate revised data supports their growth objectives. growth and demand for improvements the NPR Strategic Outline Business Case; and into the strategic planning the study: processes. This document provides a ‘menu’ of has been considered in the light of the the investment priorities in the TfN Strategic enhancement options that have a strategic constraints of the current rail network. • fast suburban services that exploit the Transport Plan. These will all impact on the 3 Click for more information fit with the national network, and can Then, by applying the strategy, a range of speed of the ECML to link people to jobs future choices that funders face.