Memorandum from Network Rail (EM2-12)

 

 

Executive Summary

 

· Network Rail has spent millions of pounds on major renewal and enhancement projects in the East Midlands to increase capacity, upgrade track, structures signalling, stations and car parks and improve line speeds;

· Over the next 5 year regulatory period, known as Control Period 4, large enhancement projects impacting on the East Midlands include St Pancras-Sheffield linespeed improvements, major station improvements across the region and increasing freight gauge clearance from Peterborough to Nuneaton;

· The Midland Main Line is one of Network Rail's priority areas for investment to meet our customer's aspirations for improved network availability on key routes through the "seven day railway programme";

· The East Coast Main Line is another route which is a priority for investment in Control Period 4 and into the next funding period. This investment will bring benefits to the more easterly part of the East Midlands;

· On the future investment priorities, Network Rail's recently published a draft Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) for the East Midlands sets out a plan to provide more seats, more services and better journeys for rail users throughout the East Midlands;

· Network Rail studies demonstrate an extremely strong business case for the electrification of the Midland Main Line.

 

Renewals

 

Recently completed major renewals projects include:

 

· Upgrading of Derby station platforms and passenger facilities, and a complete renewal of the canopies;

· Bradway tunnel (between Chesterfield and Sheffield) renewal;

· A new signalling control centre at Derby using the latest technology;

· Major re-signalling between Chesterfield and Loughborough-the final element is to be commissioned in January;

· Major resignalling and track layout improvements in Lincoln;

· On going track and structures renewals throughout the region.

 

Recent and forthcoming enhancements

 

Over the last couple years Network Rail enhancements to the rail network in the East Midlands have included;

 

· A new station at Corby (part funded by the East Midlands Development Agency, EMDA);

· A new station at East Midlands Parkway (part funded by EMDA);

· A third line from Kettering to Harrowden Junction (north of Wellingborough);

· Line speed improvements on the Robin Hood line (between Nottingham and Mansfield);

· Car parking schemes at Chesterfield and Market Harborough;

· New power doors and lifts for Derby station.

 

By January the following projects will be completed;

 

· The doubling of Trent East Junction to improve performance and increase capacity;

· Line speed improvement on the slow lines between East Midlands Parkway and Leicester to improving the "Ivanhoe" service;

· A new facility for East Midlands Trains' Meridian trains at Derby Etches Park depot.

 

The following projects are authorised and ready for implementation;

 

· A third platform at Chesterfield station;

· The Nottingham Hub project-a £67 million plan to transform Nottingham railway station into a world class transport interchange.

 

The following projects have been allocated funding in the current 5 year regulatory period, known as Control Period 4;

 

· Midland Main Line speed improvements leading to an 8 minute journey time reduction for limited stop services between London and Sheffield;

· East Coast Main Line upgrade to provide increased capacity and improved performance for passenger services from London to the East Midlands (more easterly areas), Yorkshire, the North East and eastern Scotland and increased capacity for freight;

· Platform extensions at Loughborough;

· Renewal and enhancement to the layout of the tracks at Nottingham station;

· Station improvements at:

o Derby

o Leicester

o Kettering

o Skegness

· Access for All facilities (to improve access for those with mobility difficulties) at:

o Long Eaton

o Loughborough

· Peterborough to Nuneaton W10 project-involving increasing gauge clearance for this freight route to Peterborough to Nuneaton.

 

Increasing network availability

 

The Midland Main Line is one of Network Rail's priority areas for investment to meet our customer's aspirations for improved network availability on key routes through the "seven day railway" programme.

 

The industry has been working together to understand what a seven day railway would actually mean for the eight routes that have been selected for the programme, including the Midland Main Line. This includes defining necessary interventions to increase the availability of the network.

 

Future investment priorities

 

East Midlands Route Utilisation Strategy

 

Network Rail's draft Route Utilisation Strategy for public consultation sets out a plan to provide more seats, more services and better journeys for rail users and improved capability for freight trains throughout the East Midlands over the next ten years to meet growing demand.

 

The plan identifies a range of schemes to meet this growth-subject to funding availability-and ease the pinch-points to improve journeys for passengers and freight users.

 

Demand for commuting into London and other important economic centres such as Leicester, Derby and Nottingham has grown considerably in recent years, and this growth is expected to continue over the next decade. The RUS broadly predicts a 28% increase in passenger demand across the East Midlands over a 10 year period, though demand for services to and from Birmingham is set to increase by 40%.

The options to increase capacity and create better rail journeys throughout the region include:

 

- Schemes to provide more seats

 

· Long distance services into London- trains in the peak should be lengthened up to a maximum of 11 carriages at peak times as soon as rolling stock becomes available;

· Leicester and Nottingham-further train lengthening on long distance and some local services to provide extra capacity;

· Liverpool-Norwich-extending trains between Liverpool and Nottingham to four carriages with two carriages continuing to Norwich and extension of 13.52 Liverpool to Nottingham service to Norwich;

· Birmingham-Stansted Airport-in the short-term train lengthening to four carriages on the busiest services combined with some platform lengthening; followed by a combination of train lengthening and extension of some of the existing services between Birmingham and Leicester.

 

- Schemes to improve freight services

· A southbound loop south of Bedford to allow heavier daytime freight trains to run;

· Loops between Kettering and Leicester, near Market Harborough;

· Gauge enhancement of key intermodal routes;

· Increased track capacity in the Leicester area which would also benefit increasing the frequency of Birmingham-Cambridge/Stansted Airport passenger services.

 

- Schemes to improve regional connectivity

 

 

· Providing an additional stop every hour on the Derby/Sheffield semi-fast service at Kettering;

· If possible, more regular services to be provided between Peterborough and Lincoln once the upgrade of the GN/GE joint line has been completed;

· Further development of a potential flyover at Newark to improve services between Nottingham and Lincoln and on the East Coast Main Line.

 

Electrification of the Midland Main Line

 

Network Rail's recently published Electrification Route Utilisation Strategy concludes that the electrification of the Midland Main Line-the main route from London St Pancras to Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield-has an extremely attractive business case and could, over the course of 60 years, pay for itself with the savings made from cheaper running costs and maintenance outweighing the initial investment to electrify the route. Electrification also brings considerable environmental benefits including increased energy efficiency and reduced air pollution.

 

 

11 December 2009