Delivering a better railway for a better Britain Network Specification 2017 Wales Network Specification: March 2017 Network Rail – Network Specification: Wales 02 Wales Incorporating Strategic Routes: L: Wales and This Network Specification describes the Wales Route in its There are also a number of other supporting documents that Borders geographical context and provides a summary of the infrastructure present specific strategies including: that is available for passenger and freight operators. It identifies Scenarios and Long Distance Forecasts – published in June 2009. the key markets for passenger and freight services by Strategic • The document considers how demand for long distance rail Route Sections (SRS). The SRSs cover specific sections of the route services, both passenger and freight, might be impacted by four and are published as appendices to this document. They describe in alternative future scenarios greater detail the current and future requirements of each SRS to inform both internal and external stakeholders of our future • Electrification Strategy – published October 2009 presents a strategy. strategy for further electrification of the network. Work is ongoing to refresh the Strategy in the light of committed Control This Network Specification draws upon the supporting evidence Period 5 electrification schemes, the ‘Electric Spine’ development from the Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) process which informs the project and the formation of a ‘Task Force’ to consider further strategy to 2019, and the emerging findings from the Long Term electrification opportunities across the North of England. Planning Process (LTPP) which looks ahead 10 and 30 years. Stations – published in August 2011. This strategy considered the As part of the LTPP, four Market Studies have been established, • pedestrian capacity of stations on the network. It sets out a covering the following markets: process for considering congestion at stations and proactively • Long Distance passenger reviewing congestion across the network • Regional urban passenger • Passenger Rolling Stock and Depots – published in September 2011. This strategy takes a long term view of future passenger London and South East passenger • rolling stock and infrastructure to establish whether there may • Freight. be opportunities to plan the railway more efficiently The Market Studies look at the strategic goals of the transport • Alternative Solutions for Delivering Passenger Demand sector as a whole and those circumstances where rail can contribute Efficiently – published in July 2013. This RUS has developed a to those goals, before forecasting future passenger and freight strategy which presents a number of alternative solutions to demand over the next 30 years. The studies then articulate a series carrying the future demand for rail passengers on some parts of of service level Conditional Outputs to meet the Strategic Goals, the network more cost effectively. accommodating the forecast demand. The Market Studies are informing a series of Route Studies disaggregated nationally by Network Rail’s devolved Routes. You can find out more about the Long Term Planning Process here: The Welsh Route Study was published in March 2016. It has https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/long-term- developed demand forecasts and Conditional Outputs for flows planning/ wholly within the Wales Route, and seeks to accommodate these and the cross border Conditional Outputs from the Market Studies onto the Network; firstly by making best use of existing capacity and secondly through infrastructure intervention where there is an affordable and value for money business case for doing so. It provides choices for funders and will be a key part of the evidence base for the CP6 High Level Output Specification (HLOS). Network Specification: March 2017 Network Rail – Network Specification: Wales 03 Wales Route context The South Wales Main Line runs between Swansea, Cardiff, Newport and Severn Tunnel Junction. There is a mix of long distance Across Wales train services to Holyhead, London, Manchester and Nottingham There are three major west-east routes in Wales, one in south Wales (via Birmingham), as well as interurban services to Bristol, which continues to Bristol Parkway and to London Paddington, one Gloucester, the south coast and the west country. in mid Wales which continues to the West Midlands, and one in The Valley Lines network consists of the Maesteg, Treherbert, north Wales which continues to Chester, Crewe, Warrington Bank Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhymney, Ebbw Vale, City Line, Cardiff Quay and Manchester Piccadilly with connections to the West Coast Bay, Penarth, Barry and Vale of Glamorgan Lines. This is a Main Line. These are all linked by a north-south route along the commuter railway network and the two stations in Cardiff namely border counties which lies mainly in England but also weaves in and Cardiff Central and Cardiff Queen Street are the hubs. out of Wales – this is the spine of the network which connects the south, mid and north to each other. As part of CASR, additional capacity has been provided which includes the redoubling of the single track Trefforest Curve between When considered together, these routes form the basis of the Cardiff West Junction and Penarth Curve North Junction, improving national network in Wales which provides good connectivity within capacity on the City Line. Additional platforms at Cardiff Central, Wales and with the economic hubs at Birmingham, Bristol, London, Cardiff Queen Street, Caerphilly, Barry and Pontypridd; allowing for Manchester and the Thames Valley. The network also serves the an additional four trains per hour to traverse the core section main UK – Ireland ports at Holyhead, Pembroke Dock and between Cardiff Central and Cardiff Queen Street during the peak. Fishguard. And a new passing loop at Tir Phil on the Rhymney Line which South East Wales enables a half hourly frequency to Rhymney. This is the most densely populated area in Wales and it is well The Wales Route works very closely with the Welsh Government to served by a mix of long distance services as well as urban commuter identify options for meeting the growth in demand on the Valley services which are referred to as the Valley Lines network. The Welsh Lines network. In 2013 a new station was opened on the Rhymney Government has funded enhancements to the network which Line at Energlyn and Churchill Park, in 2014, a new station at Pye means that more frequent services now run on some lines. Corner opened on the Ebbw Vale branch, and in 2015 an extension of the Ebbw Vale line to an additional station at Ebbw Vale Town Since 2005, two new commuter railway lines have reopened for was delivered, all funded by the Welsh Government. passenger use in south east Wales – the Vale of Glamorgan line and the Ebbw Vale line. These lines are part of the Valley Lines network Control Period 5 will see the electrification of the Great Western and services operate at an hourly frequency. The growth in demand Main Line from London Paddington to Cardiff. Intercity Express has been exceptionally strong with train lengthening taking place Programme (IEP) services will be introduced between Swansea, on some journeys. Cardiff and London, bi-mode trains. In Control Period 5 (CP5), there has been significant investment in As part of the procurement of the next Wales and Borders franchise, the railway in south east Wales. The Newport Area Resignalling which will commence in October 2018, Welsh Government and Scheme was completed in CP4 and the Cardiff Area Resignalling Transport for Wales are assessing options for how they will Scheme (CASR) has been completed in CP5. These schemes are the modernise the Core Valley Lines network north of Cardiff Central key to improving the asset condition, capability and performance of including the line to Cardiff Bay. It is anticipated that the the railway. programme of work will be announced in early 2018, with modernisation works being delivered during CP6. Network Specification: March 2017 Network Rail – Network Specification: Wales 04 Wales West and Mid Wales The Marches and North Wales In west Wales, the spine of the network is the South Wales Main The Marches line is the spine of the national network, as it connects Line which serves Swansea, Llanelli, Carmarthen, Whitland and south Wales with north Wales, weaving across the border counties Clarbeston Road. of Herefordshire and Shropshire. It is a two track railway with mainly semaphore signalling. The Pembroke and Tenby Branch Line, the Milford Haven Branch Line and the Fishguard Branch feed into the South Wales Main Line At Shrewsbury, the line diverges to Crewe and Manchester in one to provide through services to Swansea, Cardiff and Manchester. direction and to Wrexham, Chester and north Wales in the other direction. The area is served by a mixture of interurban services and rural services, with the most frequent services running between Milford The North Wales Coast Line connects Holyhead, Bangor, Haven, Carmarthen and Swansea with onward through journeys to Llandudno, Conwy and Flint with Chester, which is an important Cardiff, Newport, Hereford, Shrewsbury and Manchester. interchange for passengers. The Blaenau Ffestiniog branchline connects with the North Wales Coast Line at Llandudno Junction. The first phase of Port Talbot West resignalling is taking place in CP5. The route from Chester to Llandudno Junction will be resignalled in CP5. In mid Wales, the Cambrian Line and the Heart of Wales Line serve the rural market. The Wrexham to Bidston line connects with the Merseyrail service at Bidston on the Wirral, providing an interchange for passengers The Cambrian Line runs from Shrewsbury to Machynlleth, Dovey travelling to and from Birkenhead and Liverpool. The line also serves Junction and Aberystwyth, and the Cambrian Coast Line runs from Deeside which is an Enterprise Zone and a major employment area Machynlleth to Dovey Junction, Barmouth and Pwllheli. These are for people in north east Wales and Chester. predominantly single line railways with passing loops.