Scotland Route Utilisation Strategy

Last updated

The Scotland Route Utilisation Strategy is a Route Utilisation Strategy, published by Network Rail in March 2007, [1] the third RUS to be published. The railways in Scotland are divided into three strategic routes, namely Route 24 (East of Scotland), Route 25 (Highlands) and Route 26 (Strathclyde and South West Scotland) together with parts of Route 8 (East Coast Main Line, ECML) and Route 18 (West Coast Main Line, WCML). The three strategic routes form the scope of Network Rail's Scotland Route Utilisation Strategy. Separate RUSs for the ECML (published February 2008) and WCML (scheduled for publication late in 2009) 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.

Contents

The recommendations are grouped into each strategic route, and, as has become customary with RUSs, provide short-term (to end of CP3, March 2009), medium-term (CP4, 2014) and some long-term (thereafter) solutions. Essentially there are few major recommendations for the lightly used Route 25, but there are various and diverse recommendation for the other two, heavily used, routes. There are urgent issues to do with overcrowding in the peaks and with the capacity of individual lines and station, especially in the light of significant predicted growth in traffic (passenger and also freight).

Scotland, with its devolved government and Parliament responsible for transport in the nation, has been very active in pursuing the possible development of the rail infrastructure. At the time of the study and its publication there were a number of contingent projects at various stages, but mostly with capital funding already identified. These include:

Route 24 - East of Scotland

Short term

  • lengthening of some trains in the Stirling-Glasgow corridor to 6-car, with appropriate platform extensions
  • partial remodelling and resignalling in the Stirling-Larbert corridor, partially consequent on the reopening to Alloa/Kincardine
  • timetabling recast between Edinburgh and Aberdeen via Fife to deliver faster trains and services more responsive to demand
  • a new fuelling and cleaning depot, probably at Perth
  • initiatives compatible with future tram/train interchange at Edinburgh Haymarket station
  • changes to the Edinburgh Crossrail service pattern (subsequently implemented)
  • improvement of car parking provision in Central Scotland stations.

Medium term

  • significant further redevelopment at Haymarket station
  • further work on revamping of services on the Cowlairs junction-Glasgow Queen Street route, possibly including light rail technology
  • signalling revamping to produce greater capacity between Haymarket and Inverkeithing, and over the Tay bridge
  • between Aberdeen and Dundee an additional southbound freight loop at Laurencekirk
  • remodelling of Portobello junction, east of Waverley station, between the ECML and the future Waverley Rail Link
  • introduction of improved sustainable intermodal interchange at various places, but including provision for car parking.

Long term

  • there are aspirations for increased capacity and speed of service between Glasgow and Edinburgh; various possibilities need to be researched, including wholesale redevelopment of Glasgow Queen Street station

Route 25 - Highlands

Short term

  • some timetabling options.

Medium term

  • additional infrastructure to speed up and improve services Inverness-Perth and Inverness-Aberdeen
  • lengthening of some trains to 6-car between Inverness and Aberdeen, with appropriate platform extensions.

Long term

  • further acceleration and increased capacity using enhanced rolling stock and (radio) signalling

Route 26 - Glasgow and South West Scotland

Short term

  • lengthening of peak trains to 6-car and service frequency improvement on the route between Glasgow and Kilmarnock, with appropriate platform extensions and other infrastructure.
  • on the basis of the assumed closure of Stranraer as a ferry port, a better local service in the Stranraer area (the ferry service still operates as of March, 2009)
  • timetabling for a more even service with less overcrowding
  • redoubling between Annan and Gretna and enhanced signalling to meet potential freight growth
  • independent electrical feeder supply to Polmadie depot.

Medium term

  • work on revamping of services into Glasgow Central High Level, possibly including electrification of the Whifflet line and diversion of these services via Central Low Level
  • once the reopened Aidrie-Bathgate route is in place, there will be three routes available between Edinburgh and Glasgow
  • the enhancements and additional track that is part and parcel of GARL will provide extra capacity between Glasgow Central and Paisley Gilmour Street
  • possible platform extensions on the Ayrshire and Inverclyde corridors would support trains longer than 6 cars
  • increased capacity on the freight route between Mauchline and Ayr (Falkland) when signalling is replaced
  • remodelling of Hyndland junction west of Partick to increase throughput at a pinch point
  • improved engineering access from 2009 Law junction to Carstairs, south-east of Glasgow

Long term

  • developments at Glasgow Central in the long term to provide additional capacity
  • possible implementation of a semi-fast and stopping service on the East Kilbride line
  • given growth in freight and passenger traffic, provision of further additional capacity between Glasgow and Ayrshire
  • a third (bi-directional) track between Eglinton Street Jn and Muirhouse Jn to provide required capacity by the end of the RUS period

Subsequent developments

The line between Stirling and Kincardine has reopened; an hourly passenger service operates between Stirling and Alloa only, and freight runs over the whole route.

The current remodelling of Edinburgh Waverley station is complete; further improvement in pedestrian access is planned. [4]

Revamped, electrified line, double-tracked throughout, between Airdrie and Bathgate, including reopening the Drumgelloch to Bathgate route, is to be completed by late 2010.

The Edinburgh Airport Rail Link has been suspended and mothballed, [5] in favour of a tramlink interchange and extension.

National Express East Coast have taken over the ECML franchise.

Related Research Articles

Glasgow Queen Street railway station Terminus railway station in Glasgow, Scotland

Glasgow Queen Street is a passenger railway terminus serving the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland. It is the smaller of the city's two mainline railway terminals and is the third busiest station in Scotland behind Central and Edinburgh Waverley.

East Coast Main Line Railway link between London and Edinburgh and London and Leeds

The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is a 393-mile long (632 km) electrified railway between London and Edinburgh via Peterborough, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle. The line is a key transport artery on the eastern side of Great Britain running broadly parallel to the A1 road.

North Clyde Line Railway line in Glasgow City, Scotland, UK

The North Clyde Line is a suburban railway in West Central Scotland. The route is operated by Abellio ScotRail. As a result of the incorporation of the Airdrie–Bathgate rail link and the Edinburgh–Bathgate line, this route has become the fourth rail link between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Waverley railway station Railway station in Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the principal station serving Edinburgh, Scotland. It is the second busiest station in Scotland, after Glasgow Central. It is the northern terminus of the East Coast Main Line, 393 miles 13 chains from London King's Cross, although some trains operated by London North Eastern Railway continue to other Scottish destinations beyond Edinburgh.

Fife Circle Line Railway line in Scotland, UK

The Fife Circle is the local rail service north from Edinburgh. It links towns of south Fife and the coastal towns along the Firth of Forth before heading to Edinburgh. Operationally, the service is not strictly a circle route, but, rather, a point to point service that reverses at the Edinburgh end, and has a large bi-directional balloon loop at the Fife end.

The Croy Line is a suburban railway route linking Glasgow Queen Street and Croy in Scotland. It is part of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network.

The transport system in Scotland is generally well-developed. The Scottish Parliament has control over most elements of transport policy within Scotland, with the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity holding portfolio responsibility within the Scottish Government. Transport Scotland is the Executive Agency responsible for the Scottish transport network.

The Edinburgh–Bathgate line is a railway line in East Central Scotland. It is also known as the Bathgate branch and was originally operated by the Edinburgh and Bathgate Railway. Except for the short section at the original Bathgate terminus, the main line is still in use, with a frequent passenger train service operated by Abellio ScotRail.

Transport in Edinburgh Overview of the transport system in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a major transport hub in east central Scotland and is at the centre of a multi-modal transport network with road, rail and air communications connecting the city with the rest of Scotland and internationally.

The Edinburgh–Dunblane line is a railway line in East Central Scotland. It links the city of Edinburgh via Falkirk to the city of Stirling and the town of Dunblane.

Larbert railway station Railway station in Falkirk, Scotland, UK

Larbert railway station is a railway station serving Larbert near Falkirk, Scotland.

Stirling railway station (Scotland) Railway station in Stirling, Scotland

Stirling railway station is a railway station located in Stirling, Scotland. It is located on the former Caledonian Railway main line between Glasgow and Perth. It is the junction for the branch line to Alloa and Dunfermline via Kincardine and is also served by trains on the Edinburgh to Dunblane Line and long-distance services to Dundee and Aberdeen and to Inverness via the Highland Main Line.

Carstairs railway station Railway station in South Lanarkshire, Scotland

Carstairs railway station serves the village of Carstairs in South Lanarkshire, Scotland and is a major junction station on the West Coast Main Line (WCML), situated close to the point at which the lines from London Euston and Edinburgh to Glasgow Central merge. Constructed originally by the Caledonian Railway, the station is operated today by Abellio ScotRail and is also served by one TransPennine Express trains service per day between Manchester Airport and Glasgow Central. All other services by TransPennine Express and services operated by Avanti West Coast, Caledonian Sleeper, CrossCountry and London North Eastern Railway pass the station, but do not stop.

Airdrie–Bathgate rail link Scottish railway project

The Airdrie–Bathgate rail link is a completed railway project in central Scotland.

The Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line is a main railway route which connects the Scottish cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, by means of their respective sections of the West Coast Main Line (WCML).

Stirling–Alloa–Kincardine rail link

The Stirling–Alloa–Kincardine rail link is a completed railway project to re-open 21 kilometres (13 mi) of between Stirling, Alloa and Kincardine in Scotland. The route opened to rail traffic in March 2008.

Alloa railway station Railway station in Clackmannanshire, Scotland

Alloa railway station is a railway station in the town of Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland, which was re-opened on Monday, 19 May 2008.

The Kincardine Line is a railway in Clackmannanshire and Fife, Scotland. It was originally built to serve settlements along the north shore of the Firth of Forth, between Alloa and Dunfermline.

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

The Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme or EGIP was an initiative funded by Transport Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government to increase capacity on the main railway line between Edinburgh and Glasgow, with new, longer electric trains running by 2017 and scheduled for full completion in 2019. It was expected to cost £742 million and delivered by Network Rail.

References

  1. ↑ NR Scotland RUS
  2. ↑ Edinburgh Waverley Infrastructure Works
  3. ↑ Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine reopening
  4. ↑ Waverley Steps project
  5. ↑ EARL project suspended
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.