Route Utilisation Strategy

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Network Rail (NR) has an obligation, transferred from the abolished Strategic Rail Authority, to periodically produce Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) documents. [1] The original programme was approved by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) in June 2006; [2] 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. [3] The programme and its timescale were reviewed by NR and ORR at regular intervals. [4] [5] Despite this the delivery timescales continually slipped: at the end of CP3 no fewer than 9 (almost half) remained incomplete (still in progress or not yet established), despite the fact that funding for infrastructure developments in CP4 was largely set. [6]

Contents

One RUS, the Network RUS, was broken into four workstreams, with a fifth added, apparently, in 2011. [7]

The original programme was completed by September 2011.

Late in 2009 NR announced a second generation of RUSs. [8] These were completed by July 2011.

Effectively the RUS process has been replaced by the Long Term Planning Process, [9] which consists of:

Approach and outputs

All but two RUSs are geographical, mainly regional, in nature. The exceptions are the Freight RUS and the Network RUS, which have the perspective of the network as whole. The non-regional geographical studies include the East Coast Main Line RUS and West Coast Main Line RUS, which penetrate Scotland and regions which have their own RUS. All RUSs consider the demands of freight transport, but the Freight RUS looks at the implications of major freight flows for Great Britain as a whole. The Network RUS is divided into four largely self-contained workstreams: long-distance traffic and generic cross-RUS issues; stations; rolling stock and depots; electrification.

The first stage of each strategy is the preparation and publishing of a scoping document, which is usually produced after a few months. The main part of the study takes place over a period of a year or two, and this concludes with the production and distribution of a draft strategy document. About 12 weeks are allowed for consultation and responses from rail industry and other entities, following which the final strategy is developed and a final version is published. This is later established by the ORR, unless they have reason to object to the final version.

The scoping document is usually fairly short, sometimes in the form of a presentation.

The strategy document itself normally consists of a fairly standard number of sections: an introduction and explanation of context; a fairly detailed presentation of current services; a forecast of future changes (overwhelmingly increases) in demand; gaps in resources; options for satisfying the demand; the recommended strategy. Other sections may be included, including a section on the consultation process itself specifically in the draft strategy.

The strategies developed so far are related to the Network Rail Control Periods (CP). Up to the publication of the Wales RUS (November 2008), 'short-term' strategy included those initiatives to the end of CP3; as this finished on 31 March 2009, the short-term activities mentioned in these strategies were mostly underway, at least in the planning process. In general strategies have an approximate 10-year timescale, taking them into a "long term" corresponding with CP5 (ending in 2019). Strategies from 2009 present specific initiatives towards the end of that period, and sometimes into the next; CP4 (ending in 2014) is the new short-term perspective.

Network Rail has an obligation to maintain RUSs, even after establishment. This would be the case in one or more of the following situations: when there has been a change in circumstances; if ordered to by the ORR; when (for whatever reason) it is clear the recommendations are probably no longer valid. The RUS is revisited using the same methodology. However, in only one case, the East Coast Main Line, has an original RUS been supplemented by a further study. Nevertheless, a further generation of three RUSs are underway, two of them covering a much broader geographical area than the originals, together with an extended timescale.

Individual strategies

These are listed in order of publication; they are all established:

Second generation RUSs

The announced RUSs and dates of their publications (all established) are as follows:

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The West Coast Main Line (WCML) is one of the most important railway corridors in the United Kingdom, connecting the major cities of London and Glasgow with branches to Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Edinburgh. It is one of the busiest mixed-traffic railway routes in Europe, carrying a mixture of intercity rail, regional rail, commuter rail and rail freight traffic. The core route of the WCML runs from London to Glasgow for 399 miles (642 km) and was opened from 1837 to 1869. With additional lines deviating to Northampton, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh, this totals a route mileage of 700 miles (1,127 km). The Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line connects the WCML to Edinburgh, however the main London–Edinburgh route is the East Coast Main Line. Several sections of the WCML form part of the suburban railway systems in London, Coventry, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow, with many more smaller commuter stations, as well as providing links to more rural towns.

Midland Main Line Railway in the UK

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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 Scotland Route Utilisation Strategy is a Route Utilisation Strategy, published by Network Rail in March 2007, the third RUS to be published. The railways in Scotland are divided into three strategic routes, namely Route 24, Route 25 (Highlands) and Route 26 together with parts of Route 8 and Route 18. The three strategic routes form the scope of Network Rail's Scotland Route Utilisation Strategy. Separate RUSs for the ECML and WCML encompass the relevant parts of routes 8 and 18. The Edinburgh Crossrail service, which provides a direct route between Stirling, Dunblane and Bathgate in the west to Newcraighall in the east, operates over part of the ECML east of Edinburgh Waverley to Portobello Junction.

The North West Route Utilisation Strategy (NWRUS) is a Route Utilisation Strategy, published by Network Rail in May 2007. It was the fifth RUS to be produced. It was included in a map published by the Office of Rail Regulation as established in May 2007. It was the first of no fewer than 5 RUSs which cover specific routes in the north-west of England; the others are the Lancashire & Cumbria RUS, the Yorkshire & Humber RUS, the Merseyside RUS, and the West Coast Main Line RUS. In particular it "broadly covers the Manchester journey to work area, the City lines into Liverpool Lime Street and routes from Manchester to Kirkby, Southport and Blackpool", corresponding to Network Rail's then Route 20 - North West Urban.

The Greater Anglia Route Utilisation Strategy is a Route Utilisation Strategy published by Network Rail in December 2007. It was the sixth RUS to be produced. The area covered includes the whole of Route 5 West Anglia (WA) and Route 7 Great Eastern (GE), which both focus for passenger purposes on London Liverpool Street, and the London Fenchurch Street services from Route 6. As with other RUSs, the Greater Anglia RUS took into account a number of responses, including the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).

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

Network Rail's (NR) South London Route Utilisation Strategy (SLRUS), published in March 2008 (SLRUS) was the eighth Route Utilisation Strategy to be produced. By default, RUSs are established by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) unless the latter objects within 60 days. The RUS is included in NR's map as established.

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.

The Merseyside Route Utilisation Strategy is a Route Utilisation Strategy published by Network Rail in March 2009. It was the eleventh RUS to be produced. By default, RUSs are established by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) unless the latter objects within 60 days. The RUS is included in Network Rail's map as established.

The Network Route Utilisation Strategy is a Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) produced by Network Rail (NR). The Network RUS is one of only two 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.

The Yorkshire and Humber Route Utilisation Strategy is a Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS), published by Network Rail in July 2009; it was the twelfth RUS to be completed, not counting the partially completed Network RUS.

The Kent Route Utilisation Strategy (KRUS) is a Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS), published by Network Rail (NR) in January 2010. it was the thirteenth 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 Kent RUS.

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.

Network Rail Control Periods are the 5-year timespans into which Network Rail, the owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain, works for financial and other planning purposes. Each Control Period begins on 1 April and ends on 31 March to coincide with the financial year. These periods were inherited from Railtrack, so that the earlier ones are retrospective, and not necessarily of 5 years duration.

Electric Spine English rail electrification project

The "Electric Spine" was the name for part of a, now largely cancelled, rolling programme of railway electrification projects in England initially estimated to cost £800 million, but later thought to cost close to £3 billion. The aim was to form 25 kV AC overhead-wire electrified links northward from the Port of Southampton to major cities in northern and central England and a dry port container terminal in the Midlands. The government wanted efficient electric-hauled freight trains to compete with road haulage.

References

  1. ↑ NR's introduction to the process
  2. ↑ ORR letter approving the programme
  3. ↑ NR letter to ORR on RUS programme
  4. ↑ Network Rail letter to ORR on programme rescheduling
  5. ↑ ORR letter approving the revised programme
  6. ↑ NR CP4 Delivery Plan
  7. ↑ Network RUS introductory page
  8. ↑ NR introduction to second generation RUSs
  9. ↑ Long Term Planning Process
  10. ↑ South West Main Line RUS
  11. ↑ Cross London RUS
  12. ↑ Scotland RUS
  13. ↑ Freight RUS
  14. ↑ North West RUS
  15. ↑ Greater Anglia RUS
  16. ↑ East Coast Main Line RUS
  17. ↑ East Coast Main Line 2016 Capacity Review
  18. ↑ South London RUS
  19. ↑ Lancashire and Cumbria RUS
  20. ↑ Wales RUS
  21. ↑ Merseyside RUS
  22. ↑ Network RUS Scenarios & long distance forecasts
  23. ↑ "Electrification RUS archived" (PDF).
  24. ↑ Network RUS Stations
  25. ↑ Network RUS Rolling Stock
  26. ↑ Yorkshire and Humber RUS
  27. ↑ Kent RUS
  28. ↑ Sussex RUS
  29. ↑ East Midlands RUS
  30. ↑ Great Western RUS Archived 1 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  31. ↑ West Midlands & Chilterns RUS
  32. ↑ West Coast Main Line RUS
  33. ↑ Northern RUS
  34. ↑ Scotland RUS
  35. ↑ London and the South East RUS
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