Category: Press Releases

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 29 November 2001.

The Strategic Rail Authority today responded to Transport for London’s call for a new ‘Transit Authority. The SRA is already working closely with TfL to plan rail services in London, and has established a joint company – Cross London Rail Links Ltd – to take forward major projects.

The SRA does not believe that a Transit Authority for London, as outlined by TfL, is necessary, but does support closer integration and joint planning of the surface, Underground, light rail and bus systems. The Authority believes that rail planning for the national rail network in and around London should be undertaken strategically in the interests of passengers and freight customers as a whole, rather than being determined by political boundaries.

Speaking at a conference on Rail in London today, SRA Chief Executive, Mike Grant said:

“London is at the heart of the national rail network. London’s railways are not a Transit network, but a mixed use network for freight, local, regional, long distance and international passenger services. London’s rail routes connect Scotland, the North of England and the Midlands with the Channel Tunnel and the major ports.

“London’s ‘travel to work area’ extends well beyond the GLA boundary, which excludes key centres such as Watford, Gatwick Airport and Basildon, and the boundary itself has little relevance to passengers.

“The creation of a Transit Authority would require legislation and would involve delay and added complexity. I sense that passengers and London’s businesses want us to deliver improvements sooner rather than later – and to do more besides. I do not think they want to wait for yet more regulatory change, particularly when so much can be achieved through working together and making sensible use of the existing structure. We have to provide a better service to London’s passengers through collaborative working between SRA and TfL. We should focus on delivery, and not add to the uncertainty and risk by further changes in structure and regulation within London.”

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 3 December 2001.

Richard Bowker today takes up his post as the new Chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority. He takes over from Sir Alastair Morton, who led the organisation in shadow form from April 1999, and chaired the SRA from its formal establishment in February this year.

On taking up his responsibilities, Richard Bowker said:

“I take over today against a backdrop of a railway that has lost both confidence in itself and the confidence of those who rely upon it to deliver service every day. In particular the present uncertainty over the future of Railtrack requires to be resolved as quickly as possible. My focus will therefore be two fold. First, to restore stability, as well as the confidence that we can, as an industry, deliver the basics safely and effectively, day in, day out. Second, and in parallel, design and implement a vision for the railway that we all want and deserve.

“The Strategic Plan is the starting point of this process. It is well advanced and requires just a little more work to refine it and underwrite its delivery, as well as incorporate my views and aspirations for the railway of the future. It will be published on 14th January 2002. A New Year signifying a new beginning.

“We have first to recognise that the railways of this country exist primarily to serve the needs of passengers and freight users and it is our job at the SRA to show strong leadership and direction in delivering this. It is also essential that we demonstrate an early start to the huge task ahead and I shall be announcing a number of ‘quick wins’, all designed to make the railway deliver more effectively, over the next few weeks and months.

“Tomorrow, I can announce a first step along that road, when, with the Scottish Transport Minister, Wendy Alexander, I shall be starting work on a new rail link for Edinburgh, designed to relieve traffic congestion.

“On Thursday, with the Secretary of State and the Mayor, we will be starting work on the extension of the East London Line.

We shall shortly set out how we intend to take forward the refranchising programme.

“My messages for the four key groups of railway stakeholders are:

For passengers and freight customers – your interests lie at the heart of all we do. It will take time for all the improvements to come through, but we are determined to deliver them. Where we can bring in some ‘quick wins’ to help you, we shall do so.

For local, regional and national government – we are determined to deliver what we have promised – a bigger, better, safer railway capable of playing a larger role in meeting local, regional, national and international transport needs. Our commitment is to the whole of Great Britain, although our responsibility is to say where the priorities should be at any one time.

For the rail industry – the opportunities are huge, and after so many setbacks, this may be our last chance to seize them. We want industry partners with the vision and the willingness to be long term players, and we recognise the need for investors and risk takers to be appropriately rewarded.

For rail staff – I really respect the resilience and dedication of so many who have worked to provide services under difficult conditions. Your role in delivering the new railway is essential, and investment in people has got to go along with investment in new infrastructure or equipment.

“I have taken this job because I passionately believe in the role the railway can and must play in delivering an effective national transport infrastructure. I believe we can rise to the challenge but the atmosphere of division, argument and blame which has characterised relationships in the railway in recent times must be consigned to the history books. Leadership and partnership are the keys. The SRA will take up the leadership challenge, all of us involved in the railways must focus on working to the same common objective. It can be done and I believe we are up to the challenge. The journey back begins in earnest today”.

Notes to Editors:

Biographical Details

Richard Bowker is 35. He joined London Underground Ltd as a graduate finance trainee in 1989. He qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant in 1993.

He moved to financial consultant Babcock and Brown Ltd in 1996 and was seconded to Virgin Rail Group in 1997. In 1999 he helped set up Quasar Associated Ltd, a small asset and project finance advisory business specialising in rail industry commercial and financing work.

Since September 2000 Mr Bowker has been Commercial Director for the Virgin Group of Companies, with specific responsibility for the transport sector of the Group, notably Virgin Rail Group, of which he was Co-Chairman.

Terms of Appointment

Mr Bowker’s appointment as SRA Chairman will be for 5 years. It will be a full time appointment. His basic salary has been agreed as £250,000 per annum with pension and potential for a performance bonus of up to £50,000.

Strategic Rail Authority

The Strategic Rail Authority is a non-departmental public body, established under the Transport Act 2000. It is responsible for:

• Promoting the use of the railway network for the carriage of passengers and goods;
• Securing the development of the railway network; and
• Contributing to the development of an integrated system of transport for passengers and goods.

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 5 December 2001.

Rail Project will be major boost for transport and jobs in the capital

Secretary of State for Transport Stephen Byers, Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London and Richard Bowker, new Chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) today welcomed the start of work on the northern extension of the East London Line (ELL).

This phase of work will see the ELL extended from Whitechapel, via new stations at Bishopsgate, Hoxton, Haggerston and Dalston, to link with national rail network lines towards Highbury & Islington and Finsbury Park. Powers have also recently been granted by the Secretary of State to extend the East London southwards in two directions running towards Wimbledon, Crystal Palace and West Croydon. Work on all lines is scheduled for completion by 2006.

Stephen Byers, Ken Livingstone, and Richard Bowker attended a start-of-construction ceremony at the site of the new station in Dalston. They were welcomed by Paul Godier, new Managing Director of London Underground Limited (LUL).

Speaking at the ceremony, Stephen Byers said:

“This is the first step towards this new line which will not only bring much needed investment to the capital but will also help to ease congestion on existing Tube and rail lines.

“The northern extension will mean people from Hackney and Dalston will no longer have to use a combination of buses and the Victoria line to travel to the centre of the capital.”

Welcoming the start of work, Ken Livingstone said:

“Today heralds the start of a long overdue new phase of rail construction, the like of which has not been seen since Victorian times. This northern extension of the ELL will play a crucial role in bringing new jobs and prosperity to north-east London.

“It will be followed by other major projects including CrossRail and, in the longer term, the Hackney-South West tube line. My aim is to increase London’s rail capacity by 40 per cent over the next ten years.”

Richard Bowker, Chairman of the SRA, said:

“I am delighted, in my first week as Chairman of the SRA, to be marking the start of works on the East London Line extension – a key project to ease congestion and boost regeneration in the Capital. One of my key aims in the short term is to bring the various stakeholders in the railway industry more closely together, and the East London Line partnership between the SRA, London Underground and Transport for London is a great example to build on.”

Commenting, LUL’s Paul Godier said:

“The commencement of this project is excellent news for London and its regeneration. It will serve areas of the capital which at present are poorly served by public transport, and will be closely integrated with the Tube network.

“The project will bring many opportunities to commuters, businesses and tourists. It will help ease congestion on a number of routes around north-east London, with significantly quicker journeys to central London and the City.”

London’s Transport Commissioner, Bob Kiley, welcomed the integrated approach taken by Transport for London (TfL), the SRA, the Government and LUL to get this work underway.

Mr Kiley said:

“Effective, properly-planned transport links are vital for London. This ELL has a key part to play in creating an ‘Orbirail’ system for London, providing Metro-style services around central London. It is refreshing to see such a concrete example of the results of co-operation.”

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 14 January 2002.

Delivering improvements for Wales’ railway

A Plan for the future of the railways is published today by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), setting out a series of measures to improve Britain’s railway and ensure the Government’s growth targets are met. The Plan outlines how improvements for passenger and freight customers will be delivered in the short and medium term, contributing to the aspirations of the Welsh Assembly Government’ Transport Framework, as well as setting out long term ideas for the next decade.

The Plan has the full backing of the Government, which has increased public funding for the railway by £4.5 billion compared with the allocation in the Ten Year Transport Plan. It is the first time in almost 50 years that a plan has been created designed to lead to expansion of the railway. The SRA itself will be restructured to deliver the Plan and new high level appointments were advertised yesterday, including a Chief Operating Officer to ensure a focus on immediate delivery and performance.

Launching the Plan, the SRA’s new Chairman, Richard Bowker, said

“This Strategic Plan marks the line in the sand, it is the point at which we say enough is enough and begin the journey to deliver a railway fit for the 21st Century. But, we recognise that medium and long term aims are not enough. The railway has many current problems and we will take all the steps we can to bring about the earliest improvements for rail users.

“The input to the Plan from Sue Essex and her team has been most helpful. The Strategic Plan outlines the mechanism for the delivery of improved commuter services in the South Wales, faster and more frequent links with London and England’s major cities, more and better trains for the rural communities and the expansion of rail freight. As a key step, the process of letting the Wales and Borders franchise will now be moving apace.

“£400 million has been allocated to a special GB wide Rail Performance fund set up to co-invest with rail companies in short term schemes to improve reliability for passengers. A National Rail Academy is being developed to boost the training of staff in core railway skills. A £430m GB wide fund for local passenger improvements is included in the Strategic Plan, as is funding for freight facilities designed to move freight from road to rail”.

Richard Bowker said.

“This Plan offers for the first time stability, clarity and predictability for future projects and their timescales, enabling all participants in the industry to plan and resource effectively. It is practical and deliverable. It takes the policy objectives established in the Government’s Ten Year Transport Plan and sets out a quantified, prioritised programme to deliver those objectives. It demonstrates a commitment to safety, and a determination to attract and keep more passengers and freight customers.

“We must invest in the people who keep Britain’s railways moving. I want to see fewer accountants, fewer lawyers and fewer consultants, but more engineers, more operators, more project managers and especially more young graduates and school leavers joining an industry with a future”.

The Plan sets out the SRA’s vision for Britain’s railway where:

• sufficient trains run with sufficient frequency to meet growing passenger demand
• performance is better and stable, so that passengers and freight users can plan with confidence
• staff are trained, motivated, attentive and helpful
• the whole journey experience is vastly improved so that, from departure door to destination door, passengers are treated like the valuable customers are
• the stations are safe and welcoming with adequate parking and integration with other modes
• the trains reliable and clean, the journey predictable and relaxing
• there is overall a safe, reliable and value for money product throughout the UK

Richard Bowker concluded:

“The Plan is based on a railway that is in the private sector with public accountability and control exercised through the Strategic Rail Authority. The railway industry must urgently address the problems which face it, including the strikes which have caused such misery since the New Year. And, with the industry, the SRA will find effective solutions. Nothing can be allowed to get in the way of regeneration of our railway. The prize for success will be a system that meets our needs better and better each year. We will get there”.

The highlights of the Strategic Plan are summarised in the attached Annexe.

Annexe

Highlights of the Strategic Plan for Wales

Objectives

The objective of the Strategic Plan is to deliver the Government’s objectives set for the SRA. The primary objectives are to deliver by 2010:

• 50% increase in passenger kilometres
• reduction in overcrowding which breaches the SRA’s standards.
• 80% increase in freight tonne-kilometres.

The plan also meets where possible SRA’s other priorities set by Government, including better integration with other transport modes, expansion of capacity, promotion of the use of the railway network and encouragement of its use.

The priorities have been developed taking into account the Welsh Assembly Government’s Transport Framework, and dialogue with the Rail Passengers’ Committee for Wales and local authorities.

The SRA made representations to the consultation draft of the Wales Spatial Plan issued in September 2001.

Priorities

The plan sets clear priorities based on the need for mandatory safety improvements, emerging information about European Union requirements on interoperability and the cost of improving accessibility in line with the Disability Discrimination Act. It also takes account of the constraints of the specialist rail engineering resources available, and the need for schemes to represent value for money for taxpayers. In particular, the schemes are based on the need to stabilise the industry and improve performance, and on meeting the Government objectives set out in the Ten Year Transport Plan and those of the National Assembly of Wales, set out in their Transport Framework document. These priorities are reflected in the investment programme and the allocation of SRA financial support. The highlights for the short, medium and long terms are set out below.

Short Term (to 2005)

• The principal development for the short term will be letting of the Wales & Borders franchise.
• RPP-funded additional rolling stock on Taff Corridor to alleviate overcrowding, building on recent re-signalling funded by SWIFT. (implemented January 2002).
• 34 four-car CrossCountry Voyager trains to replace all loco-hauled services by May 2002. Progressive introduction of new trains, delivering extra services, including new services between Cardiff, Newport, the Midlands, the North of England and Scotland
• Testing of first of 44 tilting five-car Super Voyager trains, which will deliver faster journey times and more through services between North Wales and London.
• Wessex Class 158 trains (for Cardiff – Portsmouth service) – new air conditioned units; class 158 and 150 trains – sanders to improve performance and safety, particularly during leaf fall season.
• Central Trains phase two class 170 modification programme begun, to improve reliability of the fleet, and new air conditioning units on class 158 vehicles (170s and 158s operate on Cardiff – Nottingham service).
• Selective increased frequencies on the Cardiff Valleys networks.
• Strengthening of morning services Barry Island to Aberdare.
• Proposed reintroduction of passenger services to Ebbw Vale, a joint project being examined with the Welsh Assembly Government.
• Infrastructure improvements on Chester to Shrewsbury line to provide reduced journey times.
• Infrastructure improvements at Barry, Bangor and Chester to improve operational efficiency.
• Increasing capacity on the Swansea West Loop to improve operational efficiency and increase capacity.
• The SRA and the Welsh Assembly Government are providing a total of £14.5m for the reopening of the Vale of Glamorgan line to passenger traffic in 2003, providing stations at Rhoose (to serve Cardiff International Airport) and Llantwit Major and higher line speed for freight services. This project is funded through the Rail Passenger Partnership scheme.
• SRA is looking into possibility for new rolling stock for the Great Western route before 2006.
• RPP-funded station improvements at Haverfordwest
• £30m investment by Virgin West Coast in improving reliability, quality of passenger experience and maintenance provision.
• 125 mph operation (present top speed is 110 mph) for VWC services by May 2003, giving reduced journey times to and from mid and north Wales.
• Virgin West Coast infrastructure upgrade and renewal works to deliver increased capacity, high fast and slow line speeds, improved reliability and performance.
• A number of FGW stations in Wales will transfer to the Wales and Borders franchise this year.

Medium Term (2005-2010)

The medium term strategy is to deliver the growth targets set in the Government’s Ten Year Plan and to provide more capacity to relieve passenger overcrowding. Highlights of the projects required are:

• Line speed improvements on the Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury line.
• Increased passenger and freight capacity on the Newport to Crewe line.
• Improved gauge clearance in the Great Western main line to Cardiff for freight trains.
• Much of the signalling and track on the Great Western Main Line must be renewed over the next 10 years. Where signalling renewal takes place, this may provide an opportunity to enhance capacity and operational resilience at key locations, and also to replace the existing Automatic Train Protection system with the new ERTMS train control system on the high speed lines used by FGW. Considerable development work is needed on this proposal and will be taken forward in the short term.
• Key issues for the future Great Western franchise in the period after 2006, to which any new franchisee would have to pay attention, will include:
  

  – Additional incentives for improved operational performance and customer satisfaction
  – Investment in new trains to replace the FGW HST fleet
  – Additional train services, with some improved journey times
  – Investment in new and existing stations, car parks, depot and customer service.

Long Term (Beyond 2010)

Beyond 2010, the role of the railways will become even more important, and the key network capacity issues will have to be addressed. In particular, this involves:

• Great Western Main Line. Development of plans, linked with track and signalling renewal for the routes from London Paddington to South Wales and the West of England.
• West Midlands/Manchester Capacity. New infrastructure in the Birmingham and Manchester conurbations will deliver more capacity with benefits for services from North and Mid Wales.

Accessibility for all

Implementation of the plan will bring significant benefits for passengers with disabilities. The highlights of the programme of improvements are:

• All new vehicles will be fully accessible, complying with the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations which are administered by DTLR.
• Additional funding to make large and medium stations accessible by 2004
• Work carried out under the small scale station improvements programme will be compliant with the SRA code of practice on access for disabled people;
• Disability Awareness training will be encouraged, and this is being reflected in new Code of Practice for train operators.

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 14 January 2002.

The Plan for the future of the railway is published today by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), setting out a series of measures to improve Britain’s rail network and ensure the Government’s growth targets are met. The Plan outlines how improvements for passengers and freight customers will be delivered in the short and medium term, as well as setting out long term ideas for the next decade.

The Plan has the full backing of the Government, which has increased public funding for the railway by £4.5 billion compared with the allocation in the Ten-Year Transport Plan. It is the first time in almost 50 years that a plan has been created designed to lead to expansion of the railway. The SRA itself will be restructured to deliver the Plan and new high level appointments were advertised yesterday, including a Chief Operating Officer to ensure a focus on immediate delivery and performance.

Launching the Plan, the SRA’s new Chairman, Richard Bowker, said:

“This Strategic Plan marks a line in the sand; it is the point at which we say enough is enough and begin to deliver a railway fit for the 21st Century. But, we recognise that medium and long – term aims are not enough. The railway has many substantial current problems and we will take all the steps we can to bring about the earliest improvements for rail users.

“£400 million has been allocated to a special Rail Performance Fund set up to co-invest with rail companies in short – term schemes to improve reliability for passengers, particularly commuters. A National Rail Academy is being developed to boost the training of staff in core railway skills. A £430m fund for local passenger improvements is included in the Strategic Plan, as is funding for freight facilities designed to move freight from road to rail.”

Important improvements to the rail network will be delivered within four years. In particular;

• Safety improvements, including the completion of the Train Protection and Warning System and trial schemes for the new European Rail Traffic Management System;
• Replacement of old slam – door Mark I coaches with new trains, providing extra capacity for growth;
• Track and signalling improvements at 100 locations throughout the country to improve capacity or reliability;
• Improved station facilities such as security, information systems and toilets at 1,000 small and medium sized stations throughout the country;
• A new revenue support scheme for rail freight to encourage competition and get more freight off road and onto rail.
• Completion of the first phase of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link by 2003, the first new main line in Britain for almost 100 years, which will release much needed extra capacity on the lines in Kent.

Richard Bowker said:

” This Plan offers for the first time stability, clarity and predictability for future projects and their timescales, enabling all participants in the industry to plan and resource effectively. It is practical and deliverable. It takes the policy objectives established in the Government’s Ten-Year Plan and sets out a quantified, prioritised programme to deliver those objectives. It demonstrates a commitment to safety, and a determination to attract and keep more passengers and freight customers.

“We will invest in the people who keep Britain’s railway moving. I want to see fewer accountants, fewer lawyers and fewer consultants, but more engineers, more operators, more project managers and especially more young graduates and school leavers joining an industry with a future.”

The Plan sets out the SRA’s vision for Britain’s railway where:

• sufficient trains run with sufficient frequency to meet growing passenger demand;
• performance is better, and stable, so that passengers and freight users can plan with confidence;
• the staff are trained, motivated, attentive and helpful;
• the whole journey experience is vastly improved so that, from departure door to destination door, passengers are treated like the valuable customers they are;
• the stations are safe and welcoming, with adequate parking and integration with other modes;
• the trains are reliable and clean, the journey predictable and relaxing;
• there is overall a safe, reliable and value for money product throughout the UK.

Richard Bowker concluded:

“The Plan is based on a railway that is in the private sector, with public accountability and control exercised through the Strategic Rail Authority. The railway industry must urgently address the problems which face it, including the strikes which have caused such misery since the New Year. And, with the industry, the SRA will find effective solutions. Nothing can be allowed to get in the way of the regeneration of our railway. The prize for success will be a system that meets our needs better and better each year. We will get there. ”

The highlights of the Strategic Plan are summarised in the attached Annexe.

Annexe

Highlights of the Strategic Plan

Objectives

The SRA’s Strategic Plan sets out the changes required by 2010 to meet the Government’s targets for rail included in the Ten Year Transport Plan. These are:

• 50% increase in passenger kilometres;
• Reduction in overcrowding which breaches the SRA’s standards;
• 80% increase in freight tonne-kilometres.

The Plan also meets, where possible, the SRA’s other priorities set by Government – including better integration with other transport modes; expansion of capacity; promoting the use of the railway network and encouraging its use. The priorities have been developed following consultation with key stakeholders such as the Rail Passengers Council, Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly Government, and local and regional authorities. The plan has been informed by the emerging findings of the multimodal studies.

Priorities

The plan sets clear priorities based on the need for mandatory safety improvements, emerging information about European Union requirements on interoperability and the cost of improving accessibility in line with the Disability Discrimination Act. It also takes account of the constraints of the specialist rail engineering resources available, and the need for schemes to represent value for money for taxpayers. In particular, the schemes are based on the need to stabilise the industry and improve performance, and on meeting the Government objectives set out in the Ten-Year Transport Plan. The priorities include allocation of sufficient resource to plan effectively for the long-term. These priorities are reflected in the investment programme and the allocation of SRA financial support. The highlights for the short, medium and long-terms are set out below.

Short Term (to 2005)

• Completion of the new TPWS safety system by 2003;
• 1700 new coaches delivered by 2004, to replace older trains and provide for growth;
• A National Rail Academy to ensure adequate training of staff in the specialised skills and competencies required to run a complex rail operation;
• A £400m Rail Performance Fund to direct resources to early improvements in reliability;
• New trains and more frequent services on Virgin West Coast services between London Euston, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and Scotland, coupled with upgraded infrastructure giving higher line speeds;
• New trains and infrastructure improvements for the Virgin Cross Country franchise, serving Scotland, the North of England, the Midlands, South Wales, the West Country and the South Coast, with a big increase in service frequency, improved standards of travel and better reliability;
• The programme of new and extended passenger franchises, restarted in December 2001;
• Section 1 of Britain’s first new main line railway for a century operating by 2003, the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, with trains running at 300 kph (186 mph), carrying both international and domestic services;
• New franchises negotiated, with a simplified structure and fewer operators;
• A new deal for passengers with disabilities, with all trains accessible by wheelchair passengers by 2004 and a multi million pound programme to improve station access and special training for staff;
• A new Revenue Support Scheme to encourage competition for freight on rail, particularly in the intermodal market and for flows which are less than a complete train load;
• New lines and stations, including the Vale of Glamorgan Line (Barry – Bridgend) and the Edinburgh Crossrail park and ride scheme, funded through the Rail Passenger Partnership scheme;
• A study of the feasibility of a National Rail Test Track to ensure that new trains work reliably when they start carrying passengers or freight on the rail network;
• A programme of investment in smaller, local schemes to expand capacity or provide additional facilities for both freight and passenger services around the country;
• Continuing action to tackle trespass and vandalism, the cause of the majority of casualties on today’s railway;
• Resources to plan medium and long- term projects.

Medium Term (2005 – 2010)

The medium-term strategy is to deliver the growth targets set in the Government’s Ten-Year Transport Plan and to provide more capacity to relive passenger overcrowding. Highlights of the projects required are:

• Longer trains on a number of commuter routes to relieve overcrowding;
• New trains and station improvements on the route between London St Pancras, the East Midlands and South Yorkshire, through the Midland Mainline franchise extension;
• Upgrading the TransPennine route to provide more capacity for extra passenger and freight services, and to reduce journey times;
• Upgrading freight routes from Felixstowe and Southampton to the West Midlands, the North of England and Scotland to take larger containers which at present are transported by road;
• New trains, additional capacity and better integration with bus, Underground and light rail delivered through the long term franchises agreed for Chiltern, South Central and South West Trains;
• Thameslink 2000 scheme to provide high frequency services across Central London, linking a wider range of destinations north and south of the river, providing a practical alternative to many journeys via the M25, and relieving congestion on the Underground;
• Extension of the East London Line, integrating Underground and National Rail services and providing better links to Docklands;
• Local projects throughout Great Britain, funded through the £430m Rail Passenger Partnership scheme.

Long Term (Beyond 2010)

Beyond 2010, the role of the railway will become even more important, and the key network capacity issues will have to be addressed. In particular, this involves:

• High Speed Line. Additional capacity between London, the North of England and Scotland for both freight and passenger services; to include consideration of a new line with a high speed capability, and provision of capacity for more North – South rail freight movements;
• Kings Cross/St Pancras. Integrated development of the main line and Underground stations (and bus and taxi connections) as a ‘superhub’
• West Midlands/Manchester Capacity. Relief of congestion with new infrastructure in regional centres such as Birmingham and Manchester;
• Multimodal Studies. Development and implementation of rail projects identified as required in the multimodal studies;
• Rail/air. Further development of airport links, particularly at Heathrow (Airtrack), Glasgow and Edinburgh airports;
• Great Western Main Line. Development of plans, linked with track and signalling renewal for the routes from London Paddington to South Wales and the West of England;
• Crossrail. ‘Regional Express’ cross-city schemes such as the London Crossrail project, being developed jointly with TfL. Similarly, work will continue on the Merton – Hackney route in London.
• South London Metro. Further development of south London suburban routes to provide ‘metro’ type frequencies and standards of service at peak as well as off-peak times;
• New lines/terminals. Connecting new freight and passenger markets with new or reinstated railways or new siding connections.