01.01.07
ICE calls for high speed link study
Source: Rail Technology Magazine Dec/Jan 2007
A report by The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has urged the Government to recognise the need for integrated long term transport planning and for planning of all transport systems along the lines of Transport 21, the Republic of Ireland’s comprehensive plan to upgrade its network by 2015.
The report, entitled The State of the Nation, also calls for a comprehensive study of the options for a high speed rail link between London and Scotland. Such a route would benefit customers and free extra capacity for the growing freight market. The study would also need to consider whether enough freight capacity would be provided by removing inter-city traffic from existing routes or whether a dedicated freight route was required
The report states that although, nine times out of ten, British trains arrive on time, the future is less rosy , especially in England, where the rail network is at full stretch.
The punctuality of trains over a 12 month period finally surpassed its immediate pre-Hatfield level with 86.4% of services arriving within five minutes of their due time (10 minutes for long-distance services). The upward trend looks set to continue if the 89.8% achieved in the first month of 2006 is anything to go by.
Certain poor performing routes remain in urgent need of upgraded infrastructure and more efficient operation. And, encouraging though they are, we should not allow ourselves to be too dazzled by the figures on punctuality, currently the only available yardstick of customer satisfaction (the public performance measure (PPM)). When it is an over simplistic yardstick that is being managed rather than the welfare of the customer, no one wins. The PPM should be expanded to reflect the customer’s total experience or there will be little incentive to improve it.
In England, the future investment programme is weighted towards the capital. The danger is that the 2012 Olympics, Crossrail, the East London Line and Thameslink will soak up funding and human resources, only leaving the opportunity for minor tweaking of the rail infrastructure elsewhere. It is encouraging that Network Rail has set up a strategy group to look at the human resources issue and its £400 million discretionary fund will allow vital minor improvements to the network over the next three years.
One worrying sign is the conflict between the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) over the East Coast Main Line. The ORR's award of additional train paths (a slot in a timetable for running an individual train) to Hull Trains and Grand Central may damage GNER's attempts to meet its franchise commitment to the DfT. This could also affect infrastructure improvements, for example further electrification and the provision of park and ride facilities east of Leeds. The fact that the dispute ended in court sends completely the wrong message to potential franchise holders, and bodes ill for the future high level management of the UK’s railways.
The proposal to end the Gatwick Express franchise due to congested train pathing is also worrying. Gatwick is a major international airport and needs a dedicated service into the capital.
In Scotland, growth on the railways, with a 7.8% increase in passenger journeys in 2005-06, is being serviced with £1.6 billion worth of major improvements – including links to Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. Transport Scotland, which went live on 1 January 2006, and the development of regional transport partnerships will bring an integrated approach to transport planning.
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