Network Rail Strategy

" Plymouth experienced a higher level of growth with rail journey increasing by 50% since 1998 ” ©James Pratt Dont forget the Torbay Vintage Bus Running Day. The signs are up along the Seafront clearing the way for you to enjoy a great day out. The weather looks like it should be ok too. Sunday 8 September

Great Western Growth Strategy for Devon and Cornwall The proposal, which is part of the Great Western Route Utilisation Strategy, outlines a plan to bring extra trains and more frequent services to build on the benefits from the capacity-boosting Intercity Express Programme (IEP). IEP will cater to the growing rail demand in the area, bringing extra seats to passengers. However, to sustain this growth and continue to generate rail market share, there needs to be better connectivity into Exeter and Plymouth and consistent service pattern during summer peak period. Published by Network Rail, the ten-year strategy is evidence-based and considers forecast rail demands and local economic and population growth. Based on forecast analysis, the Great Western is set to grow by 31% with nearly 100m passengers by 2019, with Bristol to experience the biggest jump in number. Rail travel into Plymouth and Exeter has boomed in the last decade with rail journeys increased by 50% and 30% respectively at the two key interchanges. Today, both cities are receiving approximately 2m passengers. In addition, Plymouth and Exeter are forecasted in the draft Regional Spatial Strategy to be among the biggest growth cities/towns – following behind Bristol and Swindon - in the South West by 2026. Chris Rayner, route director, Network Rail, said: “The Great Western is seeing record-breaking rail performance and sustained investments that is radically changing passengers’ experience. This emerging strategy sets the building block for more improvements in Devon and Cornwall for the next decade and beyond, when opportunities arise for an overhaul of the signalling system, electrification of the line and even more longer trains.” “It is essential that we have a robust strategy in place to build a bigger and better railway and the support we receive as part of the consultation process will play an important part in shaping the future of rail services for this region.” Mike Greedy, Passenger Focus manager, said: “This is a very important process which gives passengers the opportunity to highlight any realistic aspirations for the future services in their area and we encourage passengers to take part in Network Rail’s consultation.” The emerging strategy focuses on connectivity issues and if funding is available, some of these options could be delivered from as early as 2014 onwards. The majority of the options have demonstrated a positive business case, while some of them will require further evaluation during the consultation period. Recommended options that require funding from either government or third parties, or further review include: 1. Improve service pattern between Paignton to Exmouth to half-hourly and Barnstaple to St. James Park to hourly. 2. Continue analysis of capacity constraints on the local and long-distance services into and out of Paignton. 3. Review service provision for Newquay to explore requirement to improve capacity, with reference to Government’s plan to develop an eco-town near St.Austell. 4. Further review to explore feasibility of a standard timetable pattern throughout the day between Bristol – Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance. 5. Reduce journey time on services between Bristol Temple Meads -Exeter by raising the linespeed between Bristol Temple Meads to Bridgwater to 125mph. Key committed enhancement schemes with secured funding from government or third parties: 1. Intercity Express Programme to provide a new generation of trains to replace long-distance high speed trains on the Great Western, boosting capacity. Expected to be delivered from 2016 onwards.   2. Modernise signalling on the Great Western with the new in-cab European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS) to enhance operation and support capacity improvements. This will bring opportunities to improve infrastructure capability especially between Newton Abbott and Plymouth which, together with IEP, could significantly increase capacity and reduce journey times on key interurban routes. Expected to be from 2016 onwards. 3. Reading re-modelling scheme to cut delays on long-distance high speed trains travelling between London and Devon and Cornwall. Work starting in 2010. 4. An additional passing loop at Axminster to facilitate an hourly service between Exeter St Davids and London Waterloo. Due to be completed by December 2009. 5. Development of a new station at Cranbrook 6. National Station Improvement Programme to provide better service environment at select key stations, including Exeter St. Davids, Truro, St. Austell and Penzance. Consultation of the draft Great Western Route Utilisation Strategy ends on 27 November 2009 with the final document published in early 2010. This will be put forward to inform the Department for Transport and to help shape its future high-level strategy for the industry’s next funding period from 2014 to 2019. Four key urban interchanges are Reading; Bristol; Exeter; Plymouth 1. It is estimated that 95% of passengers in Reading use long-distance high speed trains to London Paddington 2. Approximately 7m passenger rail journeys start or end in Bristol, representing a 75% increase from 4m in 1998. Trips to Bristol by rail are mostly for commuting purposes, and it is becoming more attractive as a result of improved rail service and increased road congestion into and around the city centre. 3. Approximately 2m rail travel at Exeter St.Davids, a 30% increase from 1998. 4. Plymouth experienced a higher level of growth with rail journey increasing by 50% since 1998 to around 2m in 2007.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Rail connection 'must improve' (thisisplymouth.co.uk)
• Network Rail to electrify Great Western mainline (guardian.co.uk)
• Views sought on 10-year rail plan (news.bbc.co.uk)

Urban Tick

plymouth365_24h_sun from urbanTick on Vimeo.
Plymouth city centre is a very specific area. It has a very distinct character arising from the strong postwar design by Patrick Abercrombie. It has a truly mono functional use, it is a shopping centre in the most literal sense of the word possible. There are no offices, no restaurants, no pubs or bars, no housing, just shops and on the first or second floors storage space for the shops. Link
This is a line lifted from UrbanTick which is a personal blog from someone undergoing a PhD at UCL. As part of his work he has tracked his movements across the City of Plymouth and mapped them. A few of these are captured in video over 24 hours of all movements over 365 days. This particular video shows the movements by hours of daylight (winter).
The whole project is fascinating, and quite detailed and complicated so you really need to pop over to his blog UrbanTick to have a good read to make more sense of it all. You can see the beginning of some very useful tools for transport planning developing here.

Unnecessary Pipe Dreams

This week has seen the Making Plymouth Great showcase with several events held across the city. One important meeting held on Tuesday featured an impassioned call for Plymouth to adopt radical new transport proposals, made in a speech by the former city MP Lord David Owen. Its starts off pretty good:  He said Plymouth needed a vision for its transport in the same way it had addressed urban design when it commissioned architect David Mackay to come up with a plan for the city. Couldn't agree more with that! Sadly it then goes off...

He put forward bold suggestions including a light railway, inspired by the Docklands Light Railway, to link the city centre with key sites such as the airport, Home Park, the rail station and even out towards the Sherford new town.

For the city to realise the potential of its tourism sector it should develop a tram system, like many European cities, to take visitors to attractions such as the Barbican and Hoe.

All to often we see people making these grand plans which will never happen in a place like Plymouth. The sort of scheme he is talking about would cost millions and take years to build. We have already seen the Government refuse schemes in several cities which have had a lot more planning and would stand a much greater chance of success than Plymouth could ever manage. Its a shame that all to often we see grand schemes suggested when the answer is a lot cheaper and easier to put together. We have already had a glimpse of what can be achieved in Plymouth with the excellent Park and Ride service - the envy of many cities in the country. When the council and bus companies can work together and the investment is made the result can be dramatic.

If Lord Owen could source even a tenth of the sort of investment that would be needed for his fancy trams scheme - and it went into new buses and bus priority schemes then the city would benefit to a far greater extent - and indeed a much wider section of the city population would benefit.

First Group have already shown that they are willing to invest heavily in areas where the local authorities are able to work in partnership and invest in infrastructure to improve services. Citybus too would I am sure be happy to invest more in new buses in such a scheme.

The radical transport solution that Plymouth needs needn't be so radical after all!