HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Strategic Rail Plan – Briefing note for Yorkshire and the Humber [January 2002]

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

(the area covered is that of Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber – North Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, City of York, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire)

Objectives of the Strategic Plan

The Plan sets out how the SRA intends to tackle the rail industry’s problems and priorities in the short, medium and long term to:

• restore stability in the industry, allowing performance to improve;
• deliver growth to meet the 10 Year Plan core targets of:
  

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

• build a pipeline of projects at different stages of development against which contractors and suppliers can plan.

The priorities have been developed taking into account dialogue with the Rail Passengers’ Committee for North Eastern England, the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Assembly and Yorkshire Forward (the RDA), Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber and local authorities within the region.

The SRA contributed to the preparation of Regional Planning Guidance for Yorkshire and the Humber, issued in October 2001.

The SRA has participated in the following Multi Modal Studies (MMS):

• South and West Yorkshire Multi Modal Study (SWYMMS)
• Hull East West Corridor (HUMMS).

National schemes with benefits for Yorkshire and the Humber

• Train Protection and Warning Systems
• A Company Neutral Revenue Support schemes to be introduced in 2002 for intermodal and ‘less than trainload’ markets
• Freight Facility Grants
• Freight Small Schemes Fund
• Incremental Outputs statements for track and signalling and stations
• Rail Passenger Partnership Fund
• Training through a National Rail Academy
• National Rail Performance Fund to improve reliability of services
• Proposals for a National Test Track to prove new rolling stock, before it is introduced on the Railtrack network.
• A programme of improvements for passengers with disabilities to improve station access and special training for staff.

PRINCIPAL PROJECTS FOR YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER

Developments 2001-2002

Service developments

Rolling stock

• 34 four-car CrossCountry Voyager trains to replace all loco-hauled services by May 2002. Progressive introduction of new trains during Autumn/Winter 2001/02, delivering extra services and greater reliability. Testing of first of 44 tilting five-car Super Voyager trains, which will deliver faster journey times.

Performance improvements

• Draft enforcement order made against Arriva Trains Northern, and further incentives put in place, to restore and improve train services.

Stations and passenger facilities

• The SRA has contributed development funding for a programme of improvements at Sheffield station, which are the subject of a Rail Passenger Partnership bid.
• · RPP-funded redevelopment of Thornaby station (including new staffed station building).

Infrastructure improvements

• ‘Leeds First’ project, phase 1a of the ECML upgrade, will be completed, comprising resignalling, additional track and platform capacity, a new station roof, customer information systems, and a new footbridge with lifts and escalators.
• CrossCountry: completion of infrastructure upgrade works at bottlenecks.
• SRA is procuring design feasibility studies for further elements of the East Coast Main Line upgrade.

Rail Passenger Partnership proposals

The following RPP proposals are currently being assessed:

RPP proposal	Status	Output
Sheffield station	Pre-qualified	Redevelopment and refurbishment of Grade II listed station & environs, better integration with Supertram, local bus network & city centre
North East Yorkshire Rail Scheme	Revised bid expected	Two new railway stations and a regular service between Strensall, Haxby and York

IOS infrastructure

The SRA is supporting, subject to value for money tests, the following incremental improvements to the network:

IOS infrastructure scheme	Main output	Key requirement	Expected completion date
Nottingham – Sheffield	Capacity	2 trains per hour at regular intervals	2003-04
Sheffield to York	operational flexibility	upgrade the Monkhill Goods line to passenger status, allowing new through services	2005-06

Short Term Developments 2002-2005

Service developments

• CrossCountry: frequencies increased from summer 2003 timetable on core routes, to approximately double the present frequencies, with standard ‘clock face’ timetables and shorter journey times.
• 3 additional Midland Main Line services in each direction between Sheffield and London from May 2004.
• MML: extension of London – Sheffield services to provide hourly trains to and from Leeds between 0700 and 1900 from May 2004.

Rolling stock

• 127 new 125 mph diesel vehicles to replace the present 100 mph MML Turbostar trains by 2005, giving a one third increase in total train capacity.
• Interior refurbishment of MML HSTs.
• Provision of MML depot in Yorkshire.
• Metrotrain RPP bid for eight additional Class 333 trailer cars (on an existing Class 333 fleet of 48 vehicles) and platform extensions on the Leeds – Doncaster line has been approved.
• Funding for another eight new class 33 trailer cars approved, and for leasing an additional ten vehicles, the former Airedale and Wharefdale services, the latter for routes in West and South Yorkshire.

Performance improvements

• Profit sharing between MML and the SRA will begin from 2004; all payments due to the SRA will be reinvested in commensurate passenger benefits.

Franchise negotiations

• TransPennine Express: in September 2001, the SRA was requested by Secretary of State to proceed towards the final stage of the letting of this franchise. Formal consultations with the 5 PTEs, which have the statutory right to specify services in their respective regions, were completed last year. 3 shortlisted counterparties will shortly be invited to submit revised proposals, taking into consideration any additional requirements emerging from the consultation process. It is intended that the new franchise will be awarded later this year, to commence early next year. The new franchise will look at opportunities for new rolling stock and depot facilities; more frequent express services on key routes; and addition of new destinations to the TPE network, as well as continuing design development work on Calder Valley upgrade.
• SRA is negotiating a 2 year franchise extension with GNER to 2005 and details will be announced shortly. Essential requirements include:
  • additional incentives for improved operational performance and customer satisfaction
  • interior refurbishment of all existing IC225 and HST trains
  • a programme of HST reliability modifications
  • station improvements.

Stations and passenger facilities

• £22m of enhancements to MML stations, including improvements to stations car parks, passenger information systems, ticketing information, passenger information regarding transport interchange facilities, and cycle storage facilities.
• Sheffield station – SRA has contributed funding for development work on major improvements to Sheffield station. The Government’s 2002-03 Local Transport Settlement includes £7.65m for improved pedestrian access to, and facilities at, the station.

Infrastructure improvements

ECML Upgrade: SRA’s intention is to lead a Joint Venture company that will deliver an upgrade of passenger and freight capacity on the ECML. Improvements could include:

• Longer trains and platforms
• Remodelling of Peterborough station
• Development of alternative freight lines to provide increased and segregated capacity between:
  • Peterborough and Doncaster via Lincoln
  • Doncaster and York
  • Northallerton and Ferryhill via Teeside
  • Newcastle and Edinburgh, through provision of freight loops
• New bridge to take East-West services, which currently cross the ECML by a flat junction at Newark, over the ECML; removing this flat junction would improve capacity and reduce operational complexity.
• Capacity improvement works at Finsbury Park, Hitchin, Doncaster, Shaftholme, York, Newcastle and other locations.
• ATN will gain spin-off benefits from the MML and ECML upgrades

Freight

The South Humberside Main Line currently handles approximately 20% of all UK rail freight tonnage. Improved capacity and speeds will consequently benefit a wide range of freight customers. Improvements on the capacity-constrained Hope Valley line will provide more freight paths, faster transits and greater reliability, which also provide benefits for passenger operators. Improvements at Doncaster will also take place to accommodate longer freight trains.

The SRA intends to develop and implement the following:

• Increase in the availability of freight paths in the order of 30% to/from ports at Immingham, Grimsby, and Killingholme
• Increase in speeds for freight trains between Doncaster and Immingham
• Reopening of the Wrawby Junction – Brigg – Gainsborough route to add capacity to and from the South Humberside area
• Incremental improvements to capacity, speed and route availability for freight trains on the Hope Valley line between Sheffield and Manchester
• Gauge clearance to W10 or W12 on the North TransPennine Route between Leeds and Manchester, including connections to ports and terminals

Freight Developments 2002 – 2005

Outputs	Expected completion date
Wrawby Junction – Gainsborough reopening.	2002
Hope Valley incremental speed and route availability improvements.	2002 – 04
South Humberside Main Line, speed improvements, minor signalling works.	2002 – 04

In the period 2005 – 2010, additional capacity for freight trains is planned on the route between Doncaster band Bristol.

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:

• 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;’
• Multimodal Studies. Development of rail projects identified in the Multi-modal studies;