Network Route Utilisation Strategy

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The Network Route Utilisation Strategy (Network RUS) is a Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) produced by Network Rail (NR). The Network RUS is one of only two (the Freight RUS is the other) which have the perspective of the network as whole; most of NR's RUSs are geographical, mainly regional, in nature. Uniquely the Network RUS is divided into four separate workstreams each of which has its own management team and documentary outputs, effectively an RUS in its own right.

Network Rail (NR) has an obligation, transferred from the abolished Strategic Rail Authority, to periodically produce Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) documents. The original programme was approved by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) in June 2006; under an early version of the programme all but two RUSs were scheduled to be completed by the end of Control Period 3 (CP3), 31 March 2009. The programme and its timescale were reviewed by NR and ORR at regular intervals. Despite this the delivery timescales continually slipped: at the end of CP3 no fewer than 9 remained incomplete, despite the fact that funding for infrastructure developments in CP4 was largely set.

Network Rail owner of rail infrastructure in Great Britain

Network Rail is the owner and infrastructure manager of most of the railway network in Great Britain. Network Rail is an arm's length public body of the Department for Transport with no shareholders, which reinvests its income in the railways.

Contents

RUSs are established by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) unless the latter objects within 60 days. As at mid-March 2010 two workstreams had been published and established (the Scenarios & Long Distance Forecasts workstream [1] and the Electrification workstream [2] ); they are consequently included in Network Rail's map as established, [3] and it is expected that the others will be included as they are published and established.

By definition the geographic scope is the whole Network Rail network.

The Scenarios & Long Distance Forecasts workstream

This workstream was published [4] in June 2009. Originally it was to be called the Review of RUSs/Long Distance train statement, and an appropriate scoping document was accordingly published on the website. By shortly before the publication of the draft document, the perspective had been changed to Long distance services and Scenarios, and continued to be described as such on the Network Rail map even after publication of the draft, which like the final version had the above title. By the time of the publication of the draft the original scoping document was removed from the website, and not replaced, with no explicit explanation.

Unlike other RUSs and the electrification workstream this workstream does not consider any specific rail interventions. Instead the main focus of the document is to promote the concept of the use of 'Scenarios' to help determine possible variations in future demand for rail travel, in particular for trips over 50 miles. In contrast to other RUSs there is no consideration of short-term (CP4) or medium-term factors (CP5); the 'long-term' in passenger demand focussed on is overwhelmingly the year 2036, which is well beyond the time horizon of other RUSs (a single table suggests passenger growth rates to 2021); freight growth is considered to 2031.

As with other RUSs, the Scenarios workstream RUS invited responses from interested parties. The NR website acknowledged a number of responses, including the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). [5]

The Electrification workstream

This workstream was published on 28 October 2009, having been issued as a draft for consultation in May 2009.

The workstream identified four types of 'gap' potentially fulfilled by further electrification:

Four tables provide a matrix of potential lines to be electrified under one or more of the above types. Possible mainly passenger lines are ranked into 6 tiers (1 being the best case, 6 the worst).

To some extent the final conclusions of the workstream were overtaken during consultation by the Government's announcement of the approval of the electrification of major parts of the Great Western Main Line and the Liverpool-Chat Moss-Manchester line. [6] However, no further announcements have been made as regards the two further main projects recommended by the workstream, the Midland Main Line and the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.

Midland Main Line

The Midland Main Line is a major railway line in England from London to Sheffield in the north of England. The line is under the Network Rail description of Route 19; it comprises the lines from London's St Pancras station via Leicester, Derby/Nottingham and Chesterfield in the East Midlands.

The Stations workstream

A Final remit was agreed [7] in 2007.

According to the Network Rail website, a draft for consultation was previously expected in November 2009. As at early November 2009, the website stated that the date of publication of both the draft and the final version were "To be determined"; as at mid-February 2010 the projected publication date is "Early 2011" and its status is "In process".

A publication that appears to fulfill part of the Stations remit is included on the NR website under the Other publications link of the Network RUS page. [8]

The Rolling Stock and Depots workstream

A Final remit was agreed [9] in 2007.

As at early November 2009, the NR website stated that the date of publication of both the draft and the final version were "To be determined"; as at mid-February 2010 the projected publication date is "early 2011" and its status is "In process".

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The Cross London Route Utilisation Strategy (CLRUS) was the second of the route utilisation strategies (RUS) published by Network Rail (NR), in August 2006. It was included in a map published by the Office of Rail Regulation as established in May 2007.

The Freight Route Utilisation Strategy is a Route Utilisation Strategy in the United Kingdom, published by Network Rail in March 2007. It is one of only two which have the perspective of the network as whole. It was included in a map published by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) as established in May 2007. As with other RUSs, the Freight RUS took into account a number of responses to a Draft for Consultation, including those from the ORR.

The South West Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy was the first Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) to be produced under the new Network Rail regime. As such it did not completely adhere to the format that has subsequently become 'standard', and needs to be read in conjunction with the prior Draft for Consultation. It was published in May 2006 and was included in a map published by the Office of Rail Regulation as established in May 2007.

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The East Coast Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS), published by Network Rail in February 2008, was the seventh RUS.

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The Lancashire and Cumbria Route Utilisation Strategy is a Route Utilisation Strategy, published by Network Rail on 29 August 2008 It was the ninth RUS to be produced.

The Wales Route Utilisation Strategy is a Route Utilisation Strategy, published by Network Rail in November 2008. It was the tenth RUS to be produced. By default, RUSs are established by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) unless the latter objects within 60 days. A letter formally confirming establishment was sent by ORR to Network Rail in January 2009, and the RUS is included in Network Rail's map as established.

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The Sussex Route Utilisation Strategy is a Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS), published by Network Rail (NR) in January 2010. It was the fourteenth RUS to be completed, not counting the partially completed Network RUS. By default, RUSs are established by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) unless the latter objects within 60 days, and the ORR have confirmed no objection to the establishment of the Sussex RUS.

References

  1. ↑ ORR's letter to NR consenting to establishment of the Scenarios workstream
  2. ↑ ORR's letter to NR consenting to establishment of the Electrification workstream
  3. ↑ Network Rail RUS Programme and Map
  4. ↑ Network RUS Scenarios & Long Distance Forecasts workstream
  5. ↑ ORR's response to Scenarios & Long Distance Forecasts workstream consultation
  6. ↑ DfT Rail Electrification report Archived 2017-01-23 at the UK Government Web Archive
  7. ↑ Stations workstream final remit
  8. ↑ Network RUS page
  9. ↑ Rolling Stock and Depots workstream final remit
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