The Freight RUS - a draft for consultation

The RUS Programme Slide 2 South West Main Line – established Cross London – final document preparation Scotland – option development & appraisal North West – gap analysis East Coast Main Line – baseline analysis Yorkshire & Humber – scope definition Greater Anglia – baseline analysis South London – scope definition Cumbria – starts Autumn 2006 Wales – starts Autumn 2006 Kent – starts Summer 2007 South Midlands – starts Autumn 2007 East Midlands – starts Autumn 2007 West Coast – starts Autumn 2007 Merseyside – starts Autumn 2007 Great Western – starts Spring 2008 Sussex – starts Spring 2008 Freight – option development & appraisal Network – starts Summer 2006 Slide 2

The Freight RUS Central to RUS programme Considers freight across entire rail network Provides consistency for planning across all routes Complements geographical RUSs Ensures freight needs included alongside changing passenger demands Slide 3

The Freight RUS The collective view of the industry and key stakeholders about the best ways of meeting greater demand for freight A rigorous assessment of options to demonstrate value for money Allows the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) to consider the key options for meeting freight growth when considering expenditure on the rail network Helps inform the High Level Output Specifications by the Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport Scotland Slide 4

The draft freight RUS Assessment of future demand Identification of ‘gaps’ in meeting demand Proposals for options that could fill gaps Slide 5

Demand in growth Risen by 22% in last five years Predicted to rise by more than 30% over next 10 years A rise of 120 trains per day by 2015 Slide 6

The options for meeting growth Timetable alterations Haulage alterations Routeing alternatives Train lengthening Additional or longer loops Signalling Axle weight improvements Gauge schemes Bespoke infrastructure enhancement schemes Slide 7

The options for meeting growth Demand likely to be incremental Enhancement need likely to be incremental Solution likely to be combination of several options Slide 8

The future of intermodal imports Growth in ‘intermodal’ traffic to and from ports in the south east Increasing pressure on capacity on Great Eastern Main Line, cross London routes and West Coast Main Line Draft RUS proposes gauge enhancement and capacity upgrades on Felixstowe to Nuneaton cross country route by 2015 Slide 9

The future of coal imports Scenario one: continued increase in imported coal into Hunterston port on the west coast of Scotland, and continued extraction from the mines in Ayrshire, resulting in more coal travelling from Scotland to England Scenario two: increase in imports through the east coast ports, which result in a rise in demand for freight services from these ports Draft RUS proposes a range of small and medium scale schemes that would deliver additional capacity, including: train lengthening track and signalling enhancements on routes from the north east ports and Ayrshire to the Aire and Trent Valley power stations Slide 10

Next steps 12 weeks consultation Responses due by 24 November 2006 Final Freight RUS published Spring 2007 Slide 11