Network Rail Greater Anglia Route Utilisation Strategy
Encyclopedia
The Greater Anglia Route Utilisation Strategy is a Route Utilisation Strategy published by Network Rail
in December 2007. It was the sixth RUS to be produced. The area covered includes the whole of Route 5 West Anglia (WA)
and Route 7 Great Eastern (GE)
, which both focus for passenger purposes on London Liverpool Street, and the London Fenchurch Street services from Route 6
. As with other RUSs, the Greater Anglia RUS took into account a number of responses, including the Office of Rail Regulation
(ORR).
The routes and services covered by the RUS are varied in type. The key issues are peak crowding on inner suburban, outer suburban and some long distance services, and the capacity of the routes to handle growing container freight traffic; however off-peak service gaps on main passenger routes are dealt with, and the routes also include a number of relatively lightly used services, though with some peak 'spikes'.
Like other strategies in this series, recommendations are divided into short-term (Control Period 3, CP3, the remaining 18 months to March 2009), medium-term (CP4, five years to March 2014), and long-term (CP5, thereafter). A summary of recommendations for each of the strategic routes (as described above) is also provided.
As with several other RUSs the chief solution recommended for peak crowding is to add cars to the trains, which in many cases will require platform extensions, or less commonly to provide additional services, which may require other infrastructural enhancements. The RUS also picks up from the Freight RUS the enhancements desired on the Ipswich-Peterborough freight route.
: Minor infrastructure works and additional rolling stock to allow all main line peak-service trains to be extended progressively to 12-car formation; the extension of platforms on the Tilbury loop and Ockendon branch to handle 12 cars, to allow all main line peak-service trains to be extended progressively to 8 or 12-car formation.
Great Eastern route
: All services to include a stop at Stratford
, requiring a platform extension, to provide improved connectivity with TfL's system, to even out the peak flows, and release additional paths on the route; three additional trains per hour (tph) in each peak 3-hour period (12-car in the high peaks, 8 in the shoulder peaks), one from Colchester
, one from Chelmsford
, one from Southend; extending peak hour Southminster branch trains to 12-car; minor infrastructure works and replacement rolling stock in 5-car formation to provide more seats in the peak on the main line to Norwich
; construction of a turnback facility at Chadwell Heath
, to extend existing and additional morning peak services, and provide a regulating facility during times of disruption; power supply to be enhanced for some of these options.
West Anglia route
: The extension of remaining non-compliant platforms on the Liverpool Street-Cambridge route and at Stansted Airport to handle 12 cars; the reinstatement of 9-car trains in the peaks on the Hertford East, Enfield Town, Cheshunt via Southbury and Chingford branch services, requiring a small amount of infrastructure; a shuttle service between Cheshunt and Seven Sisters, where a power-operated turnback would be provided, and where interchange with London Underground is available, should be introduced during the peaks; stabling and maintenance facilities for the larger, enhanced fleet; removal of the three level crossings between Tottenham Hale and Waltham Cross; power supply to be enhanced for some of these options and likely future requirements.
Freight Accommodating growth in freight traffic, predominantly containers from the Haven ports, mainly via the cross-country route to the ECML at Peterborough
and the WCML at Nuneaton (for which W10 clearance works are in hand), but also via the paths remaining on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML).
Cross-country passenger services There is an aspiration to provide hourly services on various cross country routes; the case for Ipswich-Peterborough is good, providing compatible timetabling with the freight service is possible; Ipswich-Lowestoft
and Cambridge-Norwich
would require infrastructure works and needs to be evaluated later, especially as passenger growth trends emerge.
Greater Anglia perspective Doubling of Haughley Junction (on the Cambridge-Stowmarket route), full commissioning of Ely West Curve, and accommodating Class 6 freight trains, all to improve performance.
Great Eastern route Continued lengthening of (mainly shoulder) peak trains to 12-car formation; additional stabling facilities.
West Anglia Four-tracking of the route between Coppermill Junction (south of Tottenham Hale station) and Broxbourne junction, where the Cambridge/Stansted and Hertford East lines diverge; an additional tunnel and platform edge on the Stansted Airport branch; 1 additional tph serving Stansted; up to six peak time extra tph, including four into Stratford as a terminus; after Crossrail implementation (which releases GE paths between Liverpool Street and Stratford) extending these Stratford services to Liverpool Street, and diverting some Chingford services via a new curve and Stratford, in turn releasing paths between Hackney Downs and Bethnal Green.
Freight Accommodating further growth in freight traffic, including higher capacity in the Leicester area in line with scheduled resignalling.
Crossrail Within this timeframe the east-west London Crossrail project is scheduled to be opened; this will subsume GE inner suburban services at 10-car formation.
Report by Passenger Watch on car parking restrictions.
and milestones, confirming several of the recommended interventions. Specific projects, with their reference and page numbers in the document, are given below:
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
in December 2007. It was the sixth RUS to be produced. The area covered includes the whole of Route 5 West Anglia (WA)
Network Rail Route 5 (West Anglia)
Strategic Route 5 - West Anglia is the designation given by Network Rail to a grouping of railway lines in the East of England that encompasses the West Anglia Main Line and its various branch lines...
and Route 7 Great Eastern (GE)
Network Rail Route 7 (Great Eastern)
Strategic Route 7 - Great Eastern is the designation given by Network Rail to a grouping of railway lines in the East of England that encompasses the Great Eastern Main Line and its various branch lines...
, which both focus for passenger purposes on London Liverpool Street, and the London Fenchurch Street services from Route 6
Network Rail Route 6 (North London Line and Thameside)
Strategic Route 6 - North London Line and Thameside is the designation given by Network Rail to a grouping of railway lines in Greater London and the East of England region that encompasses the London, Tilbury and Southend Line and overground commuter lines within London...
. As with other RUSs, the Greater Anglia RUS took into account a number of responses, including the Office of Rail Regulation
Office of Rail Regulation
The Office of Rail Regulation is a statutory board which is the combined economic and safety regulatory authority for Great Britain's railway network. It was established on 5 July 2004 by the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, replacing the Rail Regulator...
(ORR).
The routes and services covered by the RUS are varied in type. The key issues are peak crowding on inner suburban, outer suburban and some long distance services, and the capacity of the routes to handle growing container freight traffic; however off-peak service gaps on main passenger routes are dealt with, and the routes also include a number of relatively lightly used services, though with some peak 'spikes'.
Like other strategies in this series, recommendations are divided into short-term (Control Period 3, CP3, the remaining 18 months to March 2009), medium-term (CP4, five years to March 2014), and long-term (CP5, thereafter). A summary of recommendations for each of the strategic routes (as described above) is also provided.
As with several other RUSs the chief solution recommended for peak crowding is to add cars to the trains, which in many cases will require platform extensions, or less commonly to provide additional services, which may require other infrastructural enhancements. The RUS also picks up from the Freight RUS the enhancements desired on the Ipswich-Peterborough freight route.
Short term
The short-term improvements are mainly minor enhancements to improve performance, but include the extension of the bay platform at Grays to accommodate 8-car trains.Medium term (2009-14)
Thameside routeNetwork Rail Route 6 (North London Line and Thameside)
Strategic Route 6 - North London Line and Thameside is the designation given by Network Rail to a grouping of railway lines in Greater London and the East of England region that encompasses the London, Tilbury and Southend Line and overground commuter lines within London...
: Minor infrastructure works and additional rolling stock to allow all main line peak-service trains to be extended progressively to 12-car formation; the extension of platforms on the Tilbury loop and Ockendon branch to handle 12 cars, to allow all main line peak-service trains to be extended progressively to 8 or 12-car formation.
Great Eastern route
Network Rail Route 7 (Great Eastern)
Strategic Route 7 - Great Eastern is the designation given by Network Rail to a grouping of railway lines in the East of England that encompasses the Great Eastern Main Line and its various branch lines...
: All services to include a stop at Stratford
Stratford, London
Stratford is a place in the London Borough of Newham, England. It is located east northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an agrarian settlement in the ancient parish of West Ham, which transformed into an industrial suburb...
, requiring a platform extension, to provide improved connectivity with TfL's system, to even out the peak flows, and release additional paths on the route; three additional trains per hour (tph) in each peak 3-hour period (12-car in the high peaks, 8 in the shoulder peaks), one from Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, one from Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
, one from Southend; extending peak hour Southminster branch trains to 12-car; minor infrastructure works and replacement rolling stock in 5-car formation to provide more seats in the peak on the main line to Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
; construction of a turnback facility at Chadwell Heath
Chadwell Heath
Chadwell Heath is a place in the London Borough of Redbridge and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, both in Greater London. It is north-east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, to extend existing and additional morning peak services, and provide a regulating facility during times of disruption; power supply to be enhanced for some of these options.
West Anglia route
Network Rail Route 5 (West Anglia)
Strategic Route 5 - West Anglia is the designation given by Network Rail to a grouping of railway lines in the East of England that encompasses the West Anglia Main Line and its various branch lines...
: The extension of remaining non-compliant platforms on the Liverpool Street-Cambridge route and at Stansted Airport to handle 12 cars; the reinstatement of 9-car trains in the peaks on the Hertford East, Enfield Town, Cheshunt via Southbury and Chingford branch services, requiring a small amount of infrastructure; a shuttle service between Cheshunt and Seven Sisters, where a power-operated turnback would be provided, and where interchange with London Underground is available, should be introduced during the peaks; stabling and maintenance facilities for the larger, enhanced fleet; removal of the three level crossings between Tottenham Hale and Waltham Cross; power supply to be enhanced for some of these options and likely future requirements.
Freight Accommodating growth in freight traffic, predominantly containers from the Haven ports, mainly via the cross-country route to the ECML at Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
and the WCML at Nuneaton (for which W10 clearance works are in hand), but also via the paths remaining on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML).
Cross-country passenger services There is an aspiration to provide hourly services on various cross country routes; the case for Ipswich-Peterborough is good, providing compatible timetabling with the freight service is possible; Ipswich-Lowestoft
East Suffolk Line
The East Suffolk Line is an un-electrified secondary railway line running between Ipswich and Lowestoft in Suffolk, England. The traffic along the route consists of passenger services operated by National Express East Anglia, while nuclear flask trains for the Sizewell nuclear power stations are...
and Cambridge-Norwich
Breckland Line
The Breckland Line runs from Cambridge in Cambridgeshire to Norwich in Norfolk, in East Anglia, England. It is so called because it runs through the Breckland region of Norfolk. The line also passes through Thetford Forest. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 5, SRS 05.09 and part...
would require infrastructure works and needs to be evaluated later, especially as passenger growth trends emerge.
Greater Anglia perspective Doubling of Haughley Junction (on the Cambridge-Stowmarket route), full commissioning of Ely West Curve, and accommodating Class 6 freight trains, all to improve performance.
Longer term (to 2019, and beyond)
Thameside route Continued lengthening of (mainly shoulder) peak trains to 12-car formation.Great Eastern route Continued lengthening of (mainly shoulder) peak trains to 12-car formation; additional stabling facilities.
West Anglia Four-tracking of the route between Coppermill Junction (south of Tottenham Hale station) and Broxbourne junction, where the Cambridge/Stansted and Hertford East lines diverge; an additional tunnel and platform edge on the Stansted Airport branch; 1 additional tph serving Stansted; up to six peak time extra tph, including four into Stratford as a terminus; after Crossrail implementation (which releases GE paths between Liverpool Street and Stratford) extending these Stratford services to Liverpool Street, and diverting some Chingford services via a new curve and Stratford, in turn releasing paths between Hackney Downs and Bethnal Green.
Freight Accommodating further growth in freight traffic, including higher capacity in the Leicester area in line with scheduled resignalling.
Crossrail Within this timeframe the east-west London Crossrail project is scheduled to be opened; this will subsume GE inner suburban services at 10-car formation.
Combined effect through time by route
The benefit cost ratios of the recommendations over time is estimated as:- Thameside route: 3.3
- Great Eastern route: 5.7
- West Anglia (with substantially higher investment costs): 2.7 (including wider economic benefits)
Subsequent developments
Grays bay platform extension authorised to completion.Report by Passenger Watch on car parking restrictions.
NR CP4 Delivery Plan 2009
In March 2009 Network Rail published its CP4 Delivery Plan 2009, including Enhancements programme: statement of scope, outputsand milestones, confirming several of the recommended interventions. Specific projects, with their reference and page numbers in the document, are given below:
- 03.01 Felixstowe - Nuneaton freight capacity, p17
- 15.02 Platform extensions to 12-car capability, Tilbury Loop and Ockendon Branch, p57
- 15.03 Platform extensions to 12-car capability, West Anglia outer suburban, pp58–59 (including new Cambridge island platform)
- 16.05 Route 5 power supply enhancements, pp83–84
- 16.06 Route 6 power supply enhancements, p85
- 16.07 Route 7 power supply enhancements, pp86–87
- 17.03 Seven Sisters improved access, p92